Iron horses. American Lokomotives 1829-1900

238 Pages·47.061 MB·English

by  Alexander E.P.

IRON HORSES
American Locomotives 1829-1900
By EDWIN P. ALEXANDER
What do such names as "Lightning,"
"Phantom," "Tiger," Highland Light," or
"Nathaniel McKay"bringto mind? They
might be the names of clipper ships, but
these craft never sailed the seas; they
made their journeys over iron rails, for
they were the names of old "iron horses"
back in the last century—the steam loco-
motivesthatplayedtheirpartintheland
transportation that opened up the coun-
try. This book is a pictorial story of the
developmentoftheAmericanlocomotive
from the first engine to run on rails in
1829 down to the turn of the century.
Unquestionablythereissomethingabout
a locomotive which is universally fasci-
nating. Here for the first time is a book
that does justice to the old locomotives—
a representative collection of authentic
printsandlithographswith casehistories
of the engines they depict that will de-
lightreadersofmanytastes. Therailroad
enthusiastwillfindaveritabletreasuryof
illustrationsandinformationhithertoun-
published. Collectors of Americana will
cherish these fine prints, occasional ex-
amples of which are highly prized but
rarely found. The student of history can
tracetherailways'expansionthroughthe
locomotive's growth and development.
And here are ideal prototypes for the
model railroader.
The historical and romanticside ofthese
picturesque old-timers has never made a
stronger appeal than it does today. De-
spite all the efficiency ofmodern stream-
lineequipment,theoldenginesofyester-
day still arouse the greatest excitement.
To do them justice pictorially and pre-
serve some of the colorful stories that
surround their exploits is the signal con-
tribution of this book.
With 97 plates
IRON HORSES
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American
Locomotives 1829-1900
ALEXANDER
E. P.
BONANZA BOOKS YORK
NEV\^
•
Copyright, 1941, by
Edwin P. Alexander
ThiseditionpublishedbyBonanzaBooks,
adivisionofCrownPublishers,Inc.,
byarrangementwithW.W.NortonitCompany,Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A
TO
C. L. W. and N. W. S.
In Sincere Appreciation
of their Co-operation
Contents
List of Illustrations 9
Acknowledgments 13
Preface 15
Iron Horses 17
Plates 39
Locomotive Builders of the United States 233
Whyte's System of Locomotive Classification 238
Bibliography 239
List of Illustrations
FIGURES
1. Oructor Amphibolis 18
2. John Stevens's locomotive 20
3. Tom Thumb 22
4. TheWestPoint 23
5. James's entrant in the Baltimore & Ohio contest, 1831 24
6. The DcWitt Clinton 25
7. Bill of lading for the John Bull, 1831 26
8. The John Bull as rebuilt about 1833 27
9. The BrotherJonathan 27
10. The Herald 28
11. The South Carolina 29
12. The Baldwin LocomotiveWorks and threeofitsproducts ofthe 1830's 29
13. Baldwin's Lancaster 30
14. Campbell's 4 4 engine 32
15. The Sandusky 33
16. "Crab" type locomotive 34
17. "Mud Digger" type 35
18. The Lightning 37
PLATES
1. 1829, The Stourbridge Lion 40
2. 1830, The Best Friend of Charleston 42
3. 1831, TheJohnBull 44
4. 1832, The Old Ironsides 46
5. 1834, The Monster 48
6. 1835, The Black Hawk 50
7. 1836, The George Washington 52
8. 1837, The Hercules 54
9. 1838, The Essex 56
10. 1839, The Gowan 6- Marx 58
11. 1840, Baldwin's 136th Locomotive 60
12. 1841, Baldwin's Geared-Truck Engine 62
13. 1842, The Mercury 64
14. 1842, Baldwin's Six-Wheels-Connected Engine 66
15. 1843, Norris's Improved Eight-Wheel Locomotive 68
16. 1844, The Mud Digger 70
17. 1814, The Lion 72
18. 1846, Hinkley's 4-4-0 74
19. 1847, The Chesapeake 76
20. 1848, The Camel 78
21. 1849, The John Stevens 80
22. 1850, Baldwin's Eight-Wheels-Connected Engine 82
23. 1851, The State of Maine 84
24. 1852, The Norwalk 86
25. 1852, The Irvington 88
26. 1853, The Lawrence 90
27. 1854,TheBelle 92
28. 1854, The Iron City 94
29. 1854, TheCompetitor 96
30. 1854, Hayes's Ten-Wheeler, Number 198 98
31. 1854, TheAuburn 100
32. 1855, TheAssanpink 102
33. 1855, The Juniatta 104
34. 1855, 4-^0 Number 210 106
35. 1856, The/. B. Jervis 108
36. 1856, The Nat Wright 110
37. 1856, A Baldwin advertizing lithograph of the Fifties 112
10