American Locomotive Company, Catalog No 10051

AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY

Light Locomotives

THE Locomotives described and illustrated in this catalog include only those best adapted to the work of contractors rolling mills, industrial plants, mines, logging roads, plantations, and others needing small independent motive power units.

For service consisting mainly of short runs at low speeds, where ability to start and reverse quickly is of first importance, the entire weight should be carried on driving wheels. For longer runs at higher speeds, leading and trailing wheels are recommended to improve riding qualities, guide locomotives around curves, minimize derailments, and reduce flange wear.

The track gage, wheel diameter, cab style, tank capacity, boiler pressure, etc., may be changed to suit working conditions as well as the wishes of the purchaser; grates and draft appliances arranged to suit fuel and with minor changes fuel oil burning equipment may be substituted.

The designs illustrated were carefully prepared by competent engineers who have specialized on this class of locomotive design.

Materials entering into construction meet all recognized requirements for inspection and testing. The use of a complete set of gages, templates, and jigs insure uniformity and interchangeability of corresponding parts for engines of same type and size, enabling the builder to furnish the repair parts on short notice. The workmanship of each part is carefully examined and tested by an efficient corps of inspectors, and when completed each engine is subjected to a running test under steam before leaving the company's works.

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Archive # 20,377.

American Locomotive Company, Pamphlet No. 10044, Panama Pacific International Exposition

AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY
STANDARD FOUR-WHEEL TANK LOCOMOTIVES
FOR CONTRACTORS, QUARRIES, MINES AND INDUSTRIAL PLANTS

The four-wheel connected saddle tank locomotives exhibited, which are illustrated on pages 6 and 8, represent the American Locomotive Company's new standard designs for Contractors, Quarry, Mine, Industrial and other special service. On page 10 is shown a table giving the different sizes of this type of locomotive which are kept constantly in stock at our Works.

The four-wheel type of locomotive, with all the weight on the driving wheels, gives the greatest amount of hauling power for a given weight of engine; also a short rigid wheel base adapted to curves of very short radius. For these reasons, this type of locomotive is almost universally accepted as the most satisfactory for these special classes of service, where light rails, poor roadbed, rough and uneven track and sharp curves are the conditions which prevail.

Length of service, proportion of time ready for use, and work performed determine the value of a locomotive. Delays affect the whole work. To avoid delays, locomotives
must be reliable and always ready for service.

With these points in mind we have designed and built our small locomotives by a unique system of construction. They are not made as a whole, but are assembled from stock parts made to accurate gauges. Every operation is done in a carefully prepared jig.

With this system every part must be so accurately made as to fit every other locomotive of the same size and type.

We can therefore make prompt shipment of either a complete locomotive or any part. This method avoids long delays when parts wear out and also enables a user to keep on hand parts liable to wear in service with positive assurance that each part will fit.

Spare parts are available at Chicago, San Francisco and our Works at Paterson, N. J.

With slight changes any of these locomotives can be built suitable for oil fuel.

Every piece of material must conform to the same specifications required for 200-ton locomotives, and only the best materials are used.

Each locomotive is tested under its own steam before delivery.

Back of each design is the experience of over eighty years of continuous locomotive building and the construction of over 55,000 locomotives.

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Archive # 20,314.

First Train over Elevated Tracks, Schenectady, New York

Adirondack Company Offices at Saratoga Springs, New York about 1875

Albany & Rutland Railroad Machine Shop and Engine House

Machine Shop and Engine House of the Albany & Rutland RR, shown on a map in Fort Edward Museum dated 1853.

Salem, New York Locomotive Round House prior to April 28, 1876

Salem N.Y. Round House burned April 28, 1876 and never rebuilt.

New York Central 999

William Buchanan designed this high-wheeled 4-4-0 type, No. 999, for exhibition at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893; the New York Central built her at its West Albany shops. After some preliminary runs, she was tested May 10, 1893, pulling the westbound Empire State Express on a nearly straight stretch of level track between Batavia and Buffalo, New York. Engineer Charles H. Hogan took the bridle off, covering one of the 36 miles of the run in 31.2 seconds —at the rate of 112.5 miles per hour. Never before had mankind traveled so fast. Since then the Pennsylvania Railroad claims to have made 127.1 miles per hour with a 4-4-2 type steam engine, No. 7002, in Ohio on June 11, 1905 —a claim which some experts dispute. The French National Railroads actually attained 207 miles per hour with an electric locomotive March 29, 1955, for an unequalled world's record. But no diesel locomotive has ever approached 999's top speed.

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At the New York World Fair in 1940.

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Fast Portal of the Hoosac Tunnel

Fast Portal of the Hoosac Tunnel. To the left will be seen the abandoned work of one of the early efforts to tunnel the mountain.

Delaware & Hudson Railroad #97 "R.A. Henry" at Voorheesville, New York

Text of letter to Joseph A. Smith from William F. Ferguson

New Rochelle, N.Y.

March 11 1969

Dear Friend;

I recently got this picture (which is a copy, the picture of the old engine in front of hotel at Voorhesville from the granddaughter of Geo. W. Ellis.

Its name "R.A. Henry"

Crew Ellis Conductor 2nd from left(?)

Engineer Hank Austin

Fireman Bill Warner

Trainmen Julius Mull, Harry Kittridge

Geo. W. Ellis began working as laborer on a work train at East Worcester in 1866 at age 16. East Worcester was then the southern terminal of the A.&S. mainline from Albany. Three months later George was made a trainman and on first trip he lost an index finger, coupling. In 1871 became conductor at $65 per mo. 1877 was made yardmaster at Albany train yards. 1879 another accident took three fingers on the other hand and in 1885 recd injuries which prevented further train service and from then until retiring ib 1921, flagman & watchman for police and maintainance of way depts.

Hope you are fine. I'm just fair & still plugging-correspondence & history

SincerelyWm. F. Fergusin

Two.

I was interested in your remarks about the photo of D&H No. 97 "R.A. Henry", in front of the Severson House. I got a print of this photo from D&H and at about the same time I was working in the vicinity of Voorheesville. I am certain that the Severson House is (or was) directly across the D&H tracks from the combination D&H-West Shore station. I studied the old building and was certain at that time that it was the same building in the photo. Since your East Worcester friend says Voorheesville, too, I may be right. The old hotel that was still there possibly eight or ten years ago still retained much of the original outlines and wasn't hard to picture as it was when the photo was taken. If you should get a chance to drive out that way see if it is still there.

Well, Joe, I guess I have run out of things to write about so Iwill close for now. I hope this finds you in good health and enjoying som nice Spring weather.

A Happy Easter to you. 1969
Sincerely,

Ed

Archive # 331.

Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad "Commodore Vanderbilt"

PIONEER IN TROY - The "Commodore Vanderbilt," the first coal-burning locomotive to run on a Troy railway line, posed for a formal picture outside the Union Depot back in 1872. This photograph, owned by 81-year-old Charles Brewer of Troy, was taken on the section of track at Fulton street and Sixth avenue, looking down Fulton toward the Hudson River. The engine carried a picture of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, organizer of the New York Central Railroad, on its front headlight. (From an undated newspaper clipping.)

Built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works in 1871.

Renumbered to 416 by the Delaware & Hudson Railroad in 1899. Retired on August 20, 1905.

Archive # 302.