Geared Steam Locomotive Works ©

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"Climax" type

"Shay" type

Baldwin Locomotive Works  made a historically significant contribution to the design, manufacture and marketing of several thousand   "rod"  type steam and diesel locomotives.   Their successful endeavors into the manufacture of  rod steam locomotives lasted several decades and rewarded the company well.    In the early part of this century's second decade,  the company took note of the growing geared locomotive market being served by the  Lima, Climax, and Heisler companies.  About 1913, after studying the successful and proven designs of the three major geared locomotive manufacturers, the company  produced a design that quite resembled the Climax locomotive.    In many ways, however, the Baldwin "look" of the superstructure's design somewhat resembled their rod locomotives, without the latter's drivers, side rod and horizontal cylinders.   After producing and selling just four of the units of this design, the company redesigned and produced their fifth geared locomotive in 1915. This unit  resembled the Shay design more than any of the other geared locomotive designs before or since its production.  

With the fifth locomotive,  the company stopped forever the manufacture of geared steam locomotives.  It is not known why their geared endeavors were so brief and presumably  unsuccessful.  They certainly had the marketing   and design talent with facilities along with the financial backing  to make the effort a success.    Little is known about these locomotives.  How well they worked or didn't  in the field.  How they were perceived  by their owners and operating engineers.     

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Manufacturer:

Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  - USA

Geographic Use:

Quantities:

5 were manufactured.

When Manufactured:

1913-1915

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Invented by:

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Page changed: July 16, 2020 03:25:05 PM