Other Geared Steam Locomotives

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There were several more geared steam locomotives of varied designs and sizes produced. With a few exceptions, most were produced in small numbers. They were typically made by small companies or concerns in an attempt to fill a specific niche of the demand for geared steam locomotives. Some are one of a kind units being assembled, built, or cobbled together by the locomotive's owner or their employees.

Displayed in order by builder's name if available. If unknown, in order by owner of the engine depicted.

Adams and Price (builder) of No. 6 Vauxhall Street, Nashville, Tennessee (design from patent of W. E. Cole) - total quantity built is unknown

Image Details: (in order from top to bottom)

Wallace, Sandford & Co. (owner) - operated near Wilson Station, Alabama

This particular engine is believed by this site author to have been built between 1884 - 87 for a 6 mile, 5 foot gauge "pole" road located in Wilson Station, (Escambia County) Alabama. The railroad was known locally as the "Perdido Pole Road" and thought to be owned and operated by Wallace, Sandford & Co. This engine is not believed to have belonged to the Perdido Lumber Company of Baldwin County, Alabama, as they were not known to have operated a "pole" railroad.
C.L. Sowell & Company (owner) - operated near Wallace Station, (Escambia County) Alabama
This was the first pole-road locomotive built by A&P. The engine was named "Hercules" by Sowell who received it new in October, 1884. Source: Logging Railroads of Alabama.
Owner & location unknown. This image appeared on page 377 of the August, 1899 issue of Railway and Locomotive Engineering.
Owner & location unknown. This photo is from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History ~ John H. White & John Watkins Collection ~ ID = NMAH.AC.0523

Construction:
The company's locomotives were driven by two horizontal steam cylinders, one mounted on top of the main frame on either side of and next to the front part of the boiler. The cylinders drove a large spur gear centrally mounted on the lower part of the main frame and below the boiler. The spur gear powered all four drivers(wheels) via either a sprocket gear and chain configuration on one locomotive model or an eccentric disk and side rod system on another model. Water for steam was carried in a saddle tank above the boiler. Concave (double flanged) wheels were utilized to straddle the poles of the "pole" railroad which these engines were designed to run on. Pole railroads were basically tree logs (with limbs removed) laid end to end for the entire distance of the railroad.

Builder: Unknown
Owner : Allen, George S. & Son Logging Co. - Littlerock, Washington

The owner was affiliated with the Allen & Son Mill Company of the state. Judging from the unsophisticated appearance of the locomotive, it was likely built by the owner.
Both photos were taken in 1902. They are from the Washington State Historical Society with the following IDs in order from top to bottom:

1 - ID = C1948.1210.8
2 - ID = C1948.1210.1
We thank John Taubeneck of Seattle, Washington for notifying us of the existence of these photos.

Barney & Smith Car Co. (builder) of Dayton, Ohio - quantity unknown

The company named the locomotive the "Steam Missionary". One was built in 1896 for an unnamed logging company in Nicaragua.

The wheels on the locomotive could be replaced to allow operation on iron rails, wood poles, or even a standard road without rails.

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Builder: Blackman Brothers (designers) - Mukilteo, Washington - Built by the North Pacific Iron Works of Seattle in August, 1881. Patented in August, 1883. Only one was produced.
Owner : Gage, William - near Mt. Vernon, Washington - The locomotive was successfully used on Mr. Gage's broad gauge logging railroad, the rails of which consisted of 3" X 5" maple wood rails.

The locomotive weighed 3 tons and developed ten horsepower.

Source - "Logging Railroads in Skagit County" - photo - Walt Taubeneck and Marysville Historical Society.

Builder: Bothwell, George A. - Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
Owner : Unknown

Note the geared drivers to the rear of the standard large spoked drivers. Look for patent #882,618 for this locomotive on the Other Geared Patents Page.

Builder: Brown (C. A.) & Brothers Company (likely) - Ivanhoe, North Carolina

Owner : Brown (C. A.) & Brothers Company - Ivanhoe, North Carolina

Home made, sprocket gear, and chain driven. Ran on wooden rail. The company was a producer of lumber.
The photo was published in Sampson County

Builder: Campbell, Whittier & Co. - Roxbury, Massachusetts^902d

Owner : Mt. Washington Railway #1 - Mt. Washington, New Hampshire
Built 1866

The locomotive is depicted at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. It was the worlds first cog railway engine in the world.^902d

Builder: Crippen, William & Son - of Cadillac, Michigan
Owner : Unknown

William Crippen operated a machine shop and foundry in Clam Lake, Michigan (later part of Cadillac). In addition to assisting Ephraim Shay in constructing his first locomotives, Crippen went on to patent and build a single geared steam locomotive of his own unique design (pictured). Click here for more information.

Image from the Michael Koch collection as published in "Articulated Steam Locomotives of North America - Vol #1"

Builder: Curtis Manufacturing Co. (builder) of St. Louis, Missouri. - quantity unknown
Owner : Unknown

Upper - Drawing of typical Curtis. - Source: "Logging Locomotive For Wooden Track" appearing on page 59 of the January 23, 1897 issue of Scientific American.
Lower - Owner Unknown - Source: "Logging Locomotive" appearing on page 417 of the June, 1897 issue of Locomotive Engineering.

Specifications:

12" wide wheels.
Concave wheels for pole or wood road operation.
6 mph. top speed.

Swivel Trucks
Side-rods connecting wheels.

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This page changed April 08, 2024 10:37:12 PM