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- H.K. Porter Company Catalog, "Porter Steam Locomotives," 1943 - Founded in 1866, the H.K. Porter Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, built light industrial locomotives. These smaller engines were used in mines, mills, factories, construction sites, agricultural operations, and other specialized applications. Porter manufactured more than 8,000 steam, gasoline, and diesel-powered locomotives before exiting the business in 1950.
- 1943
- Collections - Artifact
H.K. Porter Company Catalog, "Porter Steam Locomotives," 1943
Founded in 1866, the H.K. Porter Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, built light industrial locomotives. These smaller engines were used in mines, mills, factories, construction sites, agricultural operations, and other specialized applications. Porter manufactured more than 8,000 steam, gasoline, and diesel-powered locomotives before exiting the business in 1950.
- Men Restore a Vintage Steam Locomotive at the Ford Rouge Plant Locomotive Shop, April 1937 - Ford Motor Company's Rouge plant included a locomotive shop that employed as many as 475 people. These skilled workers maintained the Rouge's steam and diesel-electric locomotives, along with other heavy equipment. They also maintained locomotives of the Henry Ford-owned Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, and they restored locomotives for Mr. Ford's Edison Institute museum.
- April 08, 1937
- Collections - Artifact
Men Restore a Vintage Steam Locomotive at the Ford Rouge Plant Locomotive Shop, April 1937
Ford Motor Company's Rouge plant included a locomotive shop that employed as many as 475 people. These skilled workers maintained the Rouge's steam and diesel-electric locomotives, along with other heavy equipment. They also maintained locomotives of the Henry Ford-owned Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad, and they restored locomotives for Mr. Ford's Edison Institute museum.
- "Satilla" Locomotive at the Ford Rouge Plant, 1925 - Henry Ford acquired the 4-4-0 steam locomotive <em>Satilla</em>, built in 1858 by Rogers Locomotive Works for Georgia's Atlantic & Gulf Railroad, in 1924. Ford had the locomotive restored at Ford Motor Company's Rouge factory. The refurbished locomotive pulled Ford, Thomas Edison, and President Herbert Hoover from Detroit to Dearborn for The Henry Ford's dedication ceremonies in 1929.
- October 01, 1925
- Collections - Artifact
"Satilla" Locomotive at the Ford Rouge Plant, 1925
Henry Ford acquired the 4-4-0 steam locomotive Satilla, built in 1858 by Rogers Locomotive Works for Georgia's Atlantic & Gulf Railroad, in 1924. Ford had the locomotive restored at Ford Motor Company's Rouge factory. The refurbished locomotive pulled Ford, Thomas Edison, and President Herbert Hoover from Detroit to Dearborn for The Henry Ford's dedication ceremonies in 1929.
- Train with Steam Locomotive, Passenger and Freight Cars, circa 1856 - Locomotive boilers had to stay hot to produce steam. Lagging -- insulation around the boiler -- was crucial. This American-type locomotive of the 1850s had narrow wooden strips mounted around its boiler for insulation. But the wood deteriorated quickly when exposed to weather and sparks. Improved designs placed a protective sheet metal jacket over the wood.
- circa 1856
- Collections - Artifact
Train with Steam Locomotive, Passenger and Freight Cars, circa 1856
Locomotive boilers had to stay hot to produce steam. Lagging -- insulation around the boiler -- was crucial. This American-type locomotive of the 1850s had narrow wooden strips mounted around its boiler for insulation. But the wood deteriorated quickly when exposed to weather and sparks. Improved designs placed a protective sheet metal jacket over the wood.
- Steam Engine Lubricator, 1882 - African American mechanical engineer Elijah McCoy patented this version of his of lubricator in 1882. The many moving parts on a steam locomotive required constant lubrication, and crews had to apply oil regularly. McCoy's lubricator automatically deposited metered amounts of oil, reducing the need for manual lubrication.
- 1882
- Collections - Artifact
Steam Engine Lubricator, 1882
African American mechanical engineer Elijah McCoy patented this version of his of lubricator in 1882. The many moving parts on a steam locomotive required constant lubrication, and crews had to apply oil regularly. McCoy's lubricator automatically deposited metered amounts of oil, reducing the need for manual lubrication.
- American Locomotive Company Steam Locomotive, 1902 - The American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York, built this locomotive in 1902. It is a 4-4-2 Atlantic type, with four leading wheels, four driving wheels, and two trailing wheels. The Atlantic was designed to pull light wooden passenger cars at high speeds. This locomotive operated on the Michigan Central Railroad's Detroit-Chicago line until heavier steel cars made it obsolete.
- 1902
- Collections - Artifact
American Locomotive Company Steam Locomotive, 1902
The American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York, built this locomotive in 1902. It is a 4-4-2 Atlantic type, with four leading wheels, four driving wheels, and two trailing wheels. The Atlantic was designed to pull light wooden passenger cars at high speeds. This locomotive operated on the Michigan Central Railroad's Detroit-Chicago line until heavier steel cars made it obsolete.
- Steel Engraving, Portrait of George Stephenson, "Father of Railways," circa 1855 - This circa 1855 engraving is a portrait of British engineer George Stephenson, known as the "Father of Railways." He built the first public rail line for steam locomotives, and set the world's standard gauge for rails, also called the "Stephenson gauge."
- circa 1855
- Collections - Artifact
Steel Engraving, Portrait of George Stephenson, "Father of Railways," circa 1855
This circa 1855 engraving is a portrait of British engineer George Stephenson, known as the "Father of Railways." He built the first public rail line for steam locomotives, and set the world's standard gauge for rails, also called the "Stephenson gauge."
- Replica of 1831 "DeWitt Clinton" Steam Locomotive in Greenfield Village, 1941 - This replica of the <em>DeWitt Clinton</em> steam locomotive was built by the New York Central Railroad for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The original locomotive was built in 1831 and operated on the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad, an NYC predecessor.
- July 01, 1941
- Collections - Artifact
Replica of 1831 "DeWitt Clinton" Steam Locomotive in Greenfield Village, 1941
This replica of the DeWitt Clinton steam locomotive was built by the New York Central Railroad for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The original locomotive was built in 1831 and operated on the Mohawk & Hudson Railroad, an NYC predecessor.
- Michigan Central Steam Locomotive, "An Engineer at His Post," circa 1904 - This circa 1904 photograph shows a train engineer in a Michigan Central Railroad locomotive. The company had lines throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula running from Detroit to Chicago and north to Mackinaw City.
- circa 1904
- Collections - Artifact
Michigan Central Steam Locomotive, "An Engineer at His Post," circa 1904
This circa 1904 photograph shows a train engineer in a Michigan Central Railroad locomotive. The company had lines throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula running from Detroit to Chicago and north to Mackinaw City.
- "Allegheny," "DeWitt Clinton," and "Sam Hill" Locomotives alongside New York Central Diesel Aerotrain, circa 1956 - Three historic locomotives from The Henry Ford -- the <em>DeWitt Clinton</em> (replica of the 1831 original), <em>Sam Hill</em> (1858) and Allegheny (1941) -- pose alongside the Aerotrain in 1956. Railroads hoped that the streamlined Aerotrain, designed by General Motors, might lure travelers back onto trains. But its lightweight coaches gave a rough ride and Aerotrain failed to catch on with passengers.
- circa 1956
- Collections - Artifact
"Allegheny," "DeWitt Clinton," and "Sam Hill" Locomotives alongside New York Central Diesel Aerotrain, circa 1956
Three historic locomotives from The Henry Ford -- the DeWitt Clinton (replica of the 1831 original), Sam Hill (1858) and Allegheny (1941) -- pose alongside the Aerotrain in 1956. Railroads hoped that the streamlined Aerotrain, designed by General Motors, might lure travelers back onto trains. But its lightweight coaches gave a rough ride and Aerotrain failed to catch on with passengers.