Heisler locomotive
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The Heisler locomotive was the last variant of the three major types of geared steam locomotive, Charles L. Heisler receiving a patent for the design in 1892 following the construction of a prototype in 1891. Somewhat similar to a Climax locomotive, Heisler's design featured two cylinders canted inwards at a 45 degree angle to form a 'vee-twin' arrangement. Power then went to a longitudinal driveshaft that drove the outboard axle on each powered truck. The inboard axle on each truck was then driven from the outboard one by external side (connecting) rods. The Heisler was the fastest of the geared steam locomotive designs, and yet was still claimed by its manufacturer to have the same low speed hauling ability.
The first Heislers were built by the Dunkirk Engineering Company of Dunkirk, New York, at the time producer of their own design of geared locomotive (called the dunkirk), of which the Heisler could be considered an improvement. They did not adopt the Heisler design, but in 1894 the Stearns Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania started to produce Heislers, and did so until 1904. Reorganised as the Heisler Locomotive Works in 1907, it produced locomotives of the Heisler design until 1941.
Heislers were produced in both two and three truck variants in sizes ranging from 17 tons to 95 tons. Approximately 625 were produced, and approximately 35 still exist. Approximately eight of these are currently operational. A 75 ton 1918 Heisler locomotive is on static display at the Traveltown open air museum in Los Angeles.
