Lima Locomotive Works
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Lima Locomotive Works was an American firm that manufactured railroad locomotives from the 1870s through the 1950s. The company took the most distinctive part of its name from its main shops location in Lima, Ohio. The shops were located between the Baltimore & Ohio's Cincinnati-Toledo main line and the Nickel Plate Road main line and shops. The company is best known for producing the Shay type of locomotive.
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[edit] History
In 1878 James Alley contracted the Lima Machine Works to build a new steam locomotive that Ephraim Shay had designed. In April of 1880, Lima rebuilt Ephraim Shay’s original design, using vertically side-mounted pistons mounted on the right, connected to a drive line on the outside of the trucks. The Shay was geared to provide more pulling ability for use in the lumber industry. The first Shay locomotive was built in 1880 and was such a success that many people in the lumber industry wanted one. To accommodate the new demand for the locomotive Shay licensed the right to build his locomotive to the Lima Machine Works, which expanded and began to ship Shay locomotives to lumbermen across the frontier. Two years later, locomotives were the main product being produced by the Lima Machine Works, which would produce over 300 locomotives during the next ten years.
After a serious fire, a new shop was opened in 1902 and Shay production continued. However, as railroads began to recognize that speed was as important as efficiency in freight service, the Shay was rendered obsolete. With no option, Lima began constructing conventional steam locomotives.
Success returned to Lima with the new concept of "superpower" developed by Lima's mechanical engineer William E. Woodard. By making significant changes to the boiler system by increasing the boiler's capacity to generate steam, he was able to make the locomotives more powerful. He did this by adding another axle to the trailing truck to support a 100 square foot (9 m²) grate, creating the 2-8-4 wheel arrangement, which came to be known as the "Berkshire" on most railroads. He summed up superpower by defining it as "horsepower at speed." It was named the A-1 locomotive and after a highly successful series of tests it was sent around the country to make the idea of superpower known.
The A-1 was a pioneering locomotive in what became known as the Super Power movement, which revolutionized steam locomotive design. The other two builders ultimately embraced many of Lima's principles; four-wheel trailing truck became standard for large locomotives. Although there were many successful Super Power designs, perhaps the most famous were Lima's 2-8-4s for Nickel Plate, streamlined 4-8-4s for Southern Pacific and mammoth 2-6-6-6 Alleghenies for the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Virginian.
In 1939, Lima made 12 AC-9 2-8-8-4 locomotives for the Southern Pacific, numbered 3800 through 3811. All other locomotives in the AC-1 through AC-12 series were cab forwards made by Baldwin. None of the Lima AC-9s survive today.
In 1947, the firm merged with General Machinery Corporation of Hamilton, Ohio, to form Lima-Hamilton.
Lima's last steam locomotive was Nickel Plate No. 779, a 2-8-4 "Berkshire", which left the erecting halls in 1949. That same year Lima promoted a new wheel arrangement, the 4-8-6. This would have allowed an even larger firebox than the 4-8-4. No example of the type was built, however.
In 1951, Lima-Hamilton merged with Baldwin Locomotive Works to form Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton (BLH). Though Lima and Baldwin had been known for high-quality steam locomotives, their line of diesel-electric locomotives was unable to compete with the likes of EMD, Alco, and GE. BLH quietly left the locomotive business in 1956.
For a time, Clark Equipment Company manufactured Lima-brand construction cranes in the old plant. Most of the company's records and builder's drawings are now housed in the California State Railroad Museum's library in Sacramento, California. Today Lima Locomotive Works is currently represented by a new locally owned and operated restaurant in Lima, Ohio, that celebrates the rich railroad history in Lima, Ohio.
[edit] Timeline
- 1877: Lima Machine Works is established to produce agricultural and sawmill equipment.
- 1878: Lima Machine Works builds the first Shay type locomotive.
- 1892: Lima Machine Works reorganizes and emerges as Lima Locomotive & Machine Company.
- 1911: Lima begins manufacturing locomotives for Class I railroads.
- 1912: Another reorganization and Lima emerges as Lima Locomotive Corporation.
- 1916: Joel Coffin purchases Lima; the company is renamed Lima Locomotive Works.
- 1947: Lima is merged with General Machinery Corporation of Hamilton, Ohio. The new company is named Lima-Hamilton.
- 1949: Lima's last steam locomotive is built. Unsuccessful promotion of the 4-8-6. Production of Cranes and other construction equipment continues at the Lima plant.
- 1951: Lima-Hamilton is merged with Baldwin Locomotive Works. The new company is named Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton.
- 1956: Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton exits the locomotive market.
- 1980: Production of cranes and construction equipment ends, Lima factory closed and sold.
- 1998: The former Lima erecting shed and heavy Shay shops are razed.
[edit] References
- Steam Locomotive Builders
- Lima Locomotive Works and Super Power steam, Trains Magazine
Lima Locomotive Works
