Scientific American Supplement, No. 832, December 12, 1891 — John Shaqi
Scientific American Supplement, No. 832, December 12, 1891Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 832, December 12, 1891
Various
Science -- Periodicals
Balance safety valve scale was changed forward to a point over
barrel of boiler, the secret valve being over the new dome.]
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE BUILDING.
During 1831-35 the company's shops were located at Hoboken, N.J., and
during the winter of 1832-33, three locomotives were commenced at
these shops (two completed before March, 1833, the other in April),
the valves, cylinders, pistons, etc., coming from England, the boilers
being made under the direction of Robert L. Stevens. It was his
opinion that the "John Bull" was too heavy, and the new boilers were
built smaller and lighter, so that the engines, when completed,
weighed eight instead of ten tons. With these three engines, which
were delivered to the railroad company at South Amboy, the stone
blocks and other material for the permanent track was delivered along
the line of the road.
BALDWIN'S FIRST LOCOMOTIVES.
The importation of the locomotive "John Bull" was destined to have a
far-reaching influence in moulding the types of early American
locomotives.
After the demonstration of November 12, 1831, the engine was taken
from the track and stored in a shed constructed to protect it until
such time as the track should be completed.
It was about this time that the proprietor of Peale's Museum, in
Philadelphia, applied to Matthias Baldwin, an ingenious mathematical
instrument maker, for a small locomotive to run upon a circular track
on the floor of the museum. Mr. Baldwin had heard of this locomotive.
He came to Bordentown and applied to Isaac Dripps for permission to
inspect it. Mr. Dripps tells me he remembers very well the day that he
explained to Mr. Baldwin the construction of the various working
parts.
Mr. Baldwin built a toy engine for Mr. Peale, which was so successful,
that in 1832 he was called upon by the Philadelphia and Germantown
Railroad Company to construct the old "Ironsides,"[7] which was
similar in many ways to the "John Bull," as an examination of the
model preserved in the National Museum will show. The success of this
engine laid the foundation for the great Baldwin Locomotive Works,
which is in existence to-day, sending locomotives to every part of the
globe.
[Footnote 7: A handsome model of the "Ironsides" was presented to
the United States National Museum by the Baldwin Locomotive
Company in 1888.]
THE LINE FROM BORDENTOWN TO SOUTH AMBOY.
The Camden and Amboy Company having obtained control of the steamboat
routes between Philadelphia and Bordentown, and between South Amboy
and New York, directed their energies to completing the railway across
the State.
Although the grading of the road from Bordentown to Camden had been
commenced in the summer of 1831, work on that end of the line was
abandoned for about two years, the entire construction force being put
on the work between Bordentown and South Amboy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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