Davenport Locomotive Works
Encyclopedia
The Davenport Locomotive Works, of Davenport, Iowa
, USA
built locomotive
s from 1902 until 1956. The company acquired the locomotive business of H. K. Porter, Inc
in 1950 and from then on produced Porter designs as well as its own.
The company built small steam locomotives early on; the first gasoline
-fueled internal combustion engine
d locomotive was built in 1924 and the first diesel locomotive
in 1927, a 30-ton diesel-electric for the Northern Illinois Coal Company of Boonville, Indiana
.
An extensive range of diesel locomotives in all industrial sizes followed, utilizing either mechanical torque converter
or electric transmission, the former for the smaller locomotives. Most were used by a variety of industrial users, but some railroads also bought Davenport locomotives, particularly of the 44-ton size, that being the largest locomotive then allowed by union rules to be operated by one man. Railroad buyers included the Rock Island
, Milwaukee Road, Santa Fe
, the Frisco, and the Missouri Pacific. In 1963, that rule was relaxed and railroads ceased buying industrial-sized locomotives for light switching.
Davenport built a number of locomotives for the United States Army
including World War I
trench railways
, the USATC S100 Class
0-6-0
of World War II
, and eighteen larger switcher
s during the 1950s, two of which were adjustable in gauge
-- one could operate on broad gauge
s up to , and one on narrow gauges -- the latter operating for a period on the Denver & Rio Grande Western.
A preserved Davenport locomotive survives in New Zealand.
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
built locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s from 1902 until 1956. The company acquired the locomotive business of H. K. Porter, Inc
H. K. Porter, Inc
H. K. Porter, Inc. manufactured light-duty railroad locomotives in the USA, starting in 1866. The company became the largest producer of industrial locomotives, and built almost eight thousand of them...
in 1950 and from then on produced Porter designs as well as its own.
The company built small steam locomotives early on; the first gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
-fueled internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
d locomotive was built in 1924 and the first diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
in 1927, a 30-ton diesel-electric for the Northern Illinois Coal Company of Boonville, Indiana
Boonville, Indiana
Boonville is a city in Boon Township, Warrick County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,834 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Warrick County. Founded in 1818 and named for Jesse Boon, father of Ratliff Boon...
.
An extensive range of diesel locomotives in all industrial sizes followed, utilizing either mechanical torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
or electric transmission, the former for the smaller locomotives. Most were used by a variety of industrial users, but some railroads also bought Davenport locomotives, particularly of the 44-ton size, that being the largest locomotive then allowed by union rules to be operated by one man. Railroad buyers included the Rock Island
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
, Milwaukee Road, Santa Fe
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
, the Frisco, and the Missouri Pacific. In 1963, that rule was relaxed and railroads ceased buying industrial-sized locomotives for light switching.
Davenport built a number of locomotives for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
including World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
trench railways
Trench railways
Trench Railways represented military adaptation of early 20th century railway technology to the problem of keeping soldiers supplied during the static trench warfare phase of World War I...
, the USATC S100 Class
USATC S100 Class
The United States Army Transportation Corps S100 Class is a 0-6-0 steam locomotive that was designed for switching duties in Europe and North Africa during World War II...
0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and eighteen larger switcher
Switcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
s during the 1950s, two of which were adjustable in gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
-- one could operate on broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
s up to , and one on narrow gauges -- the latter operating for a period on the Denver & Rio Grande Western.
A preserved Davenport locomotive survives in New Zealand.