Grant Locomotive Works
Encyclopedia
Grant Locomotive Works was a manufacturer of steam railway locomotives from 1867 to 1895, first in Paterson, New Jersey
and then in Chicago
. The company built approximately 1,888 locomotives.
, Consolidation, type was designed by Alexander Mitchell, Master Mechanic of the Mahanoy Division of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
in 1866. Baldwin
was asked to build it, but was reluctant; Rogers also declined. Grant submitted a bid of $19,500, but ultimately the contract went to Baldwin. Fifteen years later, in 1881 the Baldwin Locomotive Works was unable to fill an order of Consolidations from the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, and part of the contract went to Grant to build that railroad's C-16-60N (better known as C-16) class steam locomotives. One of the two surviving Grant-built locomotives, D&RGW 223
, was built to this Consoldiation design.
forced it into receivership, from which it did not recover.
Until the early 1870s, these were largely Americans (4-4-0
s), with very occasional six wheel switchers (0-6-0
s), Moguls (2-6-0
s), and Ten Wheelers (4-6-0
)s. In 1865 they built 22 eight wheel switchers (0-8-0
s) for the B&O. The order for the Russian government was apparently their first 2-8-0s. In 1878, they built 35 Columbias (2-4-2
s) for the Manhattan elevated railway. From 1878 to 1882, they built 96 Consolidations for the New York, Lake Erie & Western. Their first three foot gauge order was for the Utah Northern, a narrow gauge line that ran from Ogden, Utah to Butte, Montana. These locomotives were 2-4-0 type, and were delivered in 1871. A later narrow gauge order was made by the Denver and Rio Grande in 1881, for 30 Consolidations of the 60N (later C-16) class. Their next narrow gauge order was 20 engines for the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis, which defaulted on payment. Grant was only able to sell these at a significant loss, which was a contributing factor to its financial weakness.
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
and then in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The company built approximately 1,888 locomotives.
Predecessors
In 1842, Samuel Smith, Abram Collier, and George Bradley started a small foundry in Paterson. In 1848, Smith left the business, selling his interest to Collier, and formed a new partnership with his brother, William C. Smith, Henry Whitely, and Thomas Beggs. Beggs died soon thereafter and William Smith and Whitely sold their interests. William Swinburne, who had been superintendent at Rogers Locomotive Works bought Beggs's interest. The firm was renamed Swinburne, Smith & Co. In 1848 they took an order for ten locomotives for the New York and Erie Railroad. The business prospered and in 1851 they received a corporate charter as New Jersey Locomotive and Machine Company. The business grew slowly and in 1863-64 Oliver De Forest Grant bought the stock and ran the business with his sons, David B. Grant and R. Suydam Grant. The father died shortly thereafter and David Grant took over as President.Consolidation
The namesake of the 2-8-02-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
, Consolidation, type was designed by Alexander Mitchell, Master Mechanic of the Mahanoy Division of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
in 1866. Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
was asked to build it, but was reluctant; Rogers also declined. Grant submitted a bid of $19,500, but ultimately the contract went to Baldwin. Fifteen years later, in 1881 the Baldwin Locomotive Works was unable to fill an order of Consolidations from the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, and part of the contract went to Grant to build that railroad's C-16-60N (better known as C-16) class steam locomotives. One of the two surviving Grant-built locomotives, D&RGW 223
D&RGW 223
Denver and Rio Grande Western 223 is one of a class of 28 2-8-0, Consolidation type, narrow gauge steam railway locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad by the Grant Locomotive Works of Paterson, New Jersey in 1881-82. Number 223 was completed in December, 1881, at a cost of $11,553...
, was built to this Consoldiation design.
Financial Troubles
In 1867, the business was granted a New Jersey corporate charter as Grant Locomotive Works. The business muddled along, "rarely enjoying continuing financial success". The boilermakers struck for higher wages in 1872; Grant locked them out and eventually replaced them for less money. In 1874, the Russian government ordered 55 Consolidations, but difficulties arose and ultimately the Russians canceled 20 of the order at a significant loss to Grant. David S. Grant retired on January 1, 1880 and was succeeded by William W. Evans who had been chief accountant since 1866. Two years later, the company had 720 men on the payroll and had completed 110 engines in 1881. In 1882, the company owned 157000 square feet (14,585.8 m²) of manufacturing and office space in nine buildings, of which it occupied 126665 square feet (11,767.6 m²). The company suffered a serious fire in 1887, losing half of its buildings.Chicago
A group of Chicago businessmen convinced the company to move there. They spent more than a million dollars on buildings and installed largely new machinery, only certain patterns being brought from Paterson. The company built only 24 engines in Chicago before a strike and the Panic of 1893Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
forced it into receivership, from which it did not recover.
Production
The company built locomotives for at least 134 domestic railroads, including:Until the early 1870s, these were largely Americans (4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
s), with very occasional six wheel switchers (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...
s), Moguls (2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
s), and Ten Wheelers (4-6-0
4-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
)s. In 1865 they built 22 eight wheel switchers (0-8-0
0-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
s) for the B&O. The order for the Russian government was apparently their first 2-8-0s. In 1878, they built 35 Columbias (2-4-2
2-4-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
s) for the Manhattan elevated railway. From 1878 to 1882, they built 96 Consolidations for the New York, Lake Erie & Western. Their first three foot gauge order was for the Utah Northern, a narrow gauge line that ran from Ogden, Utah to Butte, Montana. These locomotives were 2-4-0 type, and were delivered in 1871. A later narrow gauge order was made by the Denver and Rio Grande in 1881, for 30 Consolidations of the 60N (later C-16) class. Their next narrow gauge order was 20 engines for the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis, which defaulted on payment. Grant was only able to sell these at a significant loss, which was a contributing factor to its financial weakness.