Septimus Norris
Encyclopedia
Septimus Norris was an American
mechanical engineer and steam locomotive
designer. He was the youngest of three brothers all active in the field — his eldest brother William Norris
founded the Norris Locomotive Works
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and Richard Norris
took over the firm in about 1841. The other two brothers were primarily businessmen, while Septimus was an engineer. He worked for the Norris firm under William's management, but did not continue under Richard's; railway historian John H. White, Jr. believes animosity existed between Septimus and Richard. Septimus later worked for the Portland Company
and the Schenectady Locomotive Works
.
He is frequently credited for the design of the first 4-6-0
locomotive, but in a paper written in 1885, George E. Sellers attributes the design to John Brandt, an engineer for the Erie Railway. White casts some doubt on Sellers' accuracy, and credits him in the development of coal-burning locomotives in the United States and as an early adopter of the more stable spread truck.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mechanical engineer and steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
designer. He was the youngest of three brothers all active in the field — his eldest brother William Norris
William Norris (locomotive builder)
William Norris was an American steam locomotive builder. He founded the Norris Locomotive Works and through this company pioneered the use of the 4-2-0 locomotive type in America during the 1840s....
founded the Norris Locomotive Works
Norris Locomotive Works
The Norris Locomotive Works was a steam locomotive manufacturing company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that produced about a thousand railroad engines between 1832 and 1866. It was the dominant American locomotive producer during most of that period, and even sold its popular 4-2-0 engines...
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and Richard Norris
Richard Norris
Richard Norris is a London based record producer, sound engineer and musician, best known as a member of The Grid.Richard Norris began making music as a teenage member of St. Albans punk band Innocent Vicars, recording two singles in 1980...
took over the firm in about 1841. The other two brothers were primarily businessmen, while Septimus was an engineer. He worked for the Norris firm under William's management, but did not continue under Richard's; railway historian John H. White, Jr. believes animosity existed between Septimus and Richard. Septimus later worked for the Portland Company
Portland Company
The Portland Company was established 10 November 1846 by John A. Poor and Norris Locomotive Works engineer Septimus Norris as a locomotive foundry to build railroad equipment for the adjacent Portland terminus of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad connection between Portland, Maine and...
and the Schenectady Locomotive Works
Schenectady Locomotive Works
The Schenectady Locomotive Works built railroad locomotives from its founding in 1848 through its merger into American Locomotive Company in 1901.After the 1901 merger, ALCO made the Schenectady plant its headquarters in Schenectady, New York....
.
He is frequently credited for the design of the first 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...
locomotive, but in a paper written in 1885, George E. Sellers attributes the design to John Brandt, an engineer for the Erie Railway. White casts some doubt on Sellers' accuracy, and credits him in the development of coal-burning locomotives in the United States and as an early adopter of the more stable spread truck.