Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-09
MKEEN HEADS NEW PLANT
Resigns from Union Pacific to Make
Motor Cars in Omaha.
HARTMAN MONEY BACKS 1T
success of Motor Cars Has Created
such a Demand tina Exclusive
Plant VIII he EstRb-
Iished.

Hartman has decided on another large
extension of his interests in Omaha-the
es. ablishment Of an exclusive motor car
shops.
w. r.. McKeen has resigned his posi-
ton OF superintendent of motive power ana
machinery Of the Union Pacific to devote
his whole time to the manufacture Of
motor cars in Omaha by the McIeen Motor
Car company, Of which Mr.. McKeen will
be president and general manager. The
resignation is effective July 20 and Mr.. Nc
Keen will be succeeded by c. B. Fuller. his
present assistant, as superintendent OF
motive power and machinery of the Union
Pacific. Z. II. Hartman will be the finan-
cial head Of the new company.
The McKeen Motor Car company Is a
corporation organized under the laws of
New Jersey with a capital stock Of S1.OOO,OO0
and the business of the company will be
to manufacture gasoline motor cars. light
steel passenger and freight cars and gaso-
line locomotives for switching.
THE McKee Motor Car company will
build gasoline motor cars for the COM
mercial world at large and we will begin
building additional cars at once, and at
Omaha" said Mr.. McKeen, when asked
where the new motor car shops were to be
located. I'VE have now at the Omaha
shops forty-one cars completed or under
construction and the first business of the
new company will be to complete the cars
now partially built. The arrangements for
the enlargement of the shops to provide
facilities for the future construction OF
these cars on a large scale are not crys-
tallized, but at present the cars will be
built in Omaha.
THE demand for these motor cars is
large and could not be met when the sh, ps
were operated as a part of the Union Pa
cific shops. We cannot confine the usage
Of this wonderfully economical means Of
transportation to /one road, and con-
sequently a separate corporation has been
formed to manufacture these cars upon a
large scale"
On Orders of Hartman,
Acting under instructions Of e. Fl. Har-
riman, president Of the Union Pacific Rail-
road company, Mr.. McKeen W years ego
began to experiment with gasoline motors
TO propel passenger cars. The first motor
car had a ffty-horse power motor and II
was soon seen more power was needed. No.
1 with its light engine is still doing business
and every car which has been built by
the Union Pacific has been a revenue pro-
Queer, which is more than can be said Of
any similar cars ever built. The westing-
house company has a long line of these
experimental cars which were absolute tall
ures. Car No. 2 was then built with a 100
horse power motor and it did good service.
but the cars were crowded so heavily and
a trailer was needed for baggage and ex.
press that It was deemed advisable to put
in a 20-horse power engine. That is the
size now in use and being installed in the
new cars which are being built. These
cars have been sent, to all parts of the
United States and everywhere they have
been a great success. Their greatest value
lies in the small fuel charge and because
they can be operated with fewer men thar
a regular train. They take the place OF
a regular train on the branch lines.
Gasoline Locomotives.
Motor cars are not the only products
which will be turned out by the McKeer
Motor Car company. A gasoline locomo.
tive for switching purposes around private
plants, will also be built. Railroads may
no longer switch cars around a private
manufacturing plant free Of charge, and the
plant cannot afford to pay the switching
charge. To fill the want, a gasoline loco
motive will be built. which will be able tC
handle cars around a plant. II is also quitt
probable lightweight, steel passenger
coaches and freight cars will be built by thu
new company, as these cars are similar IL
construction to the motor car.
A. L. Mohler, vice-president OF the Uniol
Pacific, has given every aid to the building
Of a successful gasoline motor car, ant
no expense has been spared to develop
car which would be as perfect as it wa
possible to make one.
Railroad officials from all sections of tn
country, have visited Omaha, with the ex
press object Of seeing the motor cars, an
all have wondered at the perfection in con
{ struction. The demand for these cars ha
been such that there seems to be littl
q doubt in the minds of the officers Of tn
I new company that they can sell all the car
y they can manufacture.
a Mr.. Fuller, who succeeds Mr.. McKeer
" has been assistant to Mr.. McKeen for som
= time, and came to the Union Pacific fror
T the Chicago & Alton, where he held a posi-
u ton similar to the position he now take
with the Union Pacific.