Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-04
THE COMET OF THE HARTFORD ANO NEW HAVEN

"HE progress Of transportation in
this country and Its present
high state Of efficiency can be
emphasized in no better way
than by a comparison Of the large and
powerful steam and electric locomo-
tives used by the New Haven today
with some Of their prototypes of some
Of the old New England railroads
which now form part of the New Ha-
ven's system in southern New Eng
land.
Comparing these pygmies of the past
with the giant locomotives Of today
brings to the mind at once the enor-
nous strides made by rail transporta-
zion in the last three-quarters Of Il cen
fury and presents one Of the chief rea-
sons nfor the country's growth in this
period These locomotives. seen in
their successive types, are like steps in
the ladder of national progress
Some Historic Railroads.
Many types of locomotives have been
seen on the New Ravens lines. types
representing every stage of the locomo-
tve's marvellous evolution. and this is
because the New Haven is made up Of
more of the original railroads Of this
country than any other large system.
The development Of the locomotive is
lndissolubly linked with the history of
these railroads.
The Earliest Locomotives.
Between the very early locomotives,
such as that seen hauling a train on
the old Hartford and New Haven in
1841, and the latest Pacific type en-.
gines used to haul the New Havens
fast passenger trains there is little re-
semblance. Yet in these curious con.
trivances, spouting smoke from Their
tall smokestacks and at first barely
beating out the horse, is seen the germ
Of the idea now embodied in all its
completeness Of detail In the engines
Of today. 1t remained for mechanical
genius to perfect this idea in order tc
make the transportation industry the
great instrument Of commerce and So
cial intercourse that 1t has now be.
come
The Governor Bradford, 1874.
Representing a considerable advance
'ver the very early types of loco
ynOtives is the Governor Bradford
Jhich was once familiar to patrons of
lhe Old Colony. Here the locomotive
was actually beginning to take shape.
Juilt by the old Boston firm OF Hinck-
icy & Drury In 1874, this engine weigh
I'd fourteen and a half tons. Its cylin
ders were II by 20 inches. and its sim
gle drivers had diameter Of I've feet.
In 1885 this old engine, rebuilt and
modernized to some extent, was still
doing duty as a switch engine in the
Boston yards.
Tho Uncle Tom, 1844.
contemporary of the Governor
Bradford and Of the same type was
the Uncle Tom, used Mt one time or
the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg
now merged In the New Haven sys
tenn. Built some time In the forties
this curious engine for years hauled q
local passenger train consisting of two
cars between Fitchburg and Sterling
Mass. Like all early engines, 1t burned
wood and for the purpose of lettin.
OF steam had tall pipe close to the
cab. But the feature of this engine
which attracted attention through tn,
countryside was the figure of the littl,
darby, Uncle Tom. mounted In from
and used as a flag holder. This en-
CINE had four foot drivers.
The Lsominster Of the g., 9. and r
1849
Appearing only FIVE years after tn,
Governor Bradford and the product o
the same builders, the Leominster, als'
Of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg
bears interesting testimony to the IA
pidity with which the evolution of tn
locomotive was proceeding in tbos
years and reveals the constant stud,
the early designers were making Of tn
problems of increasing the power
weight and speed of their creations
This locomotive weighed twenty fou