The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-02


 Wa HE. progress of transportation in
 this country and it's present
 high state of efficiency can be emphasized in no better way than by q comparison of the large and powerful steam and electric loconlo- lives 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 tEIa- 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 nail transporta- tion in the last three-quarters of cen tnry and presents one of the chief req sons for the country's growth in this period. These locomotives. seen in their succ cessive 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 1ocomo- lives 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 indissoubly linked with the history of these railroads.
 The Earliest Locomotives. s Between the very early locomotives, such as that seen hauling a train on the olds Hartford and New Haven in 1841. and the latest Pacific type en- zines used to haul the New Ravens fast passenger trains there is little re- semblance. Yet in these curious con trivances. spoutfng smoke from their tall smokestaclzs and at first barely beating out the horse, is seen the germ of, the idea now embodied in all it's completeness of detail in the engines of today. It remained for mechanical genius to perfect this, idea in order to make the transportation industry the great instrument of commerce and so- cial intercourse that it has now be- come.
 The Governor Bradford, 1s44.
 Representing considerable advance over the very early types of loco motives is the Governor Bradford. which was once familiar to patrons of the Old Colony. Here the locomotive was actually beginning to take shape. Built by the old Boston firm of Hinck- ley & Drury in 1844. this engine weigh ed fourteen and half tons Its cylin- ders were 12 by 20 inches, and it's sin gle drivers had diameter of five feet. Fn 1885 this old engine. rebuilt and n1odernized5 to some extentN was still doing duty as a switch engine in the Boston yards.
 The Uncle Tom, fa44.
 A contemporary of the Governor Bradford and of the same type was the Uncle Tom, used at one time on 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 ears between F'itchburg and Sterling, Mass Like all early engines, it burned wood and for the Npurpose of letting off steam had 2 tall pipe close to the cab But the feature of this engine which attracted attention through the countryside was the figure of the little darky, Uncle Tom. mounted in front and used as a flag holder NEhis en- zine had four foot drivers
 The Lsominster of the B. 8. and E.
 fe49 Appearing only five years after the Governor Bradford and the product of the same builders the Leominster. also of the Boston. Clinton and Fitchburg, bears interesting testimony to the ra pidity with which the evolution Of the locomotive was proceeding in those years and reveals the constant study the early designers were making of the problems of increasing the power, weight and speed of their creations. . This locomotive weighed twenty four