Pneumatic
Locomotives
Pneumatic
Locomotives
| Developed in the 1870's
for use in areas where smoke and fire were operational hazards,
pneumatic locomotives found their way into numerous industrial settings.
By 1900 they were a common sight in the mining industry. Although major locomotive manufactures
including Vulcan, Baldwin, Dickson, and later American Locomotive
Co. built pneumatic locomotives, the production of the H. K. Porter
Co. far exceeded the all the rest. Much of H. K. Porter's
success can be attributed to their purchase of the patent rights to
Charles Hodges compound compressed air engine. Later
manufactures included Eimco and
Universal Air Tramaire. With
the refinement of battery and electric power, the use of compressed
air locomotives has fallen out of favor and air locomotives have
largely disappeared from active use. Links to Material: |
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