Eddy Clock

The engine shown is one of around 100 designed by Wilson Eddy and built at the Springfield, MA shops of the Boston & Albany. They were said to be reliable and nicknamed "Eddy Clocks". According to the late George Abdill's writings they "were without steam domes, the steam being taken from the upper portion of the boiler through a perforated dry pipe, with a slide valve throttle located in the "T" of the dry pipe in the smokebox. Eddy is credited with placing tallow cups inside the cab, with pipes leading to the steam chests, eliminating the dangerous practice of the fireman having to go out onto the front of the engine while in motion to oil the valves."

The extant example, B&A 39, aka "Mamora", was built in 1876 and donated to the rail collection at Purdue University around 1908. When that collection was broken up, it went to MOT St. Louis, around 1951. Several other elderly engines that exist today came from the Purdue collection. Early issues of trade journals like Railway Mechanical Engineer often documented the donations, with some of the locomotives traveling there under their own steam.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2014 02:50PM by CVR220.