I noted this post had never been responded to and believe the answer to your question can be found in "The Heisler Locomotive 1891-1941" by Walter Casler and Benjamin Kline. The book can be found on Ebay. I think the general gist is that Charles Heisler patented the Heisler design while working for Dunkirk Engineering and the first Heisler locomotive was built at this firm. Heisler's ally in the management and ownership of this business died and the other members of management or ownership were not interested in building additional Heisler locomotives. Heisler became acquainted with George Burnham of Baldwin who was also an owner of the Stearns Manufacturing Co. a builder of sawmill equipment. Charles Heisler assigned the manufacturing rights to build locomotives of his design to Stearns and probably received royalties for each unit built. Heisler may have been active in making design improvements during the early years. Heisler took a position in the engineering dept. of American Locomotive Works in 1909, leaving Alco to work for General Electric after WW1. He died in 1931. Stearns Mfg. was closed down despite the sucess of the Heisler locomotive and other machinery manufactured by the company. The book referenced above indicates that as much as anything the closure of the company by 1905 was the result of the age of the owners. The manufacturing buildings used by Stearns were sold to the Erie City Iron Works. At this point a group of Erie businessmen purchased the business and manufacturing rights for the Heisler locomotive and the Stearns sawmill machinery. The new company was called "The Stearns Company". Since the manufacturing plant had already been sold to Erie City Iron Works, they purchased two existing manufacturing facilities to build the various components for the engines and sawmill equipment. By 1907, the Stearns sawmill machinery business was separated from the Heisler locomotive business. It is a bit more complicated per the above mentioned book, but that is the highlights as I understand it. The book makes no further mention of Erie City Iron Works, nor seems to indicate that this company was involved in construction of the Heisler Locomotive beyond occupying a plant where the first Heislers had been built.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2017 01:39PM by J.B.Bane.
