RE: [CBQ] Motorised push car [1 Attachment]

["'Douglas Harding' doug.harding@iowacentralrr.org [CBQ]" <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>]

[Attachment(s) from Douglas Harding included below]

Rupert, yes interesting and very early. It shows the ingenuity that propelled early development of railroad MOW equipment. The photo shows essentially how Fairmont got started. In 1907 Fairmont developed a small single cylinder engine they hoped to use in agriculture applications, ie pumping water, etc. The story goes a railroad section hand contacted them about mounting their engine on his hand car. He had seen one on another railroad built using an engine from a firm in Kansas, but had not been able to secure an engine from the Kansas company. Fairmont worked with him, motorized his hand car by mounting the engine on the deck and using a chain drive to power the axle. Soon other railroaders came to Fairmont with similar requests. By 1909 Fairmont had done business with 48 railroads in every state. (Fairmont History by Orlin Foss).

 

Attached is a photo of an early Fairmont motor car or speeder, showing a motor and chain drive mount. The company also developed a belt drive, using a wide leather belt.

 

Doug Harding

www.iowacentralrr.org

 

From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com [mailto:CBQ@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2015 12:29 PM
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CBQ] Motorised push car

 

 

There’s an interesting piece of Burlington equipment, perhaps from the turn of the century, on eBay as item 231754390875. It appears to be a push car on which has been mounted a horizontal, single cylinder, air cooled motor to propel it by means of a drive band passing through the deck to one axle.

 

Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ

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Posted by: "Douglas Harding" <doug.harding@iowacentralrr.org>

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