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Creator:

Hamily, David  Search this

Names:

Erie Railroad Company  Search this

New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad.  Search this

Pennsylvania Railroad.  Search this

Philadelphia and Western Railroad.  Search this

Piedmont and Northern Railroad.  Search this

Sorocabana Railway.  Search this

Takata and Company Railroad.  Search this

Former owner:

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Transportation  Search this

Extent:

1.5 Cubic feet (5 boxes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Statistics

Correspondence

Blueprints

Place:

Pennsylvania

New Haven (Conn.)

New York

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Hartford (Conn.)

Date:

1912-1949

Scope and Contents:

This collection consists of statistics on electric train operation, drawings, blueprints, technical papers, train classifications, research and development reports, business and financial correspondence (1933, 1939-1948, 1940-1941), installation and operation instructions, locomotive system test procedures, locomotive operations data and calculations, records of locomotive mileages and part failures, suggested locomotive improvements, locomotive specifications, plans for fire extinguishing systems, tonnage ratings and includes material from the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad, Piedmont and Northern Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, Takata and Co. Railroad, Philadelphia and Western Railroad, Sorocabana Railway, and Erie Railroad Co.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into 8 series.

Series 1: New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad

Series 2: Piedmont and Northern Railway Company

Series 3: Takata and Company

Series 4: Philadelphia and Western Railway Company

Series 5: Sorocabana Railway

Series 6; Pennsylvania Railroad

Series 7: Miscellaneous Westinghouse Reports

Series 8: Erie Railroad Company

Provenance:

This collection was donated by David Hamily of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1986.

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research use.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: reproduction fees may apply.

Topic:

Locomotives -- Design and construction  Search this

Railroads  Search this

Engineering  Search this

Locomotive industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Statistics

Correspondence -- 1930-1950

Blueprints

Citation:

Division of Transportation: Railroads' Engineering Data, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0207

See more items in:

Division of Transportation: Railroads' Engineering Data

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8fd4d5a0f-c3f6-4017-850d-1088af4ca8b6

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0207

Creator:

Baldwin Locomotive Works  Search this

Names:

Baldwin, Matthias W. (industrialist)  Search this

Extent:

7 Cubic feet

6 Microfilm (35 mm)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Microfilm

Ledgers (account books)

Place:

Pennsylvania

Date:

1822-1956

Scope and Contents note:

This collection consists of Engine Registers and Engine Order Books. The Engine Registers list all locomotives built by the company from 1833 through 1956. They provide information on the purchasing railroad, date of trial, engine name, construction number, class, track gauge, number of wheels, size of cylinders, number of valves and fuel type. The Order Books, dating from 1854 1900, provide the same sort of information on specifications, as well as prices and delivery. The records in both sets of books are arranged chronologically and the information within each is arranged numerically by construction number.

Biographical/Historical note:

The Baldwin Locomotive Works was the largest and most successful locomotive building firm in the world. It was begun as a machine shop owned and operated by Matthias W. Baldwin in 1831. Baldwin turned out its first locomotive engine from its shop in Philadelphia in 1832; within a few years the company was producing two a month and employed 240 men. By 1852, 500 engines had been produced; by 1861, 1,000; and by 1868, 2,000. At that point, the company employed between 1,600 1,700 men, and was one of the very largest machine works in the nation. In 1906 Baldwin began construction of a large auxiliary plant in the Philadelphia suburb of Eddystone. In 1928 the Broad Street plant was closed and all work transferred to the Eddystone Plant.

Baldwin had been forced by hard financial times to take on a series of partners between 1839 and 1846, and the firm's name changed repeatedly as a result. It was known as Baldwin, Vail & Hufty (1839 1842); Baldwin & Whitney (1842 1845); M. W. Baldwin (1846 1853); and M. W. Baldwin & Company (1854 1866). After Baldwin's death in 1866 the firm was known as M. Baird & Company (1867 1873); Burnham, Parry, Williams & Company (1873 1890); Burnham, Williams & Company (1891 1909); it was finally incorporated as the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1909.

The company's phenomenal growth ended with in the mid 1920s as the United States railroad industry began its long decline. Despite various mergers and acquisitions and an increased attention to the development of diesel engines a slow but sure decline set in. Baldwin declared bankruptcy in 1935. World War Two brought a temporary respite, but after the war the steam locomotive was obsolete and orders rapidly diminished. The Westinghouse Corporation bought Baldwin in 1948 but was unable to turn the company around. In 1950 the Lima Hamilton Corporation and Baldwin merged but in 1956 the last of some 70,541 locomotives was produced.

Source

History of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1831-1902, (1902); A Short History of American Locomotive Builders in theSteam Era, John H. White, (1982).

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center

Baldwin Locomotive Works Drawings (NMAH.AC.0353)

Consists of builder's drawings of locomotives and tenders, 1870-1890.

The DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University

University has a collection of 8,500 original Baldwin engineering drawings; the library has published three guides to their records.

Provenance:

Donated to the Museum's Division of Transportation by the Baldwin Hamilton Corporation in 1976.

Restrictions:

Original volumes are fragile. Researchers should consult the microfilm located in the National Museum of American History library (mfm 720).

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Transportation  Search this

Railroads  Search this

Locomotives -- Registers  Search this

Locomotive industry -- Pennsylvania  Search this

Genre/Form:

Ledgers (account books)

Citation:

Baldwin Locomotive Works Engine Registers and Order Books, 1833-1956, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0157

See more items in:

Baldwin Locomotive Works Engine Registers and Order Books

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8bbd4350b-0fee-4892-b9ef-e4fcc092959d

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0157

Creator:

Baldwin Locomotive Works  Search this

Former owner:

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Transportation  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry  Search this

Names:

Baldwin, Matthias W. (industrialist)  Search this

Extent:

1.5 Cubic feet (4 volumes)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Business records

Clippings

Articles

Blueprints

Trade literature

Photographs

Specifications

Scrapbooks

Letterheads

Contracts

Date:

1867-1929.

Scope and Contents note:

Four scrapbooks containing items relating to the Baldwin Locomotive Works, including: blueprints, photographs, examples of company letterhead and blank company forms, clippings and articles, business records such as contracts and specifications, trade literature, and miscellany.

Arrangement:

1 series.

Biographical/Historical note:

The Baldwin Locomotive Works was started as a sole proprietorship by Matthias W. Baldwin in 1831. The company was the largest railroad engineering plant of its kind in the world. It is now out of business.

Provenance:

Collection donated by James C. Macinnes.

Restrictions:

Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Transportation  Search this

Railroads  Search this

Locomotive industry -- Pennsylvania  Search this

Genre/Form:

Business records -- 1860-1930

Clippings

Articles

Blueprints

Trade literature

Photographs -- 20th century

Specifications

Scrapbooks

Letterheads

Contracts

Photographs -- 19th century

Citation:

Baldwin Locomotive Works Scrapbooks, 1867-1929, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1181

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85600ce6e-4879-40e7-b337-7596e29f67b3

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1181

Creator:

Baldwin Locomotive Works  Search this

Former owner:

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Transportation  Search this

Extent:

9 Cubic feet (4 drawers)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Technical drawings

Erection drawings

Place:

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Pennsylvania

Date:

1870-1890

Summary:

Collection consists of 202 assembly drawings of locomotives and tenders, prepared to check the clearances and major component parts of the locomotive and retained for engineering reference.

Scope and Contents note:

202 assembly drawings of locomotives and tenders, prepared to check the clearances and major component parts of the locomotive. When work was slow, draftsmen hand-colored the drawings. They were not used in the shop but were retained for engineering reference.

Biographical/Historical note:

The Baldwin Locomotive Works was the largest and most successful locomotive building firm in the world. It was begun as a machine shop owned and operated by Matthias W. Baldwin in 1831. Baldwin turned out its first locomotive engine from its shop in Philadelphia in 1832; within a few years the company was producing two a month and employed 240 men. By 1852, 500 engines had been produced; by 1861, 1,000; and by 1868, 2,000. At that point, the company employed between 1,600-1,700 men, and was one of the very largest machine works in the nation. In 1906 Baldwin began construction of a large auxiliary plant in Philadelphia suburb of Eddystone. In 1928 the Broad Street plant was closed and all work transferred to the Eddystone Plant.

Baldwin had been forced by hard financial times to take on a series of partners between 1839 and 1846, and the firm's name changed repeatedly as a result. It was known as Baldwin, Vail & Hufty (1839-1842); Baldwin & Whitney (1842-1845); M.W. Baldwin (1846-1853); and M.W. Baldwin & Co. (1854-1866). After Baldwin's death in 1866 the firm was known as M. Baird & Co. (1867-1873); Burnham, Parry, Williams & Co. (1873-1890); Burnham, Williams & Co. (1891-1909); it was finally incorporated as the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1909.

The company's phenomenal growth ended with in the mid-1920s as the U.S. railroad industry began its long decline. Despite various mergers and acquisitions--and an increased attention to the development of diesel engines--a slow but sure decline set in. Baldwin declared bankruptcy in 1935. World War Two brought a temporary respite, but after the war the steam locomotive was obsolete and orders rapidly diminished. The Westinghouse Corporation bought Baldwin in 1948 but was unable to turn the company around. In 1950 the Lima-Hamilton Corporation and Baldwin merged but in 1956 the last of some 70,500 locomotives were produced and the company's long history came to an end.

Sources

History of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1831-1902

A Short History of American Locomotive Builders in the Steam Era, John H. White, (1982).

Related Archival Materials:

Archives Center #157, the Baldwin Locomotive Works Collection, consists of Engine Registers and Order Books for locomotives, 1833-1956. In addition, a six-reel microfilm edition of collection #157 is located in the NMAH Library (mfm-720).

Photographs relating to Baldwin are in the Railroad and Firefighting History Photographic Collection, Division of Work and Industry.

The DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University has a collection of 8,500 original Baldwin engineering drawings and has published three guides to their records.

Provenance:

Collection donated by H.L. Broadbelt, July 1959-November 1960.

Restrictions:

Unrestricted research use on site by appointment.

Rights:

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Topic:

Railroad equipment industry  Search this

Locomotives -- Drawings  Search this

Transportation  Search this

Railroads -- Rolling-stock  Search this

Railroads -- Equipment and supplies  Search this

Baldwin locomotives  Search this

Locomotives  Search this

Locomotive works -- Pennsylvania  Search this

Locomotive industry  Search this

Genre/Form:

Technical drawings

Erection drawings

Citation:

Baldwin Locomotive Works Drawings, 1870-1890, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0353

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep86ea2c44d-5759-4390-b901-f937656435ad

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0353

Author:

Adams, Richard D  Search this

Lancaster Locomotive Works  Search this

Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania  Search this

Subject:

Lancaster Locomotive Works  Search this

Physical description:

[34] p. : ill. ; 28 cm

Type:

Books

Place:

Pennsylvania

Lancaster

Date:

1990

Topic:

Locomotive industry--Design and construction--History  Search this

Railroads--History  Search this

Call number:

HD9712.U54 A33 1990

Data Source:

Smithsonian Libraries

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:siris_sil_543298