Plymouth Cordage (Welland, ON) Compressed Air Locomotive

Plymouth Cordage (Welland, ON) Compressed Air Locomotive. Built 1906, Retired 1956. This small 0-4-0 locomotive looks like a steam locomotive, and its wheels are moved by valve gear identical to a steam locomotive; however, it was powered by compressed air. It was built in 1906 by H.K. Porter, Inc. of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania for the Plymouth Cordage Company in Welland Ontario. Because of the high risk of fire in the factory which manufactured rope (cordage), a conventional steam locomotive could not be used. An alternative to steam by substituting compressed air for propulsion was developed by Porter and marketed to industries where steam and fire could cause catastrophe., A full tank of compressed air could power the locomotive for four hours of moving supplies and materials around the factory in Welland. In its operating life, despite the short 1,800 feet of track in the plant, the locomotive is estimated to have travelled over 50,000 miles before it was retired and replaced by forklifts in 1956., Although the engine never ran within the city, there is a precedent for narrow-gauge Porter locomotives operating in Toronto, albeit of a different gauge and using conventional steam. In 1911, the City of Toronto acquired six saddle-tank Porters to aid in the construction of the Toronto Civic Railway streetcar lines., Since retirement the locomotive has been restored and preserved in private ownership. We are grateful to Andrew Merrilees Limited for the donation of the locomotive to the Toronto Railway Museum.