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The Heisler Steam Locomotive, Competitor to the Shay and Climax

The Heisler steam locomotive, a geared design, was the other well known of the type to be developed in the late 19th century. Not nearly as successful as either the Climax or the Shay, especially, the Heisler did sell several hundred units before production ended. Today, according to the book, West Virginia Logging Railroads, by William Warden at least eleven Heislers are still in operation and some thirty others are preserved around the country.

The Heisler was the creation of Charles L. Heisler, which put his geared locomotive on the market in the 1890s being sold first by the Stearns Manufacturing Company and later in the first decade of the 20th century the Heisler Locomotive Works. The Heisler steam locomotive, while similar in appearance to the Shay was almost identical in operation to the Climax save for its piston rods were angled at forty-five degrees instead of the twenty-five degrees on the Climax. The Climax essentially used the same technology as the Shay but in a different way. According to William E. Warden in his book West Virginia Logging Railroads, the Climax gained adhesion by employing two cylinders, one on each side of the boiler. The cylinders were neither vertical nor horizontal at an angle of approximately 25 degrees and the piston rods were connected to a line shaft centered under the boiler and mid-way between the trucks, which thus powered either two or three trucks.

Geared steam locomotives function differently in one significant way from their standard rod-driven brethren (the common steam locomotive), they use a vertical or angled geared system as opposed to a standard horizontal driven rod for propulsion. How geared steam locomotives work, according to William E. Warden in his book West Virginia Logging Railroads, is that these cylinders drive a flexible line shaft with universal couplings and slip joints through bevel gears. This flexibility thus allows each truck to negotiate the track independently of the other, which keeps the locomotive on the rails and allowing it to operate over almost any type of track (which was usually nothing more than rails laid directly onto a hillside).

In total, Mr. Heisler's geared locomotive would sell over 800 units and today, of the eleven Heislers said to still be in operation you can watch at least one in action on the famous Cass Scenic Railroad in Cass, West Virginia. Cass Scenic (which was originally the timber operations of the West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company and Mower Lumber Company) is home to the largest collection of operating Shays in the country, along with Heisler #6 and Climax #9, and is well worth the trip to ride this historic operation if you have the chance. For more information on not only the operating Heisler steam locomotive at Cass but also their Shays and Climax please click here to visit their website.

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(A deep thanks to the Museum of the Rockies at Montana State University for allowing Ron Nixon's historic collection of Heisler steam locomotives to be featured here. Please note that the photos featured on this page feature their corresponding image number so that you may quickly and easily find more information about it from their website. To view Ron Nixon's entire collection please click here.)

For more information on the Heisler steam locomotive consider How a Steam Locomotive Works by author Karen Parker, which explores in great detail how exactly each component of a steam locomotive works but is also easy enough to read for anyone to understand. The book has received excellent reviews and is a great resource on steam locomotives and a fine reference tool; you should find it very useful. Also, consider the book American Steam Locomotives from author Brian Solomon. While this publication does not include quite as much technical data as Parker's book, How a Steam Locomotive Works, it is still a very good resource with lots of information and best of all, is loaded with photographs! If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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Related Reading

Geared Steam Locomotives

Steam Turbines

Diesel Locomotives

Electrics, "Motors"

Major Steam Locomotive Builders

American Locomotive Company, "ALCO"

Baldwin Locomotive Works

Lima Locomotive Works