SOOT IN THE FLUES

Had a letter from Ivan W. Saunders of 806 Hanna St., N. Braddock, Pa. 15104 who wrote: 'A friend of mine, O. W. Brooks of Emporium, Pa., a PRR track foreman (I'm P&LE Car Dept. myself) sent me some items, among which was a copy of the Sept.-Oct. 1966 issue which greatly interested me. On Page 5, is a photo of Davenport # 2150, 0-4-OT built by Davenport Locomotive Works of Davenport, Iowa (not Idaho) in 1929. I have a copy of the Davenport records and could identify this engine more, if I had the records on hand, but loaned them to a friend recently. As a matter of interest and not generally known, the Davenport firm acquired the drawings, patterns and etc. of the H. K. Porter Co. of Pittsburgh who had built industrial type engines since 1866. Davenport acquired the Porter business about 1952, but subsequently sold the combined business to the Canadian Locomotive Co. at Kingston, Ontario, Canada who still have it as far as I know. It may be that Kingston can supply parts, etc. for both Davenport and or Porter locomotives and thought your readers may be interested to know this.

I note also, the reference to E. A. 'Frog' Smith on pages 35 and 36. Mr. Smith is a well known 'logging' railroad man and has several articles referring to these railroads in Railroad Magazine.

On Page 43 photo of the Pertle Springs Ry. 0-4-2T 'dummy' locomotive appears to me to be a Baldwin and it may be possible to acquire a photo of the engine when brand new from the builder. I have written Mr. McCormick in regards to photo in hopes of identifying the engine.

I have a copy of the records of both H. K. Porter and of Davenport and the serial number on the builder's plate could thus be traced, if any of your readers are interested in tracing any old engines. A stamped envelope will be necessary', of course. That's a lot of information, fellow readers, so if you're interested write Ivan at his address.

R. Dayton Nichols of 6128 Route 5, Stafford, New York 14143 had sent this in for the IMA just like this: 'Title-How Do You Say It? Sample I. Drive pulley on steam engine not having straight spoke but such 'S' spoke or 'Dog-leg' (any others). Sample II. Man tailing or carrying slabs away from sawmill, often called 'off-bearer' or 'slab-piler'. Sample III. Nicknames for some traction engines-Buffalo-Pitts - 'Pitts'.' Guess you fellows who understand this type of thing will know what he wants more than an uneducated steam person such as I.