As a result of the success of Phineas Davis’ _York_ on the Baltimore and
Ohio (see p. 24), about 18 more small locomotives with vertical boilers
were built for the B & O between 1832 and 1837, the first few by
Davis[2] and his partner Israel Gartner,[3] several by Charles Reeder,
and the remainder by George Gillingham and Ross Winans. These machines,
with their vertical cylinders and their walking beams, earned the name
“grasshopper” because of their peculiar appearance when under way.
Of the many “grasshoppers” constructed, three have survived. The
earliest, the _John Quincy Adams_, was built in July 1835 and is now
exhibited in Carillon Park at Dayton, Ohio, where it has been for
several years, the gift of the Baltimore and Ohio. The remaining two,
the _Andrew Jackson_ and the _John Hancock_, were built in 1836 and are
now housed in the B & O Museum at Baltimore.
The history of these three locomotives is somewhat complicated. All were
in use at the Mount Clare station in Baltimore as recently as 1892, then
serving as switching engines. At that time, with a fourth, the _Martin
Van Buren_ of 1836, they were retired from active service so they could
be modified for the exhibit the B & O was planning for the following
year at the World’s Columbian Exposition.
As it was the desire of the B & O to show in this exhibit some earlier
“grasshoppers,” the _Andrew Jackson_ (figure 38) was altered to resemble
the first “grasshopper” built, Davis’ _Atlantic_ of 1832 (figure 39);
while the _John Quincy Adams_ was rebuilt to resemble the _Traveller_
(originally named the _Indian Chief_) of 1833.
The _John Hancock_, unaltered, was merely renamed the _Thomas Jefferson_
(figure 40), a “grasshopper” of 1835. Why the _John Quincy Adams_,
itself built in 1835, was not used for this purpose under its original
name, is not now understood. (The _Martin Van Buren_, now no longer in
existence, was altered considerably at that time to resemble the
_Mazeppa_, a so-called “crab” engine of 1838.)
[Illustration: Figure 38.—_Andrew Jackson_, bearing number “7,” in a
photo taken between 1850 and January 1, 1884, at which time it was
renumbered “2.” Note tender.]
[Illustration: Figure 39.—_Andrew Jackson_, as remodeled to resemble
_Atlantic_, with Charles B. Chaney at throttle—a photo taken at B &
O Mount Clare shops, July 7, 1912. Note wooden barrel used as water
tank.]
The original _Andrew Jackson_, ever since called the _Atlantic_ (figure
41), has appeared at many railroad pageants throughout the East (figure
42); in 1935 and 1936 it was on exhibit in the National Museum (figure
43). The _John Hancock_, on the other hand, was recently given back its
original name (figure 44) after having carried the incorrect appellation
_Thomas Jefferson_ for about 60 years. Many railroad historians of
recent times have apparently not been aware of the name-switching
involving these two locomotives, which are now part of the permanent
collection in the B & O Museum.
[Illustration: Figure 40.—_John Hancock_, bearing name _Thomas
Jefferson_, at the Fair of the Iron Horse, September 30, 1927. When
first placed in service, “grasshoppers” did not use metal water
tanks.]
[Illustration: Figure 41.—Recent photo of so-called _Atlantic_. Note
absence of side rod that originally connected the two axles.]
[Illustration: Figure 42.—So-called _Atlantic_ in 1935, with modern
reproductions of the famous Imlay passenger coaches used on B & O in
the 1830’s.]
[Illustration: Figure 43.—So-called _Atlantic_ on exhibition in
National Museum hall of transportation, in 1935.]
[Illustration: Figure 44.—_John Hancock_ photographed during a
recent appearance.]
[Illustration: Figure 45.—_John Quincy Adams_ as restored for
exhibition at Dayton, Ohio. This is the oldest complete
American-built locomotive in existence. Metal water tank is not
original.]
The _John Quincy Adams_ (figure 45), recently restored and repainted and
no longer referred to as the _Traveller_, is the oldest complete
American-built locomotive in existence.
These “grasshoppers” burned anthracite, as did the _York_. The cylinders
of the newer two of the survivors have a 22-inch stroke and a 12½-inch
bore (according to the 10th annual report of the B & O, for 1836, p. 22)
and originally operated on a steam pressure of 50 pounds per square
inch. With their thoroughly overhauled boilers, they now operate on 75.
The bore of the _John Quincy Adams_ is slightly smaller, 12¼ inches
(according to the 9th annual report of the B & O, for 1835, p. 24),
unless it has been increased by wear or replacement.
The wheelbase of each “grasshopper” is 49 inches, and the weight was
originally about 8½ tons. The wheels, modern replacements, are about 34
inches in diameter but the original ones were several inches larger. All
four wheels of each are (or were) connected by gearing and rods to the
two cylinders. In converting the _Andrew Jackson_ to represent the
_Atlantic_, however, the side rods were removed so that only its rear
wheels now serve as drivers, as did those of the original _Atlantic_.
It is of interest that at least one other “grasshopper” locomotive was
built by Gillingham and Winans, but not for the B & O. Named the
_Columbus_, this generally little known example was made in 1836 for the
Leipzig to Dresden Railroad in Germany, and quite probably was the first
American locomotive ever built for export. A description and
illustration of it are found in the German publication “Hundert Jahre
deutsche Eisenbahnen,” published in 1935.