Hinkley Locomotive Works facts for kids
Hinkley Locomotive Works was a company that built steam locomotives in the 1800s. It was based in Boston, Massachusetts, a big city in the United States. This company was very important for making trains that helped people and goods travel across the country.
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History of Hinkley Locomotives
Starting Out: Boston Machine Works
The company that later became Hinkley Locomotive Works began in Boston in 1831. Two partners, Holmes Hinkley and Daniel F. Child, started a business called Boston Machine Works. They quickly built the third steam engine ever made in Massachusetts.
Their first train engine, called a locomotive, was built in 1840. It was a 4-2-0 type, which means it had four small wheels at the front, two large driving wheels in the middle, and no wheels at the back. Hinkley's early locomotives looked a lot like those designed by another famous builder, John Souther.
Becoming Boston Locomotive Works
The company quickly became known for building strong and reliable locomotives. Within ten years, it grew to be the largest train engine maker in all of New England. In 1848, the company changed its name and became Boston Locomotive Works. It operated under this name until 1859, when it faced financial trouble during a time called a "financial panic." This meant the company had to close down for a while.
Through the Civil War and Beyond
After its financial difficulties, the company was reorganized by Jarvis Williams. It was then known as Hinkley, Williams and Company. Holmes Hinkley, who had been forced out earlier, returned to the company in 1864. The company changed its name again to Hinkley and Williams Locomotive Works.
During the American Civil War, the company built many locomotives for the railroads. These trains were very important for moving soldiers and supplies. The company also helped the U.S. Government by making fifty large cannons. This busy time helped the company become profitable again, just like it had been earlier.
Final Years and Legacy
In 1872, the company changed its name one last time to Hinkley Locomotive Works. However, it faced financial problems again by the end of that decade. This led to another reorganization in 1880, and the company was renamed Hinkley Locomotive Company.
Sadly, new orders for locomotives began to slow down. Because of this, the company permanently closed its doors in 1889.
Today, only one Hinkley locomotive is known to be fully preserved. It's a small 9-ton engine built in 1846, called the Lion. It was originally made for the Machiasport Railroad in eastern Maine. You can see it today at the Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine.
Another Hinkley engine still exists, but it looks different now. In 1879, Hinkley Locomotive Works built a 4-4-0 type engine named "H. C. Hardon" for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. This engine was later changed in 1897 to a 2-8-0 type. It served the Santa Fe railway until about 1953. This engine is now located at the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, though it is not currently running.
