John Bull (engine)

The engine John Bull is a Locomotive with vapor of English, rare manufacture surviving of the beginnings of the railroad. It circulated for the first time on September 15th 1831. In 1981 it was back in circulation by the Smithsonian Institution, then becoming the oldest engine with still operational vapor of the world: more than 150 years of age. Built by the Stephenson company & Co, the John Bull at the beginning bought and was exploited by the company of the railroads of Camden in Amboy (Camdem and Amboy Railroad - C&A), which was the first railway line of the State of the New Jersey. The company allotted number 1 to him. The machine was intensively used as of the completion of the line in 1833. It was withdrawn from garaged circulation in 1866 then.

After the acquisition of C&A by the company of the railroads of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Railroad - PRR) in 1871, this one restored the engine and made it circulate on several occasions for public presentations. It was then presented to the Centennial Exposition, commemorating the 100 years of American independence and with the national exposure of the railway achievements (National Railway Appliance Exhibition) of 1883. One year later, in 1884, it was bought by the Smithsonian Institution and constituted in fact the first major piece of the gallery devoted to the industry of their museum with Washington DC.

In 1939 of the employees to the workshops of Altoona (Pennsylvania) of PRR built an operational counterpart of the engine in order to be able to present it to future public animations. Indeed the Smithsonian Institution quite naturally wished to preserve the original engine in a protected place. Besides she celebrated with dignity the 150 years of the machine, which in 1981 became the oldest engine with vapor of the world to being able to function thanks to its boiler of origin, feat of ingenuity of engineering taking into account the ageing of metals. Today the John Bull is exposed to the national museum of the American history (National Museum off American History) with Washington DC, its counterpart being regularly put in circulation at the museum of the train of Pennsylvania (Railroad Museum off Pennsylvania).

Construction and first use

The John Bull was built with Newcastle upon the Tyne in England by the company Robert Stephenson (Robert Stephenson and Company) for the company of the railroad of Camdem with Amboy (C&A). It was then dismounted and dispatched on the other side of the Atlantic on the Allegheny , in cases. The engineer of C&A, Isaac Dripps reassembled the engine of best than it could because the sending did not contain the plans of assembly of the machine, and put it in circulation in September 1831. November 12th 1831, Robert Stevens, then president of C&A, corrected some political errors by inviting several members of the legislative body of the New Jersey like some local dignitaries, of which the Prince Murat, nephew of Napoleon, to accomplish some voyages with the very new engine on a short way of test. Besides the woman of the Prince Murat pressed herself to get into the train in order to be described as first woman of America to travel in a train tractor drawn by an engine to vapor.

Until the completion of the line, the engine was stored; horse-drawn cars being employed in the construction of the infrastructure until in 1833. C&A then allotted a number and a name to their first engines. The John Bull accepted number 1 and the official name of Stevens (according to the first president of C&A, Robert L. Stevens). However, with the daily newspaper, the teams started to call it the old woman John Bull ( the old John Bull ) in reference to the caricature, personification of England. This abstract name was then shortened in John Bull , much more employed than the official one, Stevens , which sank in the lapse of memory.

Engineering changes and first exposures

Stephenson built the engine at the origin like one 0-4-0 (notation Whyte, engine with two driving axles only). The drive was carried out by two pistons fixed on the cranks of the rear axle, the axle before being pulled by coupling rods.

The railway of the New Jersey being of less good quality that those of England, the engine frequently ran off the line; the engineers of C&A then decided to add an axle of guidance to before (an assembly made up of an axle equipped with wheels with lower diameter, attached in front of the structure of the engine) in order to guiding it in the curves. The addition of this axle of guidance required the removal of the coupling rod, which left one driving axle: the rear axle. The John Bull thus became in fact one 4-2-0 (an engine with two non-motive axles follow-ups of a driving axle, no non-motive rear axle). Thereafter, C&A added an avoid-ox to the axle of guidance. The avoid-ox is a triangular assembly of form intended to drive out the animals and the remains of the way to allow the passage of the train without derailments. So also protecting the team from control of the engine, C&A added a cabin (walls and roof) with the back of the machine, where the team of control was located. Accessories of safety were also added, of which a front bell and headlight.

After usebeing used during several shunter year like then like fixed boiler, the John Bull was withdrawn from the service in 1866 and was stored in Bordentown, in the New Jersey. It was then used as engine of pump then like machine-engine in a sawmill.

C&A was then integrated into the company of the railroads and the channels of the New Jersey (United New Jersey Railroad and Canals Company) in 1869, it even repurchased by PRR in 1871. PRR included/understood the commercial advantage of the old engine, and the technicians of the workshops of PRR the " vieillirent" by replacing certain parts by others which seemed more " antiques" , or while withdrawing some from others.

Restoration by Smithsonian Institution

With the exposure of 1883, PRR résoud two problems of a blow. Firstly, the perenniality of the engine John Bull was ensured by the sale the Smithsonian Institution , which was going to be able to occupy itself some suitably. Then, the company had found a new employment adapted to young engineer J. Elfreth Watkins. Watkins had been victim of an accident which had made him lose a leg, which prevented it from working with the railroads, seen necessary physical capacities (the company, after its accident, had employed it in the offices). PRR used its competences of engineer like expert conservative for the new building of the Smithsonian dedicated to the Art nouveaus and Industries ( Arts and Industries building ), building which opened in 1880. December 22nd 1884, the engine was for the first time exposed to the public by the Smithsonian in the wing Is of this building.

The engine remained in exposure to this site during nearly 80 years, but it had sometimes left the museum. Most notable of these exits was its transport until Chicago for the World' S Columbian Exposition . PRR, like the majority of the railway companies of the time, presented immense stands to it praising their technological advances. PRR made so that the John Bull and two cars are sent to the workshops of the company with Jersey City. They were restored there in order to be able to be in operating condition. PRR envisaged an event with dimensions of what the John Bull for the history of the American railroads represented.

The voyage between Jersey City and Chicago was to be done besides by railway, the John Bull tractor drawing by his own means the two cars given in state.

The restoration was done under the direction of Theodore NR. Ely, Mécanicien as a chief of PRR. Ely was sufficiently reassured by a trial run on 80,5 kilometers until Perth Amboy (New Jersey) which was made in 2 hours 15, to consider that governors of the various States which would be crossed by the convoy as well as the president of the United States Grover Cleveland are invited to travel there at the time of the first stage of the voyage. The John Bull was to draw some cars transporting from the dignitaries and the journalists. The train travelled until Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). Once with Philadelphia, the couple mechanic-driver is lived to associate buildings which were used to them as pilots, in order to advise them the characteristics of the ground. This method was used all length of the voyage, until Chicago. Circulating at a speed ranging between 40 and 50 km/h, the train arrived at Chicago on April 22nd. The engine made several small ways during the exposure for the visitors, then the convoy left Chicago on December 6th in order to turn over to Washington DC, where it arrived the 13.

In 1927, the John Bull travelled again apart from the museum. This year there the company of the railroads of Baltimore to Ohio ( Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ) celebrated its centenary with the Festival of the Horse of Iron, organized with Baltimore in the Maryland. However, the Tender of origin of the engine was very damaged, it was impossible to repair it. In fact it was destroyed in 1910. PRR made some make a counterpart in its workshops of Altoona. The engine was also given to nine in these workshops for the festival, last occasion for it to run on the vapor until in 1980.

A presentation especially " statique"

After the return of the engine to the Smithsonian , this one remained in static exposure. In 1930 the museum ordered one second counterpart of the tender to the workshops of Altoona, to be exposed with the engine. This counterpart re-used some elements of the original tender before, saved during its dismantling twenty years.

The Smithsonian redécouvrit the age (and history) of the engine in 1931. The museum did not have however financial means to make build a new boiler, which could have enabled him to roll again. It was thus decided to make it function on the spot using compressed air, the driving axle being raised by a jack. The museum borrowed then a car of 1836 from PRR in order to expose it following the reconstituted tender. The 100 years of the machine were celebrated on November 12th 1931. The demonstration " on the spot " engine was diffused with the radio by CBS ( CBS radio nework' ), Stanley Bell telling the event with the listeners.

PRR again borrowed the engine from the museum at the time of the exposure Century off Progress of Chicago in 1939. This time, the engine there was brought by truck and was exposed in " statique". During this exposure, a functional counterpart was ordered with the workshops of Altoona. This counterpart was used in 1940 with the World Fair of New York ( New York World' S Fair ), whereas the original engine and its tender turned over to the Smithsonian .

The original machine was again exposed apart from the museum in 1939, but the conservatives of the museum decided whereas it had become too fragile to be left also frequently. It was then placed in permanent exposure in the wing Is, where it remained during 25 years. In 1964 it was moved with the National museum of the American History ( National Museum off American History ), which then bore the name of National museum of History and Technologies ( National Museum off History and Technology ). It is always exposed there.

Again in service at 150 years

The John Bull still remained in static exposure during 15 years, but the fact that it is one of the oldest engines still in good state, as it was used on the first railway line of the New Jersey, was not developed. With the approach of the 150ème birthday of the engine (in 1981), the Smithsonian began a dialog in order to determine the best manner of celebrating this birthday. There was no doubt about the preparation of publications and specific exposures, but the persons in charge of the museums thought that one could well better do.

Many surface inspections were carried out on the machine in 1980, and concluded that this one was in a mechanical good state. In particular, no too important deterioration of the frame was observed. Thus, when the machine was raised, the axles turned freely. One morning of January 1980, before the opening of the museum to the public, the employees of the museum used compressed air in order to make play the cylinders and to involve the wheels. It was the first time that such an operation was carried out since the years 1930. The employees had much chance, the pressurization of such an old boiler being able to cause an explosion.

The reverse lever and the whole of the mechanism seemed to be in operating condition, but it was impossible to know if the boiler could again withstand the steam pressure and fire necessary. The museum was addressed to the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company for checking of the device. These inspections were carried out after the closing of the museum, between 18:30 and 4 hours of the morning throughout one three day. They included/understood electromagnetic tests, with ultrasounds and by radiography. Several defects were revealed, but projections determined which the engine could all the same roll for little that the pressure of the boiler is reduced to 3,4 bar. At the origin, when delivered to C&A, the boiler was to be able to withstand pressures up to 4,8 bar. The team of the Smithsonian , after some other tests, were convinced that the engine could again roll.

The defective elements were repaired and the engine rolled on September 15th 1981 in the surroundings of Washington DC. She became thus the oldest engine with vapor of the world to being able to function thanks to her boiler of origin.

True the John Bull is currently preserved at the National Museum off American History with Washington DC. Its counterpart of 1939 is property of HTTP: /www.rrmuseumpa.org/Railroad Museum off Pennsylvania, which always makes it function.

Chronology

June 18th, 1831: the Stephenson company & Co builds the engine John Bull .
July 14th, 1831: the engine is dispatched with Philadelphia since Liverpool.
September 4th, 1831: Arrived of the machine at Philadelphia on board the Allegheny coming from Liverpool.
September 15th, 1831: First voyage of the John Bull in the New Jersey while being tractor drawn by its own boiler
November 12th, 1831: Robert Stevens invites several politicians of the New Jersey to attend a series of trial runs of the engine.
1833 : the John Bull is one of some engines to circulate on the any new line of railroad connecting Camden to Amboy (New Jersey).
1866 : Radiation of the engine of the regular service.
1876 : Exposure of the machine to the Centennial Exposure of Philadelphia.
1883 : the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) exposes the engine to the national exposure of the railway achievements ( National Railway Appliance Exhibition )
1884: Purchase by the Smithsonian Institution with the Pennsylvania Railroad of the John Bull
1893: Walk of the John Bull with the Colombian World Fair ( World' S Columbian Exposure ) of Chicago.
1910 : Dismantling of the tender of origin by Smithsonian. The recoverable parts are however placed in reserve.
1927 : the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad borrows the engine for steps of demonstration from the Festival of the Iron Horse ( Fair off the Iron Horse ) of Baltimore.
1930 : a counterpart of the tender is built at the request of the Smithsonian by PRR, by re-using the original parts which could have been preserved. This counterpart is then exposed with the engine with the museum.
November 12th, 1931: Celebration by the Smithsonian of the 100ème birthday of the engine. The engine is started stationary thanks to jacks inside the hall of the museum.
1933-1934 : PRR borrows again the John Bull in order to off expose it to the exposure Century Progress to Chicago.
1939 : Last public demonstration of the engine apart from the museum of the Smithsonian for 39 years, during the inauguration of the World Fair of New York ( New York World' S Fair )
1940: a counterpart of the John Bull , built by the mechanics of the workshops of Altoona of PR, is then exposed to the World Fair, and the original one is brought back to the Smithsonian with Washington DC.
September 15th, 1981: Walk of the John Bull at the time of his 150ème birthday. It then became more the locomotive hurdy-gurdy of the world to being able to function with its boiler of origin.
1985 : the John Bull is transported by plane with Dallas (Texas) to be exposed there, which makes of it the oldest engine of the world have travelled by plane.

Sources

Translation since.
Bibliography quoted in the article of Wikipédia English:

Bailey, Ronald T., Friends off the Railroad Museum off Pennsylvania. '' Railroad Museum off Pennsylvania - John Bull replica '', Retrieved Oct. 6,2004.
Massed, William R., Jr., Smithsonian Institution (2004) '' Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Files: Record Links 7268; J. Elfreth Watkins Collection, 1869,1881-1903, 1953,1966 and undated '', Retrieved Dec. 14,2004.
Smithsonian Institution. '' HistoryWired: few our has off favorite things - John Bull Locomotive '', Retrieved Oct. 6,2004.
Smithsonian Institution (2004). '' Encyclopedia Smithsonian - John Bull '', Retrieved Oct. 6,2004.
Smithsonian Institution Close (2001). '' Smithsonian Close - Legacies - John Bull engine, 1831 '', Retrieved Oct. 6,2004.
John H. White, Jr. Refer Collection, 1880s-1990 Archives Center, National Museum off American History, Smithsonian Institution.

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