The latest offering from Arcadia Publishing in their "Images of America" series is The Portland Company: 1846-1982, by David H. Fletcher. The Portland Company, based in Portland, Maine, was founded in 1845 primarily to manufacture steam locomotives and rolling stock for northern New England railroads. Their business soon expanded to include the manufacture of automobiles, ships, cannons, boilers, and in later years, nuclear power plant components. In short, if it was constructed of metal, the Portland Company was up to the task. This book does not focus on railroading, but instead covers all areas of Portland Company's manufacturing with great detailed photographs and text.

David H. Fletcher spent nearly 3,000 hours researching the material that went into this book. Those of you in the narrow gauge circles may recognize his name from his tenure as president of the Sandy River Railroad Museum, and as one of the founders of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum in Portland. The photos came from the Maine Historical Society's Portland Company Collection, which includes more than 10,000 engineering drawings and 2,500 photographs!

Portland24t This grand locomotive, the Shamrock, No. 4, was built for the New Brunswick & Canada Railroad in 1858 as shop No. 108. Nine similar locomotives, all 66-inch gauge, were constructed for this railroad.

The first two chapters of the book pertain to an overview of the Portland Company's facilities and employees, and the manufacture of railroad equipment. Locomotive production began in the early 1850s. Portland was also a locomotive rebuilder, taking many early models and extending their useful lives. Many 4-4-0-type locomotives for the Maine Central came from the Portland Company in the 1880s. The Portland Company also built a total of eight locomotives for the local two-foot narrow gauge railroads. All told, Portland constructed a total of six hundred thirty locomotives. This book will be of great interest to those who research early locomotive builders from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Portland24 The Colon was built by the Portland Company in 1865 as a 0-4-0T tank engine for the Panama Railroad. It did not have a cab as did most engines used in North America at that time. This was probably in consideration of the heat factor for the crew.

The Portland also built many forms of early rolling stock, including some of the more ornate coaches of the 1870s. Freight and non-revenue equipment were also produced. Of note is a special combination boxcar-caboose equipped with a cupola, allowing the brakeman to watch over his train. Portland also supplied parts for a variety of equipment, from replacement wheels to new rotary blades for high-mountain snow plows.

The rest of the book goes on to describe their other manufacturing lines. If you or your friends are interested in the Industrial Revolution, heavy machinery and manufacturing, or transportation in general, you will enjoy the sampling of photographs in this book. Shown are various examples of ship building, including the earliest side-wheel Civil War era vessels. Also included are automobiles from

Portland12b Here in the company machine shop, we can see the various lathes and milling machines used to shape the cast and forged parts for the larger railroad and marine products. Note the dual-gauge railroad tracks in the shop. The Portland Company built and worked on cars and locomotives of five or six different track gauges in the 19th century. Railroad track gauges in the country are now standardized at four feet eight and one-half inches between the railheads, but this standardization was not achieved until the 1870s.

the turn of the last century. Portland manufactured and sold Knox-brand automobiles until 1914, when the company stopped production. Other small automobile lines were also produced by Portland through the early 1900s. Also outlined are chapters on producing elevators, fire engines, paper mill equipment, lighthouses, snowplows, and other heavy machinery products.

I was left wondering about a few details of the Portland Company. Why did they cease production of locomotives and rolling stock? Do any of their pieces survive today? And what eventually became of the Portland Company? All in all, I found the material interesting and varied. It was clear that the author was truly interested in presenting the material in a clear way that anyone could understand. For instance, many early builder's photos show engines without their tenders. Fletcher explains that the tender is where the fuel and water for the engine is carried. Obvious to any railroader, but the same care is taken in captions of photos of ships and autos. Many authors assume we are experts in the material we are reading; Fletcher understands that we may not all understand what a "pressure vessel" is, and takes the time to explain without talking down to the reader.

My personal tastes in railroading lie after 1925, but I found this look into an early heavy industrial manufacturer very educational. I would certainly recommend this book for any transportation or heavy industry enthusiast, as well as the individual researching early locomotive production.

The Portland Company 1846 - 1982 By David H. Fletcher 6.5"x9.25"; trade paperback; 128 pages $19.99 plus shipping and handling Arcadia Publishing 224 State Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 http://www.arcadiapublishing.com (888) 313-2665