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| Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co. http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38338 |
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| Author: | Bob D. [ Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co. |
Going thru my Mother's old boxes I came across a single typewritten sheet on company letterhead, of what I believe is a business overview/introduction handout of the "Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co." of Chicago Illinios. I believe this may have been my grandfather's, Albert Zeitler, business startup. He lived in Beloit, WI from 1930 until late 1935 falling ill and passing Jan. 1936 at age 37. Some excerpts: Zeitler Gas Hydraulic Railway Motor Equipments are the latest, most improved and modern method of City, Interurban and Steam Railroad propulsion. Self contained railway motor cars and locomotives Any car equpped, hydraulic transmission, multiple unit control. Will meet every freight and passenger transportation requirements now met by steam or electricity. No smoke nuisance. Will cut intial cost of prospective electric roads in half. Operate on kerosene, gasoline or distillate WILL DO EVERYTHING NOW DONE BY ELECTRICITY OR STEAM AND AT ONE-HALF THE COST. (This was also underlined) Goes on to explain markets, profits, stock shares ect. Capital stock $500k shares, $10 par value. So, has anyone ever heard of this company or know anything about their equipment? Did it ever get off the ground? There are no names on the paper. General offices were in the Big New York Life Building in Chicago. Must have been tough with the Depression or just ended in his death. Sure would like to see a picture of any equipment. Any input? Thanks much. Bob D. |
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| Author: | Reading T1 2124 [ Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co. |
Quote: Now here's a pair of old photos with definite provenance; a fellow named Raymond S. Zeitler, who came up with an unsuccessful line of boxcabs and motor cars from his Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Company, wrote an instructional (and probably self-serving) book ca. 1921 entitled "Self-Contained Railway Motor Cars and Locomotives". In it, he included a short section about General Electric's Dan Patch locomotive (which I have transcribed and posted here) with these figures (74 and 75): I found this here: http://sbiii.com/boxdp100.html I can't say whether or not a unit was produced but I would hold on to that, its probably one of a kind. |
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| Author: | Reading T1 2124 [ Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co. |
Further searching lead me to: http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/s ... ocomotives . It is referring to the book he wrote called "Self Contained Railway Motor Cars And Locomotives" Quote: He only built one car and it was destroyed in a fire in 1922
A very scarce Motor Car reference, rarely found. |
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| Author: | Bob D. [ Tue Jul 21, 2015 7:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co. |
Here is a photo of the page. Really nice condition. I now doubt my family had any involvement. Looking at the family tree I find no Raymond Zeitler. My guess is since my grandfather was in the Chicago area the paper came into the family as a gag. Zeitler is a rather obscure name. "What have you been up to?" Oh, a railroad baron, read this! Bet there aren't many of these overview fliers in existence! Bob D. Attachment: image.jpg [ 246.3 KiB | Viewed 4506 times ] |
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| Author: | John T [ Tue Jul 21, 2015 9:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Zeitler Gas Car & Locomotive Co. |
From Interurbans Without Wires by Edmund Keilty: "Zeitler was formed in 1921 to manufacture gasoline rail motorcars and locomotives with special appeal to terminal railroads under attack by city authorities for air pollution caused by steam locomotives (as was the case right then in Chicago), or to budding interurban companies seeking a cheaper alternative to electrification (a bit late in the day for that, as total interurban mileage fell drastically after 1920). The company, however, never was able to progress beyond the construction of one prototype four-cylinder power truck, and it was destroyed in a fire in the Zeitler plant in 1922." |
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