Interesting. Might be an old American Austin chassis?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-1934-Labor ... otohosting

I don’t know about the chassis, but the detailing makes me think this is the local 40 & 8 Society parade float.

http://fortyandeight.org/background.htm

Interestingly, I’ve seen something similar, and likely as old, somewhere in the Chicago area within the past twenty five or so years.

Dennis

The Reading Company Technical and Historical Society has a similar parade locomotive, which is numbered 1176 and based on an A5a. Here's a link to a picture of it:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPi ... x?id=99514

Here's the society's website (yes, I am a member): http://readingrailroad.org/