Hecla & Torch Lake RR 0-6-4T No. 3
Dearborn, MI, United States 		Location: Greenfield Village
Status: Operational
Posted: Jul 27, 2009 @ 23:07:02 by sawyer
Soo, this is a mason Bogie? nice, I never knew one existed today.
Posted: Mar 4, 2006 @ 20:03:15 by John Rahrig

1873 "Torch Lake" Mason 0-6-4T No. 3 – This locomotive was built in 1873 by the Mason Machine Works. This engine began its service life on the Hecla and Torch Lake Railroad, which was a copper hauling line in northern Michigan. The Torch Lake was converted from narrow gauge to U.S. standard gauge, when the locomotive was brought the Greenfield Village in the fall of 1968. In 1969, the Torch Lake began passenger service for the railroad. From 1969 to 1997, it was the oldest regularly operating steam locomotive in the United States. From 1997 to 2002, it had to have a major boiler overhaul. On July 26, 2002, the locomotive went back into daily passenger service for the Greenfield Village Railroad.

Posted: Jan 10, 2005 @ 07:01:29 by Matthew R. Potosky

This locomotive is what is known as a "Mason Bogie", built by Mason Machine Works. It was a design intended on ecompassing the articulation of a Fairlie without resorting to incorporating a double boiler. Bogies were equipped with a single rigid frame that supported the boiler and tender. The drivers and cylinders swivled on a pivot like a passenger or freight car truck. Steam was admitted to the cylinders via a pipe and ball joint that had an annoying habit of leaking no matter what was done to remedy it. Mason built 146 Bogies, 88 of them were narrow gauge locomotives and all were built of various wheel arrangements. The railroad that ordered the most Bogies was the Boston, Revere Beach, & Lynn, eventually owning 32 engines of 2-4-4T wheel arrangement. Incidentally, this railroad was a 3 ft. narrow gauge commuter railroad that ran between East Boston and Lynn, Massachusetts from May 22, 1875 to January 27, 1940.

Thank you for accepting my input! If I'm in error on any point, please anyone, let me know!

Matthew R. Potosky-Connellsville, Pa.