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46-560: Early in life, George Dexter Whitcomb moved with his family from Brandon, VT , to Kent, OH . Here he joined the Pan-Handle Railroad as purchasing agent. He worked on tests of the newly-invented Westinghouse Air Brake and was one of the original stockholders and members of the board of directors of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company , when it was organized. In 1868, George and his wife Leadora had

92-520: A 21st century underbelly." Cyclecar A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive motorized car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the car. It could accommodate only two passengers, often sitting in tandem . The demise of cyclecars

138-682: A department of the National Brake and Electric Company of Milwaukee, a subsidiary of Westinghouse Air Brake Company. As a result of the sale, Westinghouse became a stockholder in Whitcomb Locomotive. In February 1934, William Whitcomb filed suit against Baldwin Locomotive Works in Chicago Circuit Court, to recover the lost value of his company stock. However, after several years of litigation the case

184-566: A historic barn refurbished into a functioning opera house, and photographers. Brandon is home to Neshobe Elementary school (Pre-K to 6) and Otter Valley Union High School (7–12). Before the Union High School was constructed, local students attended Brandon High School. Brandon High School was built in 1916 but the school had been in operation since the 19th century. Brandon High School closed in 1961 when Otter Valley Union High School opened. The time that Brandon High School closed

230-732: A new car for the company, which became the Checker Cab . A restored Partin-Palmer automobile is displayed at the Flagg Township Museum in Rochelle, Illinois. Beginning in 1927, the Baldwin Locomotive Works began representing the Geo. D. Whitcomb Co. in the sales division, using the global organization of Baldwin to assist Whitcomb in overseas sales. In 1928, Whitcomb and Heim conducted a recapitalization of

276-768: A son, William Card Whitcomb. In 1889, William Card graduated from the University of Southern California and joined his father's business. In about 1870, George moved to Chicago and became the manager of the Wilmington Coal Mining and Manufacturing Company's mines at Braidwood, IL . He also managed the Wilmington Coal Association. He purchased the rights to the Harrison Mining Machine , a compressed air power pick that could be used by one person. He developed it into

322-575: A year. In 1915 the company got into financial trouble in Chicago, and the car's name was changed to Commonwealth (1917-1922). In the 1916 catalog of the Commonwealth Motors Company, it states that Partin-Palmer automobiles were being produced in Rochelle under the personal supervision of Mr. W. C. Whitcomb, Vice-President of the Commonwealth Motors Company. Production moved to Joliet , Illinois. In 1922, Leland Goodspeed designed

368-574: Is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town of Brandon has a total area of 40.2 square miles (104 km ), of which 40.1 square miles (104 km ) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km ), or 0.12%, is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,917 people, 1,572 households, and 1,097 families residing in the town. The population density

414-547: Is now the Brandon Museum as well as the town's Visitor Center. Douglas returned in 1860 to inform a crowd that Brandon was a good place to be born and leave. Thomas Davenport , proclaimed by some to have invented the electric motor, was born and lived in Brandon. As the early industries began to decline, dairying, stock breeding and tourism became increasingly important and ensured the economic survival of Brandon in

460-530: The Great Depression , The Whitcomb Company was having cash flow problems. Baldwin offered an unsecured loan for $ 125,000, in the form of a 90-day promissory note issued in December 1930. The condition of the loan was that Baldwin would be given a fourth board member for the duration of the loan, giving Baldwin four out of the seven board members, and so majority control of the board. On March 5, 1931,

506-590: The North African Campaign and on military trains in Palestine and Lebanon , and then in the Italian campaign . The order was received by Whitcomb for the new design in December 1941, and the first locomotives were delivered to Africa by June 1942, less than half the normal development time for a new design. By late 1944 the company was producing one 65 ton locomotive a day. On December 31, 1943,

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552-619: The "Puncher Machine" - the first successful undercutting machine in the US. He resigned his position with the coal company about 1878 to focus on mining machine business. In 1886, he relocated to California where he built a home and founded the Los Angeles suburb of Glendora . In 1896, the George D. Whitcomb Company was incorporated in Illinois . About 1900, William became vice president of

598-499: The 1800s with several industries relying on the key resources of waterpower, iron ore and marble. The coming of the railroad in 1849 enabled the manufacture and shipping of iron-based products such as the Howe scale, as well as Brandon paints, wood products and marble. During its century of rapid growth, Brandon Village evolved a unique village plan. The historic Crown Point military road came through Brandon to connect Lake Champlain to

644-722: The 20th century. The establishment of the Brandon Training School in 1915 was a significant event, providing many employment opportunities for area residents. At its height, the Training School served over 600 Vermont residents. Changes in policy and social service practices led to closing the facility in November 1993. The campus, now called Park Village, is used for a variety of purposes including residential, industrial, and institutional uses. Brandon's historic downtown , with its entire core of 243 buildings,

690-410: The A.C. Sociable was described as "one of the most popular cycle cars on the road, both for pleasure and for business", though another source states that the "Humberette" was the most popular of cycle cars at that time. Many of the numerous makes were relatively short-lived, but several brands achieved greater longevity, including Bédélia (1910–1925), GN (1910–1923) and Morgan (1910–present). By

736-572: The American rail transportation system. In September 1926 William Whitcomb now relaxed his personal oversight of the operation of his company. He hired Carl Heim from Chicago, to take over many of the company's operations management, including in the positions of Vice President and Treasurer. From 1914 to at least 1916 the Geo D. Whitcomb Company assembled Brass Era cars in Rochelle for an automobile company, named Partin-Palmer . The Partin Mfg. Co.

782-484: The Atlantic coast. In the ensuing decades, government and individuals developed commercial streets at the core which radiated out from the greens lined with residences leading to farms, mines and quarries in the town. Pearl and Park streets were laid out to be suitable for militia training, resulting in broad, tree-shaded streets with deep front yards. Statesman Stephen A. Douglas was born in Brandon, and his birthplace

828-546: The Netherlands . However, the Dutch soon found theirs unsatisfactory and replaced both the diesel engines and the electric traction motors in the early 1950s. Whitcomb continued to expand and progress after the war and the increased volume of business made it essential to expand storage and shipping facilities. A warehouse complete with the latest in material handling equipment was erected in 1947. A ten-ton overhead yard crane

874-668: The United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Germany. As a result of this meeting, the following classes of cyclecars were defined: From 1898 to 1910, automobile production quickly expanded. Light cars of that era were commonly known as voiturettes . The smaller cyclecars appeared around 1910 with a sales boom shortly before the outbreak of the First World War, with Temple Press launching The Cyclecar magazine on 27 November 1912 (later renamed The Light Car and Cyclecar ), and

920-880: The War Department conferred the Army-Navy Production Award ("E" award) to the Whitcomb Locomotive Company and the presentation ceremony was held in the Rochelle plant on January 26, 1944. By the end of the war two additional stars (each star representing six months) were added for continued production performance. From this design Whitcomb developed the 65-DE-19A for the US Army Transportation Corps . They were built in 1943 and 1944 and served in many theaters of operations including Great Britain, France, Italy and Belgium. Whitcomb 65 ton locomotives powered

966-627: The Whitcomb Company, and invited Baldwin to participate. Baldwin accepted and purchased about half of the offered stock, with William Whitcomb and Carl Heim remaining in control of the majority of the company stock. In March 1930 Baldwin placed three of its officers on the Whitcomb board of directors, including then Baldwin President George Houston. This gave Baldwin three out of the seven board members. By late 1930, in

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1012-519: The Whitcomb Locomotive Company line, with the latter ones under B-L-H name, came to an end in March 1956 — after producing approximately 5,000 locomotives. Brandon, VT Brandon is a town in Rutland County , Vermont , United States . As of the 2020 census , the population was 4,129. On October 20, 1761, the town of Neshobe was chartered to Capt. Josiah Powers. In October 1784,

1058-421: The age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under

1104-460: The age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 35,810, and the median income for a family was $ 42,455. Males had a median income of $ 27,949 versus $ 22,576 for females. The per capita income for

1150-410: The bank holding the largest cash reserve of the G. D. Whitcomb Company seized the account to apply towards another debt that the company owed the bank. This left the Geo D. Whitcomb Company unable to pay its debts. With a majority of members on the board of directors, Baldwin was able to direct the board to file for voluntary bankruptcy. Although William Whitcomb voted against the action, the bankruptcy

1196-686: The company. In April 1906, he developed the company's first successful gasoline locomotive that was built for a large Central Illinois coal mine. In 1907, George resigned leaving William the president and majority stock owner. The Geo D. Whitcomb Company's largest knitting machinery customer was the Vassar Swiss Knitting Company of Rochelle , in northern Illinois. In 1907, the company moved to Rochelle, where they continued to build knitting machinery and gasoline powered locomotives for coal and metal mines. The demand for gasoline locomotive required larger production facilities. In 1912

1242-480: The early 1920s, the days of the cyclecar were numbered. Mass producers, such as Ford , were able to reduce their prices to undercut those of the usually small cyclecar makers. Similar affordable cars were offered in Europe, such as the Citroën 5CV , Austin 7 or Morris Cowley . The cyclecar boom was over. The majority of cyclecar manufacturers closed down. Some companies such as Chater-Lea survived by returning to

1288-408: The first Allied trains into liberated Rome (July 4, 1944), Paris, the first supply and hospital trains into Belgium, the first train into Germany (April 9, 1945) as well as the first American powered military trains used during WW II (North Africa, early June 1942). After the war many were sold to civilian railways and industrial railways in the U.S., while others were sold to Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and

1334-648: The formation of the Cyclecar Club (which later evolved into British Automobile Racing Club ). From 1912, the Motor Cycle show at Olympia became the Motor Cycle and Cycle Car Show. The number of cyclecar manufacturers was less than a dozen in each of the UK and France in 1911, but by 1914, there were over 100 manufacturers in each country, as well as others in Germany, Austria and other European countries. By 1912,

1380-563: The front lines. The Whitcomb Company received the "Certificate of Merit" from the United States War Department. Many new innovations in the locomotive field were being introduced during this period. The first explosion-proof electric mine locomotive was designed and built by Whitcomb, in 1914. After exhaustive tests the United States Bureau of Mines issued Whitcomb a "Permissibility Plate." Whitcomb

1426-466: The manufacture of motorcycles. After the Second World War, small, economic cars were again in demand and a new set of manufacturers appeared. The cyclecar name did not reappear however, and the cars were called microcars by enthusiasts and bubble cars by the general population. Several motor racing events for cyclecars were run between 1913 and 1920. The first race dedicated to cyclecars

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1472-453: The motorcycle gearbox was also used. All cyclecars were required to have clutches and variable gears. This requirement could be fulfilled by even the simplest devices such as provision for slipping the belt on the pulley to act as a clutch, and varying of the pulley diameter to change the gear ratio. Methods such as belt drive or chain drive were used to transmit power to the drive wheel(s), often to one wheel only, so that no differential

1518-400: The name of the town was changed to Brandon by an act of the legislature. Brandon is a study in early American architecture and Vermont history. When the first settlers came to the area in the mid-1770s, they established the village of Neshobe. The area was rich in natural resources with excellent farmland along the rivers and abundant supplies of timber and minerals. The town flourished during

1564-669: The newly formed Whitcomb Locomotive Company, a fully owned subsidiary of the Baldwin Locomotive Works. Both William Whitcomb and Carl Heim were removed as officers of the company. Heim was tried for embezzlement of approximately $ 75,000 of Geo D. Whitcomb Company funds, but was acquitted. On November 15, 1932, it was announced that the Whitcomb Locomotive Company acquired the Milwaukee Locomotive Manufacturing Company . The Milwaukee Locomotive, started in 1907, had been operating as

1610-792: The plant was moved to larger facilities in Rochelle. The company ended its knitting machinery production to concentrate on locomotive production. George Dexter Whitcomb died in 1914, in Los Angeles, California. His son, William Card Whitcomb, assumed control of the company. William was responsible for sales, accounting and engineering. During World War I the Whitcomb plant was devoted to government orders. Hundreds of armor-plated locomotives were built for overseas service on trench railways in France. These small 6-ton and 9-ton, narrow gauge locomotives proved highly efficient in trench warfare and they were used extensively in hauling needed supplies up to

1656-518: The town was $ 20,516. About 7.3% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over. Proclaimed by the governor as the "Art and Soul" of Vermont, Brandon is home to renowned folk artist Warren Kimble and over 50 other local artists. There is also a mix of local wineries, folk artists, fabric artists, computer artists, workers in traditional decorative arts, watercolor, jewellery, pottery, glass, sculpture, print makers,

1702-428: Was 97.6 people per square mile (37.7/km ). There were 1,710 housing units at an average density of 42.6 per square mile (16.5/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 98.85% White , 0.10% Black or African American , 0.18% Native American , 0.15% Asian , and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.20% of the population. There were 1,572 households, out of which 31.7% had children under

1748-605: Was a large automobile sales agency in Chicago, that in 1913 joined with the Palmer Motor Car Co. of Henry Palmer in Detroit, to manufacture cycle cars , with a model called Partin-Palmer. The company first moved to Chicago to take over the Staver-Chicago automobile factory. By 1914, Partin and Palmer were no longer with the company, and it moved to Rochelle where the Geo D. Whitcomb Company assembled them for

1794-494: Was due to larger cars – such as the Citroën Type C , Austin 7 and Morris Cowley – becoming more affordable. Small, inexpensive vehicles reappeared after World War II, and were known as microcars . Cyclecars were propelled by engines with a single cylinder or V-twin configuration (or occasionally a three or four cylinder engine), which were often air-cooled. Sometimes motorcycle engines were used, in which case

1840-457: Was during a wave of consolidation that swept rural areas during the second half of the 20th century. There have since been efforts to convert the old school building into apartments or condominiums . Beginning in the spring of 2017, a project named "Segment 6" was initiated, promising "improved streetscape, new traffic pattern, buried wires, better parking, beautiful parks, modern and safe downtown sidewalks, benches, decorative streetlights, and

1886-558: Was filed in Federal Court in the Northern District of Illinois. This move ended the Whitcomb family ownership of one of the most innovative industrial companies of its time. In April, Baldwin created a new corporation and called it the "Whitcomb Locomotive Company," in the state of Delaware. On April 13, 1931, the Federal Court put the assets of the Geo D. Whitcomb Company up for sale. Those assets were then purchased by

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1932-576: Was installed to facilitate handling and storage of steel slabs and sheets. During 1948, a combination loading dock and locomotive test building was erected. The last Whitcomb Locomotive Company locomotive manufactured at Rochelle was shipped on January 4, 1952 (construction number 61189). It was a 25-ton diesel-electric locomotive delivered to the Central Procurement Agency of the Transportation Corps. This locomotive

1978-580: Was lettered and numbered USN No. 65-00330. In February 1952 locomotive production was moved from Rochelle in Illinois to Baldwin’s factory in Eddystone , Pennsylvania. Industrial locomotives continued to be built under the Whitcomb name at Eddystone through the end of December 1952, when the name was dropped. All Whitcomb line locomotives built after then carried the B-L-H identification name. Production of

2024-534: Was required. The bodies were lightweight and sometimes offered minimal weather protection or comfort features. The rise of cyclecars was a direct result of reduced taxation both for registration and annual licences of lightweight small-engined cars. On 14 December 1912, at a meeting of the Federation Internationale des Clubs Moto Cycliste, it was formally decided that there should be an international classification of cyclecars to be accepted by

2070-405: Was the first builder of locomotives for underground work to receive such an endorsement. The first Whitcomb electric trolley locomotive was produced in 1921, and in 1929 Whitcomb engineers designed and built the largest gasoline-electric locomotive that had then been offered to American railroads . This development was closely followed by the diesel-electrics, which revolutionized and forever changed

2116-587: Was ultimately dismissed in May 1937. During World War II the Whitcomb Locomotive Company built road switchers for military service in Europe and the Middle East. The United Kingdom ordered the first fifty two in 1941, from Baldwin Locomotive Works, who allocated the order to their Whitcomb Locomotive Company. They were center-cab Bo-Bo locomotives built as Whitcomb type 65-DE-14, and were followed by variants 65-DE-14A and 65-DE-14B in 1942 and 1943. They served in

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