Interesting Plymouth

[Jim Benjaminson]

The Plymouth tractor was built in Plymouth, Ohio.  The company first started making trucks and built at least one Plymouth automobile.  They got into the switch engine business as a result of the truck business and it proved so profitable they abandoned the trucks/car idea.  They came out with a farm tractor in 1934 called the Plymouth....which is where Chrysler jumped in and found out the tractor company had "first dibs" on the Plymouth name -- story goes that Chrysler paid Fate-Root-Heath a token $1 and they changed the tractor name to Silver King.  Over the years, they continued to build the switch engines but got out of the tractor business.  In later years the company was sold several times eventually becoming employee owned for awhile - it is now out of business......

[Bill James]

The Roots of Motive Power, is a museum dedicated to the preservation, and collection, of steam and diesel powered logging equipment used in the north west loging industry. It's located in the small northern California town of Willets. Among there outstanding collection of equipment is a red white and blue painted, 8 ton, gear driven, Plymouth locomotive. It's powered by a Climax gasoline engine. I believe it's a 6 cylender. They recently got it running, and are able to drive it around there short track system. Any gear head, if traveling in that area, should stop and visit. They have "steam ups" at differant times during the year. It's quite a show. There web site can be found by Goggleing,  Roots of Motive Power. they have a great web site including a list and pictures of there inventory. My son is a volunteer. Bill James

[TodFitch]

I believe that these switch and industrial yard engines (and also farm tractors) were written about? in the Plymouth Bulletin a while back. If I recall correctly they were made by a company unrelated to Chrysler in, I think, Ohio. Their use of the name predated Chrysler's and Chrysler had to come to terms with them in order to use the name Plymouth.

[chetbrz]

Looks like a work train engine.  Probably used to pull a work crew and a few utility cars around.
Maybe even move stuff around the freight yard.

I remember seeing some place a Plymouth lawn mower or maybe it was a tracker.?  I don?t recall now.

Very interesting photo.  Do you know if it was truly manufactured by Chrysler Plymouth.

Chet?

[Ed_Ungerman]

This is at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. Small sign on side says Gasoline Locomotives.