stroke of the replica were made 5 and 27 inches so as to give 

 it sufficient power to operate satisfactorily. For that matter, 

 in the interest of sturdiness and suitable operation the replica 

 is somewhat larger in all respects and considerably heavier 

 than the original. It operates on a steam pressure of 90 

 pounds per square inch, and it is reported that the original 

 did likewise. 



The Tom Thumb was engaged in its famous race with the 

 horse-drawn railroad car in the summer of 1830 on a parallel 

 section of the new 13-mile stretch of track between Baltimore 

 and Ellicott's Mills. It covered the 13 miles between the 

 Mount Clare station and Ellicott's Mills in a little over an 

 hour, and the return trip in 57 minutes. The race with 

 the horse-drawn car took place during the return trip. The 

 Tom Thumb appeared to be a certain winner until temporary 

 slipping of the belt driving the blower caused the steam pres- 

 sure to drop and allowed the horse to become the victor. 



Nevertheless, the Tom Thumb by this and later trips in the 

 same year proved that steam locomotives were practicable, 

 and caused the railroad officials to announce on January 4, 

 1831, a proposed contest (to be somewhat similar to the 

 famous Rainhill Trials held in October 1829 in England) in 

 which the best locomotive demonstrated would be purchased 

 by the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road Co. for the sum of 

 $4,000. 



The winner of this contest, the York, a vertical-boiler 

 locomotive built in early 1831 by Phineas Davis, a former 

 watchmaker of York, Pa., is in the same category as the Tom 

 Thumb, not only in that no original parts survive, but also in 

 that a full sized operable replica of it (figure 17) has been 

 constructed. This was built by the Baltimore and Ohio in 

 1927 for use in the Fair of the Iron Horse. It also appeared at 

 the Chicago World's Fair in 1933 and 1934, after which it 

 was presented to the Museum of Science and Industry at 

 Chicago, where it has since remained. 



The original York was used successfully on the run between 

 Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills, and subsequently on the 

 much longer run of some 40 miles between Baltimore and 

 the inclined planes at Parr's Ridge, on the way to Frederick 

 Town and Point of Rocks, Md. (Horse power was used to 

 raise the cars at Parr's Ridge in 1832.) 



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