








TRIAL OF PASSENGER ENGINE “ILLINOIS” 
Between Pottsville and Philadelphia 
Wt. Fuel Water 
of |e eae. Lbs. Lbs. 
train water | coal 
Trip Time Cars and |\Miles per per Date of Test 
en- Wood, | Coal, Gals. Lbs. lbs. mile 
gine, cu. ft. | lbs. | coal 
tons 
Pottsv. to Phila.... . 4.09 5 118 98 | 45.0 | 4,325} 3,200.0 | 26,656] 6.16 | 45.50] Nov. 19, 1852 
Phila. to Pottsv..... | 4.28 5 118 98 | 45.0 | 5,000} 3,700.0 | 30,821 | 6.16 | 52.60] Nov. 18, 1852 
Pottsy. to Phila..... | 4.35 | 5 to Reading 127 | 93] 31.2 | 4,175] 3,196.0 | 26,622] 6.37 | 44.88] July 15, 1856 
6 to Phila. 
Phila. to Pottsv..... | 4.27 6 132 93 | 29.1 | 5,079] 3,600.6 | 29,992] 5.90 | 54.59] July 7, 1856 
Pottsv. to Phila..... | 4.35) 5 to Reading 135 | 93 | 30.1 | 3,896] 2,909.7 | 24,237] 6.21 | 41.88] July 17, 1856 
7 to Phila. 
Phila. to Pottsv..... | 4.27 | 6 to Reading 127 | 93 | 29.2 | 4,308] 3,339.0 | 27,813] 6.45 | 46.32] July 4, 1856 
5 to Pottsv. 








general arrangement of this combination is shown by 
the patent drawing (fig. 9). Of the design’s many 
failings, complexity and high cost were the chief 
defects. It was difficult enough to keep boiler tubes 
tight in a conventional boiler with two tube sheets; 
Millholland’s had four. The boiler was weakened 
also by the large hole required for the central com- 
bustion chamber. Because of smaller surface area and 
greater wall thickness, the large tubes connecting 
the firebox and the chamber were less effective than 
the small tubes in transferring heat. The combustion 
chamber impeded the draft. The dead plates re- 
stricted free burning of coal to only the open center 
part of the grates. Despite these defects, Millholland 
followed this design for the next three years. 
After the Winans engines, the next locomotive of 
record to be rebuilt with the patented boiler was the 
Allegheny. Originally an eight-wheel freight locomo- 
tive constructed by Baldwin in 1848, the Philadelphia 
and Reading annual report for 1851 notes that it was 
rebuilt with Millholland’s ‘‘improvements’” in No- 
vember 1851. Other old engines were similarly 
reconstructed. 
The next step, obviously, was to build a new loco- 
motive with the patented boiler. Accordingly, Mill- 
holland completed the Jllinois in May 1852 at the 
Reading shops. Aside from their boilers, the J/linois 
and its sister the Michigan were notable for several 
other mechanical peculiarities. Among these were 
7-foot-diameter wrought-iron driving wheels, outside 
valve gear, truss connecting rods, and an unusually 
PAPER 69: JAMES MILLHOLLAND AND EARLY RAILROAD ENGINEERING 
long cylinder stroke of 30 inches. In appearance 
these locomotives were distinctive, if not beautiful, 
and they were certainly unlike any product of com- 
mercial builders. 
In addition to the large lithograph of the J/linois 
(fig. 10)—issued at the time of its construction in an 
apparent attempt to advertise Millholland’s patent—a 
detailed drawing of the boiler was reproduced in the 
Journal of the Franklin Institute (fig. 11)."8 This draw- 
ing shows the development of Millholland’s ideas up 
to the time when the boiler patent drawing was pre- 
pared (February 1852). The patent drawing shows a 
dome boiler with an extended firebox identical to 
that used by Winans in 1846. The Franklin Institute 
drawing shows a “‘straight’’ boiler and two steam 
domes, but without the dome firebox—a remarkably 
improved design over the patent drawing. It should 
be noted, however, that Millholland introduced a new 
horror to a design already weighed down with liabili- 
ties. A series of nine water tables (marked as e) were 
used in place of the large tubes to connect the firebox 
and the central combustion chamber. These pro- 
vided a new source of leaks and further diminished 
the boiler heating surface. 
The Illinois was built to haul express passenger 
trains, and we are fortunate to have a record of her 
service between 1852 and 1856, shown in the table 
on this page.” 
18 Fournal of the Franklin Institute (April 1853), vol. 25, p. 271. 
19 Railroad Gazette (October 27, 1882), vol. 14, p. 655. 
15 
