
Figure 19.—TuHe Fawn, A LIGHT PASSENGER LOCOMOTIVE built by Millholland in 1860. 
through the firebox at great speed. Iron fireboxes 
lasted for 59,866 miles on the average; copper fire- 
boxes, from 25,373 to 39,254 miles, depending on 
their construction, 
Despite the success of his water grate and firebox, 
a report on the performance of Reading engines for 
1857 was not altogether flattering to Millholland.*8 
Anmualljmilea ges jee se =i <= one 12,023/ locomotive 
Cost of repairs per mile........... 11.6¢/ locomotive 
Cost of coal per mile............. 13.4¢/ locomotive 
Most American locomotives averaged about 20,000 
miles per year and cost about 10 cents per mile for 
repairs. Fuel cost was a less definite matter since it 
varied widely from railroad to railroad. A good gen- 
eral figure for the period, however, is 20 cents per 
mile for wood. On some roads where wood was 
scarce or efficiency low, fuel costs were as high as 31 
cents per mile. But, in fact, no true comparison can 
be made, for no cost figures exist for wood-burning 
locomotives doing the same heavy service as that 
performed by coal engines on the Reading. Al- 
though mileage figures for wood engines are plentiful 
for the 1850s (some ran 30 miles to a cord), little 
information is available on train weights. In short, 
Millholland’s 19 miles per ton must be tempered by 
the knowledge that 700-ton trains were hauled, while 
28Z. Corsurn and A. L. Hoitey, Permanent Way and Coal 
Burning Locomotives (New York: Holley & Colburn, 1858), p. 118. 
PAPER 69: JAMES MILLHOLLAND AND EARLY 
& 
: 
E 
: 
y 
(Chaney neg. 14479.) 
the 25-30-mile-per-cord wood burners probably had 
hauled trains of no more than 200 tons.” 
In theory, Millholland should have shown better 
economy than he actually achieved. Coal cost the 
Reading $2.55 per ton; wood, $4.33 per cord.* 
These fuels were even more disproportionate than 
indicated by cost, since | ton of anthracite is thermally 
equivalent to 143 cords of wood. Hence $2.55 worth 
of coal, if efficiently burned, should do the work of 
$6.50 worth of wood. Millholland fell far short of 
this ideal, but he did produce a workable coal burner 
that performed with enough economy to drive wood 
burners off the Reading. 
In the 1859 report Millholland confined his remarks 
to firebox and boiler improvement, yet he might well 
have mentioned his work on locomotive running 
gear. In 1857 he had built what is generally be- 
lieved to be the first locomotive with a firebox above 
the frame.*! This was achieved by a special design in 
which the top rail of the frame, rather than being 
straight, was set at about an 8° angle to the front 
pedestal, as shown in the drawing of the Hiawatha 
(fig. 18). 
firebox to pass over the top of the frame and yet keep 
The inclined arrangement permitted the 
2% Tbid. 
30 Ibid. 
31 The Vera Cruz is said to be the first locomotive with its 
firebox above the frame. There is some question, however, as 
to whether it was an old engine rebuilt in the Reading shops or 
a new machine constructed there. 
RAILROAD ENGINEERING 23 
