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RE: (erielack) Rodgers Locomotive Works

Todd
Railroading in New Jersey by John T. Cunningham (Newark, 1951, published by the Associated Railroads of New Jersey) sheds some light on your question.  On page 29 is a picture captioned "Resting on a horse-drawn flatcar, a Rogers locomotive is hauled along Paterson's Market Street en route to the Erie freight yard.  This picture was taken September 21, 1900, with Paterson's City Hall in the background."  Cunningham devotes 6 pages to "Paterson's 'Iron Horses'" and, at page 33, addresses your questions:
        "Rogers built 6,200 locomotives before it folded for good [1904-MJC], including some of the greatest ever made.  Always the company worked under the terrific handicap of being far away from the main railroad track.  Its heavy engines had to be hauled over special tracks through Market Street to the Erie Railroad freight yard a mile away.  At first horses, as many as 40 at one time, drew the locomtives on flat cars.  Later dummy engines were used."
        From the use of a flat car in the picture and the comment about "special track" it appears that some permanent track was in Market Street.  It is my understanding that Broadway was the principal electric railway corridor in Paterson and I am currently unaware of the history of the track used by Rogers.  Clearly the Erie Railroad would not use (or was legislatively banned from using ) the Market Street track.
        Hope this is of some help.
MJC

> Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 07:58:58 -0800
> From: thollritt_@_yahoo.com
> Subject: (erielack) Rodgers Locomotive Works
> To: 
>  I was wondering if anyone on the list recalls how Rodgers Locomotive in Paterson NJ delivered its new locomotives? It seems the the factory was built adjacent to the Great Falls of Paterson in order to harness the power of the waterway. But it was not near any of the Erie, Lackawanna or Susquehanna Railroad tracks. It's possible a loooooong spur came off the Erie downtown somewhere, but I do recall someone many years ago relate a story that these locomotives were actually towed through the streets of Paterson to the Erie railhead. Is that true?
>    Of note, a total 16 steam engines built in Paterson by Rogers survive, I think engine 152 built for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad is the only one that is operational today. The Rogers Locomotive Works started its production of steam locomotives in 1837, under the name "Rogers, Ketchum and Grosvenor". Rogers built 550 steam engines by 1854. The factory stood at the corner of Spruce & Market Street. This building is still there. (What survives is the Paterson Museum and office space). 
>   By the time Rogers ended Locomotive construction, it had built 6,200 steam engines. Including the famous 4-4-0 "General" (built 1855) of Civil War fame and Union Pacific 119 that took part in the golden spike ceremony to name but two. But, the difficulty of delivering the engines was pointed out in the companies history, along with limited access to the coal and iron needed for production. It's incredible, a total of three locomotive manufacturers actually called Paterson home at one time! After Grant and Danforth, Cooke & Co. shut down, the Rogers Company ceased production in 1904. 
>   I would imagine the Erie Railroad was the primary supplier of raw materials to the factories, and the recipient of many a new locomotive for delivery across the nation and overseas. Yet few photos exist of them on Erie trackage? Other than builders builders photos at the factories.
>  
> Todd ~
> 
> 
> 
> 
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