Horatio Allen
Encyclopedia
Horatio Allen LL.D was an American civil engineer
and inventor.
Born in Schenectady, New York
, he graduated from Columbia
in 1823, and was appointed the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company (precursor to the railroad
) chief engineer. In 1828 he was sent to England
to buy locomotives for the canal company's projected railway. There he made the acquaintance of George Stephenson
. In 1829 he assembled the first steam locomotive
to run in America
, the Stourbridge Lion
, which ran successfully at Honesdale, Pa
.
From 1829 to 1834 he was the chief engineer of the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company
, at that time the longest railway in the world (about 136 miles/218 km). He was the inventor of the so-called "swiveling truck" for railway cars. He wrote: The Railroad Era; First Five Years of its Development (1884).
In his other activities, from 1838 to 1842 he was principal assistant engineer of the Croton aqueduct
for supplying water to New York City; in 1842 he became connected with the New York Novelty Works, a major builder of marine steam
and other engines; at various times chief engineer and president of the Erie Railway; consulting engineer for the Panama Railway
and the Brooklyn Bridge
; and in 1872 and 1873 was president of the American Society of Civil Engineers
.
In 1924 the Delaware and Hudson built their first experimental high-pressure locomotive, No. 1400 and named it "Horatio Allen".
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and inventor.
Born in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, he graduated from Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1823, and was appointed the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company (precursor to the railroad
Delaware and Hudson Railway
The Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
) chief engineer. In 1828 he was sent to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to buy locomotives for the canal company's projected railway. There he made the acquaintance of George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
. In 1829 he assembled the first steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
to run in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Stourbridge Lion
Stourbridge Lion
The Stourbridge Lion was a railroad steam locomotive. It was not only the first locomotive to be operated in the United States, it was also one of the first locomotives to operate outside of England, where it was manufactured in 1828....
, which ran successfully at Honesdale, Pa
Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Honesdale is a borough in and the county seat of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Scranton. The population was 4,874 at the 2000 census....
.
From 1829 to 1834 he was the chief engineer of the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company
South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company
Chartered in 1827, the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company ran scheduled steam service over its line from Charleston, South Carolina, to Hamburg, South Carolina. beginning in 1833. At that time it was the longest railroad in the world...
, at that time the longest railway in the world (about 136 miles/218 km). He was the inventor of the so-called "swiveling truck" for railway cars. He wrote: The Railroad Era; First Five Years of its Development (1884).
In his other activities, from 1838 to 1842 he was principal assistant engineer of the Croton aqueduct
Croton Aqueduct
The Croton Aqueduct or Old Croton Aqueduct was a large and complex water distribution system constructed for New York City between 1837 and 1842...
for supplying water to New York City; in 1842 he became connected with the New York Novelty Works, a major builder of marine steam
Marine steam engine
A marine steam engine is a reciprocating steam engine that is used to power a ship or boat. Steam turbines and diesel engines largely replaced reciprocating steam engines in marine applications during the 20th century, so this article describes the more common types of marine steam engine in use...
and other engines; at various times chief engineer and president of the Erie Railway; consulting engineer for the Panama Railway
Panama Railway
The Panama Canal Railway Company is a railway line that links the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean across Panama in Central America. It is jointly owned by the Kansas City Southern Railway and Mi-Jack Products...
and the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
; and in 1872 and 1873 was president of the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
.
In 1924 the Delaware and Hudson built their first experimental high-pressure locomotive, No. 1400 and named it "Horatio Allen".
Publications
- Allen, Horatio. “Diary of Horatio Allen,” Bulletin [of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society] 89 (November 1953): 97–138.
- M. N. ForneyMatthias N. ForneyMatthias Nace Forney was an American steam locomotive designer and builder. He is most well known for the design of the Forney type locomotive. Locomotives that he designed served the elevated railroads of New York City for many years before that system converted to electric power...
, Memoir of Horatio Allen (reprinted from the Railroad and Engineering Journal)