A Davenport side rod gas-mech* locomotive pulls a syrup delivery into the Haven Hill Coca Cola Bottling Plant.  

A GMC special delivery van is just leaving the factory with it’s load of Coke for local delivery.  Nine Million bottles of Coca Cola were drunk a day during this period.

Two engineers are enjoying a game of checkers in the midday sun, whilst a queue has developed for the toilet.  A cop is waking up a hobo (none too gently), who has slept in under his roughly made shelter.


*Gas-Mechanical Locomotives

Gas-mechanical locomotives use gasoline powered engines and mechanical transmissions to link the output of the engine to the wheels. Most gas mech engines were small industrial type locomotives used in factories, mines and other locations to move a small number of cars a small distance.

Historical Detail

Davenport Locomotive Works of Davenport, IA, built locomotives from 1902 to 1956. It soon became a thriving builder of small steam tank locomotives. From 1950 to 1956, Davenport produced Porter designs as well as it's own. They built their first gasoline locomotive in 1924 and their first diesel, a 30-ton for Northern Illinois Coal co. of Boonville, IN, in 1927. The line included 4 ton gas to 112 ton diesels, with mechanical torque converter (hydraulic) or electric transmission.