John Swatsley (B. 1937) "Scotia Locomotive"

John Swatsley (American, B. 1937) "Scotia Locomotive" Signed lower right. Mixed Media on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Canadian 32c Scotia Locomotive stamp issued October 25, 1984.

A familiar sight in the late nineteenth century was the locomotive Scotia puffing along, speeding toward the next stop. Billowing clouds of white steam contrasted with the thick acrid smoke of a coal or wood fire, as the hardy engine steadily passed the miles of Canadian countryside ... and deckhands on the barges of the St. Lawrence River, farmers following behind yoked oxen and countless other Canadians became accustomed to the sight of the Scotia. This faithful locomotive was completed in 1860 and sported several special design improvements. The boiler of the engine was made of steel -- in those days called "homogenous metal" -- and was double riveted. The driving wheels and those of the tender car were made of wrought iron cast in the metalworking shops of the builder, Hamilton Works of the Great Western Railway of Canada. The special steel boiler contained over ten thousand pounds of steel, which had to be purchased in Great Britain at a cost of sixteen cents per pound and shipped to North America. And in the times when a little money was very dear, the Scotia and her sister locomotive, the Erin, had a combined cost of twenty-two thousand dollars. The engines were originally constructed to burn coal, but during the Civil War they were converted to wood burners.

Image Size: 14 x 12 in.
Overall Size: 20.5 x 18 in.
Unframed.
(B08929)
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