Pictured is a 65 hp Fostera Showmans road locomotive, the last
one being built in 1934. The present owner of this one is Albert E.
Dowlman who stands at the rear wheel, his son is standing at the
front. Such an engine as this weighs, in working order, about 16 or
17 tons, has 3 speed road gears, rubber shod road wheels and can
handle 3 trailers at speeds up to 12 miles per hour and sometimes
more. Often Roundabouts were dismantled all night after a show had
closed. The engines and loads would then move as much as 100 miles
straightaway covering their distance. This engine is quite an
ornate job, but not nearly as elaborate as Mr. Cheffins tells us
some of them are, such as one made by John Fowler, Co., the largest
size built by them and is painted maroon lined in gold leafs with
yellow wheels and decorated with no less than 400 separate pieces
of chrome.
closed. The engines and loads would then move as much as 100 miles
straightaway covering their distance. This engine is quite an
ornate job, but not nearly as elaborate as Mr. Cheffins tells us
some of them are, such as one made by John Fowler, Co., the largest
size built by them and is painted maroon lined in gold leafs with
yellow wheels and decorated with no less than 400 separate pieces
of chrome.
