Locomobile Company of America

Locomobile Company of America
Company type	Private
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1899
Founder	John Brisben Walker, Amzi L. Barber
Defunct	1929
Fate	Brand discontinued; acquired by Durant Motors in 1922
Headquarters	Bridgeport, United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Samuel Todd Davis Jr. (president), Andrew L. Riker (engineer)
Products	Automobiles (steam-powered vehicles until 1903, then internal combustion luxury cars)
Parent	Durant Motors (from 1922)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Locomobile Company of America, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 24 July 2025

The Locomobile Company of America was an early pioneer in the U.S. automobile industry, established in 1899 and known for its meticulous engineering prior to the widespread adoption of assembly-line production. Originally located in Watertown, Massachusetts, the manufacturing operations relocated to Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1900, where they remained until the brand was discontinued in 1929. Initially, Locomobile produced cost-effective steam-powered vehicles until 1903, after which it exclusively manufactured high-end internal combustion automobiles. The company became part of Durant Motors in 1922 and ultimately ceased production by 1929. Every vehicle produced carried the Locomobile name.

History

Formed in 1899, the company's name was a fusion of "locomotive" and "automobile." John Brisben Walker, a publisher and businessman, acquired early steam car designs from inventors Francis Edgar Stanley and Freelan O. Stanley for $250,000. Shortly thereafter, Walker sold a half interest to paving contractor Amzi L. Barber for an equal amount; however, their partnership dissolved within two weeks. Walker went on to establish the Mobile Company of America, while Barber transferred Locomobile’s operations to Bridgeport, appointing the Stanley brothers as general managers. The Stanleys soon left to create their own competing enterprise, the Stanley Motor Carriage Company.

Locomobile’s first steam vehicles were known for being intricate and unreliable, with limited driving range and lengthy startup periods, yet they attracted middle-class consumers eager to adopt new technology. Early models cost approximately $600, and over 4,000 units were manufactured between 1899 and 1902. By 1901, the company offered seven different body styles priced between $600 and $1,400. These steam-powered cars utilized twin-cylinder engines with high-pressure boilers fueled by naphtha. Enhancements included upgraded boilers and water pumps supplied by the Overman Wheel Company.

During the Boer War, Locomobile became notable as the first automobile deployed in combat roles, serving as a platform for generators and searchlights. Despite this pioneering use, commercial success remained modest. Consequently, Locomobile began developing gasoline-powered automobiles in 1902 under engineer Andrew L. Riker’s direction. By 1903, they had fully transitioned away from steam after selling their steam technology rights back to the Stanleys for $20,000. That same year, leadership shifted when Barber handed control to his son-in-law Samuel Todd Davis Jr., who assumed the presidency.

This pivotal decision steered Locomobile toward producing luxury internal combustion vehicles, focusing on superior craftsmanship and precision engineering as key differentiators in a rapidly evolving automotive market.

Switch to internal combustion engines

The 1904 Locomobile touring car introduced an internal combustion engine mounted at the front—a vertical, water-cooled straight-four generating power—paired with a three-speed sliding gearbox and seating for five passengers. Priced at $4,500, this model marked a departure from earlier economical steam buggies toward upscale automobiles. Constructed on a steel frame, the vehicle weighed . By 1908, the Locomobile 40 Runabout was available as a two-seat model costing $4,750. Victories in competitive events helped solidify Locomobile’s reputation for manufacturing fast and well-crafted luxury cars.

In competition

Locomobile engaged in motor racing from an early stage, entering a racer in the 1905 Gordon Bennett Cup; however, transmission failure forced withdrawal after just two laps. That same year, driver Joe Tracy secured third place in the Vanderbilt Cup. Although mechanical issues hampered their performance in the 1906 Vanderbilt race, Locomobile achieved a historic triumph in 1908 when George Robertson won the event—making it the first American-built car to claim victory on an international stage—with teammate Joe Florida finishing third. This victory represented the height of Locomobile’s prominence in racing circles; later successes included Orin Davis winning the Los Angeles–Phoenix rally in 1913. Additionally, Eva Mudge—considered among the first licensed female drivers and racers—competed driving a Locomobile. In 1925, Locomobile lent its brand name to a front-wheel-drive Harry Miller "Junior Eight Special" entered at the Indianapolis 500; however, this entry had minimal actual connection to the company beyond branding purposes.

Model 48 and the Durant era

The defining automobile for the brand was the Model 48, launched in 1911 under the designation "type M." This model boasted a substantial, traditional frame with a wheelbase and was powered by a straight-six side-valve engine featuring paired cylinders and a fixed cylinder head. Its displacement measured , producing approximately 48.6 horsepower according to the North American Chamber of Commerce tax classification, while early models exceeded 90 brake horsepower. The car gained acclaim for its superior materials and meticulous craftsmanship, which justified its high price—around $10,000—especially when compared to the typical Model T Ford Phaeton priced at $300. Tiffany Studios contributed bespoke lamp and metalwork designs. After 1915, left-hand drive became standard; however, right-hand drive versions were built with shorter wheelbases for export markets. Around 1919, the engine was enhanced to a stroke with increased displacement but retained the same tax rating.

In 1913, Locomobile introduced a smaller "38 hp" variant equipped with a T-head six-cylinder engine generating 62 bhp on a wheelbase. By 1914, the company discontinued all four-cylinder models to concentrate exclusively on six-cylinder vehicles.

Durant Motors acquired Locomobile in July 1922, continuing to market Locomobile as a luxury brand until 1929 and maintaining production of the Model 48 throughout this period. The first new offering under Durant's ownership was the 8-66 Junior Eight in 1925, which featured a contemporary straight-eight engine and came with a significantly reduced price tag of $1,785.

The Junior Six appeared in 1926 but was short-lived, lasting only one year; meanwhile, the larger Model 90 also debuted that year and remained available until 1929. In 1927, the introduction of the 8-70 eight-cylinder model utilized an off-the-shelf Lycoming engine but negatively impacted Locomobile’s prestige due to perceptions of reduced authenticity. The Junior Eight model was discontinued in 1928.

In 1929, new models designated 8-86 and 8-88 were released; however, production ended that same year as Locomobile was unable to regain financial stability.

Locomobile model specifications

Locomobile Type D
Locomobile Type E
Locomobile Type F
Locomobile Type H
Locomobile Type Cup Racer
Locomobile Type I
Locomobile Type 30
Locomobile Type 40
Locomobile Type 30 L
Locomobile Type 48 M
Locomobile Type 32 L
Locomobile Model 48 Sportif

Production volume summary

Year	Production	Vehicle types available
1899	337	Steam Runabout
1900	767	Steam Runabout
1901	1,561	Steam Runabout, Steam Buggy, Steam Locosurrey
1902	2,750	Steam Runabout, Steam Buggy, Steam Locosurrey, Steam Locotrap, Steam Locodilivery, A, B
1903	1,897	Steam Runabout, Steam Locosurrey , A, B, C, D, Dos-a-Dos
1904	927	Steam Runabout, Steam Locosurrey, A, B, C, D, Dos-a-Dos
1905	688	D, E, H, F
1906	723	E, H, Special
1907	627	E, H, Special
1908	1,000	E, I
1909	1,000	30(L), 40(I)
1910	1,000	30(L), 40(I), 48(M)
1911	1,000	30(L), 48(M)
1912	1,000	30(L), 48(M)
1913	1,000	30(L), 48(M), 38(R)
1914	1,000	48(M), 38(R)
1915	1,000	48(M), 38(R)
1916	1,000	48(M), 38(R)
1917	1,000	48(M), 38(R)
1918	627	48(M), 38(R)
1919	429	48(M)
1920	1,000	48(M)
1921	721	48(M)
1922	221	48(M)
1923	116	48(M)
1924	230	48(M)
1925	828	48(M), Junior Eight
1926	2,586	48(M), Junior Eight, Model 90
1927	2,037	Model 48(M), Junior Eight, Model 90, Eight-80
1928	1,112	Model 48(M), Model 90 , Eight-80
1929	327	Model 48(M), Model 90 , Model 88
Total	30,511

Locomobiles in literature

A Locomobile appears in F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise, where the main character engages in a discussion contrasting capitalism with socialism.

In 1946, a 1911 seven-seat Locomobile touring car was utilized during a promotional journey from Boston to Los Angeles for Columbia Pictures' movie Gallant Journey. Although it did not feature in the film itself, the vehicle attracted considerable public interest.

The 1967 novel The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage portrays the Locomobile as a prestigious automobile, comparable to the Pierce-Arrow, and preferred by notable individuals such as General John J. Pershing.

Clive Cussler's works, including The Chase (2007) and The Spy (2010), incorporate a 1906 Locomobile. Additionally, in Dashiell Hammett's 1925 tale "Scorched Face," affluent characters are depicted driving a Locomobile equipped with a distinctive cabriolet design.

In Ishmael Reed's 1972 novel Mumbo Jumbo, the character Papa LaBas is also shown operating a Locomobile.

Lisa Begin-Kruysman's 2015 historical fiction piece, Around the World in 1909: Harriet White Fisher and Her Locomobile, focuses on Fisher’s worldwide expedition, underscoring the significance of the Locomobile in navigating difficult landscapes during early automotive travel.

External links

Old 16 Locomobile (VanderbiltCupRaces.com)
1906 Locomobile Story of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup win
Locomobile Catalog on DurantCars site 1920s models
Locomobile items at Henry Ford Museum
Locomobile Society Home Page
Locomobile Advertising Vintage ads archive
1923 Locomobile Model 48 Sportif in Hemmings magazine