Dawn Of The Super-Power Era

As the 20th century opened the newly reorganized Lima locomotive works expanded operations to a new facilities on the south side of Lima, Ohio. It's say locomotive line had become popular and they were developing a line of rod locomotives in 1911 they stepped into mainline locomotives in a big way. Then in 1916 the local control was sold to Joel Coffin. He was an investor and a railroad supplier. Coffin had a relationship with William E. Woodard, a rising engineer who worked for several other locomotive builders including, Baldwin and Alco and was a consultant to Franklin Railway Supply which Coffin owned. He became VP of engineering and design.

They wanted a locomotive with the capability to do more work and took the USRA design one step further by putting the firebox at 100 sq ft and a four wheel trailing truck under the locomotive. The locomotive, Number A-1 was built at the expense of Lima Locomotive works and taken to the Berkshire Hills to test its claimed abilities. It was a success and the rest is history, it was "Superpower Steam".