Halleluiah

I finally have photographic verification of a second Groton traction engine, This engine is located in New York and in the pictures show below, was participating in the Port Byron Canal Days events.

The photos were provided by Mike Kreydatus. The engine is owned by Bob Bishman and was previously owned by the late Franklin Orbaker of Fairville,NY. I don't have any info on the Case. The Groton does not have the cylinder plaque that would provide the builders #. Mike reports that the boiler is a lap seam, which sounds like it might be an original. My engine has a butt-strap boiler that was made by in 1924 by American Road Machinery in Groton. The Bishman Groton is missing the water/tool box and the step on the cylinder side of the engine. The smokebox door is from a non-functional Groton portable from that Mike borrowed for the event. Given the cast lettering on the smokebox door, it is probably safe to say that the portable it comes from was built before my engine. Without the cylinder plaque or lettering from other castings on the Bishman engine, it will be difficult to come up with build date for it.

The Smokebox door as it originally was on the portable:

As you can see, the makings make no mention of the Monarch Road Roller company. I think it is reasonable to assume that it predates my 1891 engine.

Here are the remaining photos of the Bishman engine. I am having problems with my scanner, so there are lines in the photographs from the scanning. I will try to fix this later. Also, you can click on any of the photos to see a larger version. Mike also provided a video tape. I am in the process of digitizing that video and I will make some segments available for viewing later.  A big thanks to Mike for providing this information! The video does clearly show that this Groton has two injectors plumbed in, instead of the single injector on my Groton.