Allegheny Locomotive. Locomotives of the Allegheny class were among the largest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built. They hauled freight—mostly coal—in trains that were 1.25 miles tong! During World War II, these were put to service hauling military troops, wounded soldiers and prisoners of war. Although the Allegheny’s steam technology was highly advanced, it was no match for the more economical diesel locomotives. After only 15 years in service, all 60 locomotives in this class were retired.
1957 De Soto Firelight. De Soto appealed to drivers who desired the cutting edge of technology. Soaring fins and an airy roof suggested military jet fighters. Pushbuttons replaced old-fashioned transmission levers. And De Sotos were powerfulerfect for the new high-speed, four-lane turnpikes that had opened in states from Maine to Oklahoma. The interstate highway system promised such roads across the nation over the next two decades. The future looked bright, indeed.
1955 Chevrolet Corvette. Corvettes became the iconic American sports car—but not right away. Sports cars are automobiles reduced to their essence—a motor, two seats, a simple body, and a powerful emotional appeal. The first Corvettes, with six-cylinder engines and automatic transmissions, promised more than they delivered. But when a 195-horsepower V-8 arrived in 1955, the Corvette’s go finally matched its show.
1939 Dodge Airflow Tank Truck. This streamlined tank truck connected local Texaco service stations to a larger national distribution network. Each of America’s competing oil companies had a branded fleet of trucks that took gasoline from refineries to its retail service stations. Even independently operated stations had to buy gasoline from a big oil company’s refinery.
1963 Chrysler Gas Turbine Sedan. Many companies experimented with gas turbine cars after World War IL But only Chrysler actually put them into the public’s hands. In 1963, Chrysler lent 50 of these head turners to potential customers to get real world feedback. Users loved the low maintenance and lack of vibration but complained about sluggish acceleration and poor fuel economy. Rising gasoline prices ultimately killed the turbine dream. Engineer George Huebner was the driving force behind Chrysler’s turbine car effort.
1980 Comuta-Car Electric. The Comuta-Car, and its predecessor the CitiCar, were electric cars designed for limited use in cities. Sharp increases in gasoline prices in the 70s persuaded some 4000 people to buy the tiny vehicles. But every time the price of fuel spiked, it always fell again, and the demand for specialized urban electrics always fell along with it.
1896 Riker Electric Tricycle. Andrew Riker believed in electric vehicles. He built an electric tricycle as a teenager. He started a company made electric motors and generators. From 1897 to 1899, he manufactured electric automobiles and trucks. And he built this little electric car for is personal use. But he changed his mind about electrics. In 1902, he joined the Locomobile Company of America and began designing gasoline-powered autos.
1959 Volkswagen Westfalia Camper. It started in 1947, when Dutch salesman Ben Pon visited the VW Beetle factory in Germany. There he sketched a “box on wheels.” Although Pon’s concept of using Beetle running gear was scrapped, VW unveiled the Transporter in 1949. Many revised models followed, By 1956, this odd—but oddly endearing—vehicle was available in the U.S., with ingeniously compact “camping box” options designed by Westfalia. An unlikely icon was born.
1919 Ford Model T Sedan. More than 6.6 million passenger cars were registered in the United States by 1919, nearly half of them Model Ts. Their owners wanted better roads. And they were willing to pay for them. In Oregon, New Mexico, and Colorado, drivers accepted a tax on gasoline to pay for improving their states’ roads. By 1929, every state and the District of Columbia had adopted a gas tax.
