Imlay, Richard, 1784-1867

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Richard Imlay was born in 1784 in Hartford, Connecticut. At some point, he entered the carriage-building trade, and in 1828 he opened a shop in Baltimore.

In 1830 he began building passenger cars, which were simply modified coaches, for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He moved his shop to Philadelphia in 1831 and continued to manufacture railroad cars, making several important innovations in construction methods. In 1835 he built an eight-wheel car, the VICTORY, which contained a buffet and a water closet, and in 1836 he built what was probably the first sleeping car ever constructed for the Cumberland Valley Railroad.

Imlay received a patent in 1837 for his system of supporting a car body on a pair of swiveling, four-wheel trucks. However, his car-building firm failed in the subsequent depression and closed in 1840.

From the description of Papers, 1836-1858. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 86119434

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creatorOf Imlay, Richard, 1784-1867. Papers, 1836-1858. Hagley Museum & Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Georgia Railroad and Banking Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Long Island Rail Road Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Macon and Western Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Manassas Gap Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith McNeill, William Gibbs, 1801-1853. person
associatedWith Memphis and Charleston Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Memphis and Ohio Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith New York and Erie Railroad Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Orange and Alexandria Railroad Company. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Car trucks (Railroads)
Couplers (Railroad cars)
Railroad cars
Railroad equipment industry
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1784

Death 1867

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