Richmond Locomotive and Railroad Works Hoodie

Richmond Locomotive and Machine Works of Richmond, Virginia was at one time the south’s largest locomotive builder. It was started as a small machine shop by William A Tanner in 1865. It built mostly Tramway Engines until the late 1870’s. The company built a new large plant after a fire in 1883. By 1892 over 600 men were employed there. In 1901 the company was purchased buy ALCO. The American Locomotive Company enlarged the plant and began building locomotives at The Richmond Works. Between 1914 and 1918 the plant produced Munitions. The plant produced about 4500 locomotives until it was closed in September, 1927.