Faced with unprecedented economic pressure at the end of the steam era, locomotive manufacturers developed a variety of fuel and engine alternatives in search of a locomotive power plant that could successfully compete in the industrial market. The Davenport 0-4-0 Side Rod Gas Mechanical was one of the early non-steam locomotives that quickly proved its worth in mining, industrial, and agricultural applications. Based on a 1940s stock model from the Davenport catalog, this Spectrum 0-4-0 features the counterweight and side-rod configuration that distinguishes many transition-era locomotives.
