| My Sylvester Shed |
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Ok, where do I begin .......... I have a Sylvester motor which to the average person's eye, looks very similar to the ROC Fairmont engine. I don't know very much about Sylverters in general. But others out there might.
This is just a simple repository of info I've assembled since July 2002 when I first bought home an orphan called Sylvester. BUT I am on a quest to find a person that worked at the Sylvester factory who can share some goss. Until then watch this space.
Below are 6 standard questions. As answers come in, I'll share more detail. Until then ask your buddies "know anything about Sylvesters mate??"
WHO ? Richard & Robert Sylvester (brothers)
WHAT ? Successful manufacturers of agricultural machinery who went on to successfully contract to make maintenance cars for railways.
WHEN ? Gas engines approx 1902, speeders approx 1916
WHERE ? South-west corner of Victoria Avenue & Kent Street West, Lindsay, Ontario, Canada.
WHY ? In 1914 Sylvester won a contract with Canadian Northern Railway to supply pumping engines to pump water into water towers.
HOW ? That contract lead Sylvester into manufacturing gasoline engines for handcars.
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more info:........
Eric Schwandt (2003) knows heaps about Sylvesters. I had a question about my Sylvester Belt Pulley and here is his reply .....
Eric "The belt pulley is cast iron. It slides on crank and is held with a flat key. The cast spokes are quite fragile. I saw engines at the Canadian Pacific shops that had the pulleys broken, probably when they were being pulled off the spokes broke. 2 of my engines don't have pulleys. I live about an hour from Canada near Detroit Michigan. Friends in Canada are always looking for engines and parts for me. Sylvester stuff is really rare. When talking to old retired section men they nearly all preferred a Sylvester to a Fairmont motor car. Having worked and restored both, I tend to agree. A Sylvester is simpler, easier to work on and has a lot more power. Many years ago I was on a straight track with a Canadian National track inspector. He clocked my Sylvester 21-E at 54 mph. No single cylinder 8 HP Fairmont engine will run that good. I am not a speed freak but he told me to open it up. I am more of the 15-25 MPH type of operator. If I find a pulley I'll let you know, as well as carb parts. Your Australian Sylvester has the Carter carb? Was it assembled in Lindsay Ontario, Canada?
The pulley went on the shaft that is sticking out. I haven't seen one with a magneto and my manual doesn't list one. It just shows the timer like a Fairmont. Sylvester made many engines that were totally not railroad related. They were in business in the 1880's making farm machinery and the first gas engine was in 1897. They never fooled with RR stuff until about 1907--converting hand cars to gas powered".
In Canada, the Sylvester pre-dates the Fairmont by three years. A Sylvester motorcar is very rare and a desirable collector piece
--Eric
Note: Eric generously provided me with some great pics of Sylvesters he has seen over the years, Thankyou Eric
Terry Baumann (2003) is also seeking info on the illusive Sylvesters.
Terry "Hello fellow speeder nuts: Well I am looking for anyone or any info on the Canadian made Sylvester 2 stroke speeders , I have been to the archives but if there is anyone who would be kind enough to share any further info on these cars it would be appriciated........ Terry
Note: Over here on the left of your screen (pics after mine ) are some Pics Terry generously supplied of a Sylvester Section Car
Robert "RJ" Casares (2003) is another knowledgable Sylvester Seeker! Robert recently shared this ........
"If you visit the speeder archive, at http://speeders@lists.cirr.com/ , you can search under Sylvester, K54, 21E, etc. There are a few messages, but we seem to be mostly on our own.
A gentleman named Scott Janz sent one or two messages in the late 1990's, and one was very informative. He obtained some of his information from an article in an old tractor collector's magazine. I have not been able to contact him. One of his last messages was to sell his cars. Eric says that in the US, the Florida East Coast railway got into a snit over some issue with Fairmont, and purchased Sylvester's in etaliation. I've notified one or two East coast enthusiasts and asked them to keep an eye out, for otorcars with square fenders.".
.......Eric's thoughts the Sylvester RJ considered buying......
"The car is probably of the 50's--early 70's vintage. The engine is a KP model. Early wood timers would dry out and swell with the setting sun. Later ones were a plastic compound. I've made a couple of them with a dremel tool and a piece of black walnut. The last cars made used the point box from ONAN CCK series engines. Sylvester cast a different piece for it to encircle the crankshaft with. The pics show the car has a starting crank in it. I had to make them for the different models I've had. The engine is like an OD Fairmont, having ball bearings and sleeves and compression rings instead of crankshaft seals. The car and engine are simple to work on and have more balls than the comparable Fairmont OD's and RO engines. The frame has more support than Fairmonts and doesn't rely on the floorboards to keep the thing square. The suspension is similar to Fairmont but much easier to take apart and repair. The bearings are cheaper to purchase. I haven't found a part I couldn't find, make or modify myself except original carb.. The railsweeps are operated from inside and several cars I've owned and seen have sanders on them operated from the brake lever. The biggest drawback to the cars are the carbs. It is a Carter Model N-(S), specifically made for this engine. They are non-existant, at least in my part of the world ... Eric
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