Rhode Island Locomotive Works was a steam locomotive manufacturing company of the 19th century located in Providence, Rhode Island. The factory produced more than 3,400 locomotives between 1867 and 1906, when locomotive production there was shut down. The locomotive works employed about 1400 men, and had an annual capacity of 250 locomotives. In 1901, the RI Loco Works merged with seven other locomotive manufacturers to form the American Locomotive Company (ALCO). After locomotive production ceased, ALCO automobiles and trucks were manufactured in the Providence plant from 1906 until 1913. The old RI Loco Works plant, along with the adjoining Nicholson File and United States Rubber Company buildings, is currently the center of a $333 million commercial and residential redevelopment project.

The Rhode Island Locomotive Works was established in 1865 by Earl P. Mason, Sr. The company was later run by his three sons: Charles Felix Mason was president; Arthur Livingstone Mason was vice-president and Earl Philip Mason was secretary and treasurer. Joseph Lythgoe was the superintendent of the locomotive works.

Earl Philip Mason was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 5, 1848, and died at San Antonio, Texas, on March 17, 1901. He was the son of Earl Philip and Lucy Ann (Larcher) Mason. He received his early education at Mowry & Goff's School and at the Highland Military Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts. He entered Brown University in 1868 and took a special two-year course but did not graduate. He then went to Germany for study at Heidelberg University. After joining the Rhode Island Locomotive Works in 1872, he remained with the company until 1895, eventually becoming vice-president. He married on April 18, 1872 at New York City, Mary Elizabeth Raymond, born September 10, 1849 in New York City and died on June 13, 1897 in Morristown, New Jersey. She was the daughter of Henry Jarvis Raymond the founder of the The New York Times and Juliette Weaver.

Preserved Rhode Island locomotives

The following locomotives (in serial number order) built by Rhode Island before the ALCO merger have been preserved. All locations are in the United States unless otherwise noted.

Serial number	Wheel arrangement (Whyte notation)	Build date	Operational owner(s)	Disposition
1595	2-8-0	March 1886	Colorado and Southern Railway #60	Anderson Park, Idaho Springs, Colorado
1877	0-6-0	October 1887	Minneapolis, Sault Ste. Marie and Atlantic Railway #38, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway #321, rebuilt to 0-6-0T and renumbered #X-90, (since rebuilt back to 0-6-0)	Manitowoc, Wisconsin
2943	0-4-4T	July 1893	Lake Street Elevated Railroad #8	Museum of Transportation, Kirkwood, Missouri
3030	0-6-0T	December 1894	Mathieson Alkali Works #2	Saltville Museum, Saltville, Virginia
3147	2-6-0	November 1899	Wabash Railroad #573	Museum of Transportation, Kirkwood, Missouri

A Rhode Island-built 4-6-0 locomotive was reported to have been quite literally unearthed in Australia circa 2000. According to the report, it was buried as fill for a new bridge abutment during World War II. The report at the time stated that because of the dry local conditions, it was still in very good shape. It was also stated that an attempt would be made to preserve it. No further info on the present fate of this engine is available.

References

1. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E03E0DD163DE433A25756C1A9609C94669ED7CF