Superior Pine Products Company 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA

Class 3 (Locobase 15486)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 80, pp. 180+. See also the Superior Pine Products history at history ([], first accessed 14 October 2013, last accessed 1 December 2024); and "Superior Pine Products Co and Suwannee Forest", Superior Facts, Volume 1, No 6 (December 1927). Works number was 58803 in October 1925.

This wood-burning logging Prairie was bought by the Varn Turpentine and Cattle Company, the latter based in Statenville, Ga The latter's name leads Locobase to wonder if they ever dipped the latter in the former. VTCC was organized in 1919 with J E Varn leading a group of investors who put up $100,000. But what was VTCC's connection to the name on the tender?

Superior Pine Products was located in Fargo, Ga. It took form as a subsidiary of Paper Makers Chemical (PMC), based in Pennsylvania and Michigan. SPP's role was to produce rosin and turpentine products by renewably harvesting pine from the Suwannee Forest. SPP's 1927 article underscores a focus on sustainability. For example:

"A very conservative method of chipping is used in order to reduce the damage to standing timber to a minimum and to allow for long operation of each tree." and

"Here are 200,000 acres of young pine forest in one continuous, unbroken stand with an unquestion probability of a continuous yield of forest products for all time."

The 21st-century account claimed a similar approach as well.