Whitcomb Locomotive Works began in 1878 with George Whitcomb building mechanized mining equipment at his home shop and coming up with a gasoline engine with low enough emissions for use in the confines of a mine environment. This was a vast improvement over horse drawn rail carts and after several years turned into a full blown small size locomotive with options for diesel-hydraulic, diesel-mechanical, and gas-mechanical power-trains.
He founded the George D Whitcomb company incorporating it in Illinois. At first the company would also work on industrial knitting machines and other mining equipment, but as the locomotives popularity grew the other equipment was set aside. In 1914 they built the first explosion-proof electric mine locomotive, and would receive the "Permissibility Plate" from the United States Bureau of Mines.
This company would later be bought by the Baldwin Locomotive Company.
Click on the ▶ to play the video.
Click on an image for a larger view.