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Description
In 1873, John F. Byers opened the John F. Byers Machine Company in of Ravenna, Ohio. He began building various type of equipment for the construction industry. One of these endeavors led him to build a number of small geared steam locomotives. Relatively small in size, they were marketed as a light duty contractor type engine with gearing being promoted as an advantage over similar sized "rod locomotives".

By May of 1896, four had been built with three of these known to be in use commercially. It is unknown when the company went out of business and how many locomotives were actually built. The last locomotive known to be built was completed in 1906. This places the minimum number built at 5 with the likelihood that more may have been built in intervening years between 1896 and 1906.

Description
In 1873, John F. Byers opened the John F. Byers Machine Company in of Ravenna, Ohio. He began building various type of equipment for the construction industry. One of these endeavors led him to build a number of small geared steam locomotives. Relatively small in size, they were marketed as a light duty contractor type engine with gearing being promoted as an advantage over similar sized "rod locomotives".

By May of 1896, four had been built with three of these known to be in use commercially. It is unknown when the company went out of business and how many locomotives were actually built. The last locomotive known to be built was completed in 1906. This places the minimum number built at 5 with the likelihood that more may have been built in intervening years between 1896 and 1906.