Commercial Engine Company, Carbon Canyon, Brea, California, Los Angeles

Commercial Engine Company
Los Angeles, California

25 Horsepower at 260 r.p.m.

The Commercial Engine Company was located in Los Angeles, just south of where the City Hall now stands. Commercial built engines of their own design and catered to the Southern California marketplace

This engine was built circa 1915. It was used to run a compressor in an oilfield in Carbon Canyon near Brea, California. It is equipped with the optional "natural gas fuel mixer." Natural gas is an abundant byproduct of oil production, and as such, it was used almost exclusively in powering engines in the oilfields.

A feature characteristic of this Type C Commerical is the use of individual pushrods for the actuation of each of the engine's components. Separate pushrods are used to actuate the mechanical oiler, magneto, throttle, exhaust valve and intake valve.

	Installing two 42 hp Type A Commercial engines to drive two #38 Pomona Deep Well Pumps. Near Riverside, California. Click image to see an enlargement.
	150 h.p. Type BB Commercial in use by Robert March & Co. This engine ran 24 hours per day for eight months out of the year. The Type BB engine is a tandem engine, similar in operation to the Type B.
	60 h.p. Type B Commercial owned by Robson's Mining World. The Type B Commerical uses a sideshaft to actuate the engine's components.
	15 hp, Type A Commercial. Hit and miss governing is characteristic of the Type A. This engine is owned by Robert Critz. This engine was used by the railroad in Pica, Arizona, for powering an air compressor. The compressed air was used for starting two Fairbanks Morse YV engines.
	Click image for movie of the Commercial Type C engine running.

Return to the Rusty Iron Workshop