Although Wm. Tod Company was an established steam engine builder, their large gas engines go relatively unnoitced. One of the few descriptions to be found was contained in the July 18, 1907, issue of Iron Age. The tandem style shown here was standard practive for Tod, with larger engiens being available in a twin tandem desing – all cylinders were double acting, regardless of the style. Production of these huge engines was no doubt quite limited, and more than likely was never large enough to repay the huge costs for engineering, patternmaking, amd tooling. Huge longitudinal steel tie bolts held the cylinders rigidly in position. Eccentrics operated the valve mechanisms, thus eliminating cams entirely. Low tension ignition was also featured, using a 90 volt direct current supplied from an integral generating set. Connected in series with each igniter was a tell-tale lamp on the main switchboard, gicing a positive indication whether the igniters were working properly. While Tod engines obviously had no effect whatever on the so-called “farm engine” market, this example typifies the great hopes that early engine designers pinned on this radically new form of power. With the advent of efficient steam turbines, huge gas engines such as this one were quickly reconverted to other forms of cast iron from when they came