The Forney Museum of Transportation is located at 4303 Brighton Boulevard in Denver, CO.
History[]
Forney became interested in antique and classic cars after his wife and children gave him a 1921 Kissel yellow Tourister, the same model he used to court his wife Rae. He then started taking in old cars and carriages as trades on some of the welder sales and began to build what is now the current collection.
The collection was begun by J. D. Forney, who gave his name to the museum. Forney Industries was formed in 1932 when James Donovan Forney went into business selling "The Forney Instant Heat Soldering Iron" door to door. In 1936, he invented the first successful 110 volt, 125 and 150 amp welders for use outside an industrial setting.
In 1961, the Forney Museum was incorporated in Fort Collins, CO, and in 1964, it was recognised as a 501(3)(c) non-profit organisation.
In 1986, J. D. Forney passed away, but his legacy lives on in the museum that still bears his name.
Locomotive Roster[]
| Number | Images | Heritage | Type | Builder | Built | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4005 | 
|
Union Pacific Railroad | 4-8-8-4 | American Locomotive Company | 1941 | Display | |
| 444 | 
|
Chicago and North Western Railroad. | 4-6-0 | American Locomotive Company | 1908 | Display | |
| 7 | 
|
Danish Railway | 0-4-0T | Henschel & Son | 1930 | Display | |
| 1 | 
|
Cora-Texas Plantation Co. | 0-4-4 | H.K. Porter | 1897 | Display | |
| 900099 | 
|
Union Pacific Railroad | Rotary Snowplow | Alco's Patterson, NJ, works | 1909 | Display |
Trivia[]
- The number board from UP #4019 is on display at the museum.
- Over the ensuing years, the company produced products as diverse as the 1959 "Fornaire" two seat airplane designed for the consumer market, a central residential vacuum system, auto generators and battery chargers, but probably the best-known products are the electric welders and welding supplies that the company still produces to this day.