Manufacturer: National Transit Co., Oil City, Pa.
Year: 1912
Serial number: 978
HP: 125
Bore: 15-inch
Stroke: 20-inch
Weight: 40,000 pounds
Ignition: Dual-battery and magneto
Governing: Throttle
This 125 HP Klein engine is commonly referred to as a twin Klein, named after National Transit’s chief engine designer, John Klein. “Interestingly, this engine was made 10 years after his death, so even though the name is a tribute to the work he did, he likely didn’t have anything to do with the design of this engine,” Coolspring president Clark Colby says.
The Klein is a conventional 2-cylinder, 4-cycle engine. It’s even-firing, meaning that both connecting rods are on throws located at the same point of rotation in the crankshaft. It has dual ignition — a battery system and a magneto system. It also has a governor that was not original to the engine, and was apparently retrofitted by National Transit sometime during the engine’s life.
Read more about this engine and 38 others in the book, Coolspring, published by Gas Engine Magazine.
