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Ken Williams owned Crown Metal Products in Wyano, PA. They were a Machine Shop. In the 1950's, Ken acquired what looks to be a Cagney in pictures, and decided to build his own version. In the summer of 1959, Gaylon and Sallie Borders' from Flora, IL, traveled to Wyano to view the prototype train in action at the Williams' home. By the time the day was out, Gaylon had placed the order for what was to become the very first Crown Metal Products locomotive ever built. Crown locomotive #1. This put Crown Metal Products in the park train manufacturing business.
 Gaylon Borders with Crown Locomotive #1 Ken Williams named the new train "Little Toot". Little Toot became a kind of brand name for all the Crown Metal locomotives produced. So every Crown Metal Products locomotive can technically be called "Little Toot". Mr. Williams, with Crown Metal Products went on to produce an unknown number of 14", 15", and 16" gauge locomotives. He branched out to the 24" gauge size producing approximately 15 of them. He even produced around 22- 36" gauge locomotives. The 14"-16" locomotives were virtually the same locomotive with differing width of wheels to make the various gauges. By the early 1990's, Crown Metal Products had ceased producing locomotives and went out of business. |