Query about Frederick Methvan Whyte

[railsider]

I am looking for some biographical background on Frederick Methvan Whyte, the man who invented the Whyte Classification (or Notation) System for steam locomotives. I am researching a book on eponymous scietific units and scales, and the Whyte System is one of about 300 I want to incluude. For each, I try to list the date and place of the person's birth and death.

Here's what I already know: Whyte was born March 2, 1865 ... and died sometime in 1941. What I don't know, and hope someone can tell me, is the place of his birth, as well as the place and exact date of his passing in 1941. Whyte graduated with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 1889, and worked for quite a number of roads during his career. He was not an "engine-driver" engineer, but designed locomotives and systems. He proposed the system we all know well in 1890, and it became a national standard after ALCO adopted it in 1903. He traveled to Australia in 1921 as a consulting expert in railroad design. It's possible he may have died there. He is also described as "Dutch American," though it's not clear if he was born in the US or in the Netherlands.

Please share any reliable and accurate information you may have, and receive my undying thanks (plus a note in the book when it's published). It would help greatly if you can add your source for the data, so I can verify it.

Many thanks, fellow railroad buffs and modelers!

Bill .....
                           (alias "railsider")

[Doneldon]

railsider-

Hello again!

Wikipedia has a short bio as well as three references about him.

                                                      -- D

[railsider]

Thanks, Don!   

The Wikipedia reference gave me "Methvan" and "March 2, 1865" but you are right, the Cornell Alumni News, in a 1904 report, spells the middle name Methven. The several railway journals  seem to favor "March 3".  I was afraid I had made a proofreading ereror, and was about to drown myself in professional shame  ;)bd

I am grateful for the Tarrytown January 2, 1941 data. But I'm frustrated by the truncated snip that omits his birthplace. I'm probably missing something, but I don't know quite how to get into the texts of those things. If there is an expensive sign-up, I probably cannot afford it, but I'd like to know. If I can nail down that birthplace, I'll have this one wrapped (except for the spelling and birthdate confusion, and I can live with that by adding a parenthetical "or").

Thanks again...........................

Bill