WALKER ELECTRIC

Automobile Maintenance & Manufacturing Co. (1906-1911)
Walker Vehicle Co. (1911-1933)
Walker Vehicle Co. Div. York & Town Mfg. Co. (1933-1942)

Chicago, Illinois

This is a Walker Electric emblem (c1926-1930)    sam
Size: 55mm diameter    MM: Unknown

The Walker Electric was America's best-known and longest-lived electric truck. 

The initial Walker trucks had separate electric motors for each rear wheel but in 1909 this was replaced by a single 3-1/2 hp motor mounted in the rear axle. For a brief period Walker also offered a gas-electric model. By 1912 the Walker was available in five models ranging from 750 lbs to 3-1/2-ton capacity.

In 1914, Walker bought the Chicago Electric pleasure car design and continued Chicago Electric passenger car production until 1916 (see Chicago Electric). 

The Walker Vehicle Company was acquired by the Anderson Electric Car Company of Detroit in 1916 but was sold to Commonwealth Edison in 1920. However, throughout this time, the Walker Vehicle Company continued to design and manufacture Walker Electric trucks in Chicago.  

From about 1926, some Walker Electric truck models were built in the style of gasoline powered vehicles, including some models made to appear more like gasoline passenger cars than trucks.

Walker bought out the Commercial Truck Company in 1928 (see C-T Electric). By 1929, the Walker Electric range of models extended from the 3/4-ton capacity Model 10 Special, styled like a contemporary gasoline-powered light truck, through heavier trucks up to 7-ton capacity. 

In 1933, the Walker Vehicle Company was sold and became a Division of the York & Towne Manufacturing Company. 

In 1938, Walker produced a new gas-electric model called the Walker Dynamotive, which was a multi-stop delivery vehicle. The Dynamotive and other Walker electric trucks of 1-1/2-ton to 5-ton capacity were built up to 1942 when all Walker Electric truck production ceased.

Emblems

There are very few original period photos of the earliest Walker electric trucks and none I have seen show an emblem, see example shown below:

Walker electric truck (1908)   wiki

However, the earliest Walker Electric trucks were likely to have displayed the "Walker" name on the hubcaps and on a small maker's nameplates or serial plates probably mounted at the rear of the vehicle. 

This is an early Walker electric truck hubcap (c1908)   dkc

The following is an example of a Walker electric truck serial plate. Original Walker Electric truck serial plates are scarce.

This is a 1-ton Walker Electric serial plate (date unknown)  mjs
Size: 150mm wide 68mm high

By 1909, the "Walker" name was prominently displayed on a large painted nameplate mounted on the front and rear of the truck, usually on the bumpers or the chassis frame, see original factory photos and surviving truck examples shown below:

Walker factory photo showing front nameplate (date unknown) dpl

Walker factory photo showing rear nameplate (date unknown)  dpl

Walker delivery truck with front nameplate (1909) rmsotheby's

Walker Electric truck with front bumper nameplate (1911) iowa80

Walker Electric truck with front bumper nameplate (1918) iowa80

This Walker Electric bumper nameplate continued in use on various truck models until the end of production, see later example shown below:

Walker electric delivery truck with front nameplate (1940's)  reddit

The following close ups show examples of the Walker Electric nameplate:

This is a Walker Model 15 electric truck nameplate (1909)  moroz

This is a Walker Electric nameplate (1924)  bmhv

The following shows a surviving 1918 Walker Electric truck exported to New Zealand which has an emblem mounted on the front of the truck in addition to a curved Walker front nameplate:

1918 Walker Electric truck       christchurchlibraries

Close up showing emblem & curved nameplate

The emblem is in cast brass and displays the name and a logo for Walker Vehicles Ltd., see below: 

This is a Walker Electric truck emblem (c1918)   orion group
Size: Unknown

This Walker Vehicles Ltd emblem has not been seen elsewhere. It is most likely the emblem for a New Zealand company, which may possibly be related to the Walker Vehicle Company or maybe a local vehicle body maker emblem. So far, this emblem is a mystery. If you have better information about this Walker Vehicles Ltd emblem, please let me know, in order to update this post.

Walker Electric trucks were also exported to the UK and a fleet of Walker delivery trucks was operated by Harrods of London for many years. Some of these Walker electric trucks also had curved front bumper nameplates, see example below:

Walker Electric showing curved nameplate (1920's)  j l chapman

The following shows an example of the curved front bumper Walker Electric nameplate:

This is a Walker Electric curved nameplate (1920's)  moroz

On some Walker Electric truck models, the "Walker" name was also displayed on the step plate to the driver's cab, see example shown below:

Walker Electric truck step plate (1926)    natm

Walker Electric truck step plate emblem (1926)   natm

In the late 1920's, the Walker Vehicle Company built some Walker Electric truck models in the style of gasoline powered vehicles, including some models made to appear more like gasoline passenger cars than trucks, see examples shown below:

Walker Electric trucks brochure (1926) rg

 

Walker Electric truck ad (1928)   rg

Walker 10 Special electric truck from brochure (c1929)    rg

 

Some Walker Electric truck models designed with false hoods and radiators carried the blue and white enamel Walker Electric radiator emblem shown above at the top of this post and again below. This Walker Electric radiator emblem is extremely rare.

This is a Walker Electric radiator emblem (c1926-1930)  sam
Size: 55mm diameter   MM: Unknown

The following red painted Walker hub emblem displays the CT logo of the Commercial Truck Company, which was absorbed by Walker Vehicle Company in 1928. This Walker hub emblem is rare.

This is a Walker Vehicle hub emblem (c1928)   sam
Size: 82mm diameter   MM: None

The Walker Vehicle Company became a Division of the Yale & Town Manufacturing Company in 1934 and Walker vehicles carried the following small maker's nameplate on the dash:

Walker Vehicle nameplate (c1934)    alt

Some Walker delivery truck models carried a smaller "Walker" nameplate emblem, see painted cast metal Walker nameplate shown below. This Walker emblem is rare.

This is a Walker Electric emblem (c1936)   mjs
Size: 155mm wide 55mm high   MM: Unknown

The Walker Dynamotive gas/electric delivery truck displayed the "Dynamotive" logo on a small emblem attached to the radiator grille, see advertisement and logo shown below:

Walker Dynamotive delivery truck ad showing grille emblem (1937)  rg

This is the Walker Dynamotive logo (1937)