Very nice! My grandpa was big into Steam Tractors [:)]
THAT’S COOL . WHERE IS IT?
B
At the 2008 incarnation of the The Sycamore Steam Show & Threshing Bee; http://www.threshingbee.org/
Sycamore is about 45 miles West of Chicago in Northern Illinois.
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That’s a lovely photo Ben, thanks for sharing it with us. It’s interesting to see the contrast in design between American traction engines and the British engines that are most common here in Australia. I have two friends here who both own restored Buffalo Pitts engines.
Alan Simpson’s Buffalo Pitts at Maitland SteamFest, April 2008.
A corner of the rally ground at Maitland SteamFest, showing a Marshall, the Buffalo Pitts, and some PLs trundling past in the background on a coal train.
They are rather nice machines to work on, in many respects much more “user friendly” than my old Burrell!
All the best,
Mark.
That’s a great link you’ve posted, thanks!
I don’t know what the nomenclature was in the US, but here in Australia, and the UK, these were known as “ploughing engines”. The club I belong to has a couple of Fowlers, which we demonstrate twice at year at our rallies. The Powerhouse Museum also has a Fowler, which I’ve run at a couple of rallies and shows. We once took it for an early morning run around the city one Sunday a few years back - never again!
Cheers,
Mark.
these machines are as fasinating as their railed brothers…ive resotred and operated a 1908 Case 50 with a family friend…also helped my neighbor with a 1915 Russell
the Russell
the stack talk…the finesse in firing…the smells…sounds… its great
instead of having tons of frieght you have dozens of feet of leather belt running various pieces of equipment…threshers…sawmills…derricks…plowing is a fun nightmare…all in all if you get a chance to see these engines go see 'em
plowing US style…Pinkneyville IL 2007 Threshers Festival
belts running a sawmill Pinkneyville
i know its not rail related but steam is steam [;)]
Okay so does anyone make these in HO??? For my prairie farm that’s been in the family for generations and has all the old equipment parked out in the field behind the barn?
Brent
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i know walthers offered a HO “portable” boiler which is a steam traction engine minus the drive …
cant remember who made them but i recall seeing HO scale traction engines and period farm equipment in MR few years back
Here you go! http://www.locopainter.com/store/product.php?id=368
Like any good railfan of a certain age I just love steam power, whether it’s on a train, powering a vessel, or even working the fields. BUT, these steam tractors send a chill up my spine, and not a good one. They are the only steam vehicles that are NOT liable to any kind of regulation or inspection. Just a very few years ago (five or six?) one just like these was being driven into the Medina County (Ohio) Fairgrounds on a busy day when it simply blew up, to smithereens, and killed not only its owner/driver but at least one fairgoer and injured a number of others.
I hate to be a Cassandra on these wonderful old vehicles, but I would never go near one that has steam up. Also, what on earth would the insurance premium be on one of these things, considering what steam train excursion insurance costs? Or, is the truth that these machines are possibly dangerous and operated uninsured or under-insured?
Thanks for this large and beautiful photo. What a splendid (if scary) sight!
Are you sure that traction engines are not subject to any kind of inspection? I do recall that explosion in Ohio and reading some follow-up coverage about the deplorable condition of the boiler. It must be the case that no regulatory inspection was performed on that engine, and I have no explanation for that if some official inspection is required. But I thought that all boilers were subject to some type of routine inspection by the state. I am not sure what applies to those little engines that live steamers ride around on in 4-3/4" and 7-1/2" gauge. As small as they are, they could be very nasty if
I have to respectfully disagree with your opinion. Yes, a traction engine blew up in Medina, Ohio in 2001. However, to paint all traction engines as dangerous because of Medina is as unfair as saying all steam locomotives are dangerous because of the Gettysburg incident or the flue failure on 844. Many states require certification and inspection of traction engine boilers; and most clubs will require inspections before operation even if the state doesn’t. The Medina explosion resulted in some states reviewing their inspection policies for antique hobby boilers. The traction engine owners that I know are very conscious about safety, if for no other reason than they are at “ground zero”. I would recommend anyone with concerns do some research on what inspections are required in their state to put their fears to rest before visiting a steam traction engine show.
- James
I know for sure that inspections are required here in Illinois. I have no fear of those engines except the sort of fear that is appropriate for bits of farm machinery designed in an era where the protective guard had never even been considered.
I have to think that anyone interested trains has at least some interest in machinery of ANY type, and if it is real steam, so much the better.
I have a 1960 circa Matchbox miniature of a British style steam plough/implement. Where I do not know, but I know i have it. A neat little toy.
Dave Nelson