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A true steam roller


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That right there is a nice piece of machinery. I wish there were more antique equipment shows near me, the only one I know of in the show out in LI during July. Even have a barn full of old engines and electric motors/generators. Long Island Antique Power Association hosts it.

I love the old school steam stuff. In Brooklyn there is a treasure for steam fanatics, the Pratt engine room. Located on the campus grounds of Pratt Institute it is the home of the original power station erected there at the turn of the century. All three Ames Iron Works reciprocating piston DC generators are still cared for and are operational. The marble switch panel (think knife switches, big blade fuses and carbon arc circuit breakers.) is untouched and still distributes power around the building when part of it was converted to handle AC. I went there a few times and sort of know Conrad Milster the chief engineer who is a real steam guru. He is the guy who people call when repairing or restoring steam engines. Once while talking to him he knew I really appreciated the equipment and said I had a rare knowledge and interest. Said he needed help but in order to work there you needed a boiler operators license to work on steam equipment that run on 100+ PSI steam. I looked into getting one but its one of those chicken and egg problems, you need experience with steam equipment to qualify but you cant work on them unless you have the license. Most guys who get those licenses worked in submarines/aircraft carrier engine rooms (nuclear boilers running steam turbines) or were firemen tending heating boilers in large buildings part time.

Anyone else here a steam head?

-Thad

What America needs is less bull and more Bulldog!

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Back a few years ago on the way to an auction in Lancaster, PA. My brother and I came across this steam roller. I don't no where it is and as a result I've gotten better at writing info down when I see something.

Pretty sure that thing was at (or near) the intersections of route 30 and 41 at Gap,PA i believe it was a Buffalo Springfield,used to run Lancaster Co. PA pretty regularly when i was a household mover........................................Mark

Mack Truck literate. Computer illiterate.

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The only reason i remember where it was is because right next door,there was a small used car dealer that had an E-model Mack pickup truck that sat for YEARS with a big NOT FOR SALE AT ANY PRICE,DON'T ASK!!!!!! sign on it................................Mark

Mack Truck literate. Computer illiterate.

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Anyone else here a steam head?

I love steam power - I do not own any engines, but I have one spotted I am working on. My high school grad-u-a-shun gift from my dear old dad was a 28 inch Avery threshing machine. We restored it, fixed up grandpa's old MCormick-Deering grain binder, a Massey Harris horsedrawn grain drill, a horsedrawn single disc, John Deere foot lift two bottom riding plow, (those are in reverse order of use by the way) and we put out a patch of oats. We had our own little threshing show that fall and all the friends and neighbors came - one of the high points of my life.

I want to buy a steam engine to run my threshing machine.

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Love going to old equipment shows. Love to have a dump trailer for my truck so I could at least "play" too.

The HCEA (historical construction Equipment Assoc) has annual convention and I went a few years ago. They had a true steam roller, but it was a few years "newer" looking then that model. It was more to the likes of a new model(two rollers), only it had this huge steam engine mounted in the middle. They had two football sized fields, one for dozers and scrapers, the other was shovels and dumptrucks. They made noise for 3 solid days just moving dirt from one side to the other and back again. Just like when you were a kid with your Tonka trucks in the sandbox.

IMG-20180116-202556-655.jpg

Larry

1959 B61 Liv'n Large......................

Charter member of the "MACK PACK"

 

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That right there is a nice piece of machinery. I wish there were more antique equipment shows near me, the only one I know of in the show out in LI during July. Even have a barn full of old engines and electric motors/generators. Long Island Antique Power Association hosts it.

I love the old school steam stuff. In Brooklyn there is a treasure for steam fanatics, the Pratt engine room. Located on the campus grounds of Pratt Institute it is the home of the original power station erected there at the turn of the century. All three Ames Iron Works reciprocating piston DC generators are still cared for and are operational. The marble switch panel (think knife switches, big blade fuses and carbon arc circuit breakers.) is untouched and still distributes power around the building when part of it was converted to handle AC. I went there a few times and sort of know Conrad Milster the chief engineer who is a real steam guru. He is the guy who people call when repairing or restoring steam engines. Once while talking to him he knew I really appreciated the equipment and said I had a rare knowledge and interest. Said he needed help but in order to work there you needed a boiler operators license to work on steam equipment that run on 100+ PSI steam. I looked into getting one but its one of those chicken and egg problems, you need experience with steam equipment to qualify but you cant work on them unless you have the license. Most guys who get those licenses worked in submarines/aircraft carrier engine rooms (nuclear boilers running steam turbines) or were firemen tending heating boilers in large buildings part time.

Anyone else here a steam head?

Come to the Spring Plowing and Fall Harvest, about 1/3 are steam powered machines.

A good friend is a Pratt got to go there for Pratts New Years Steam Whistle Blow. Saw the power plant many times, I'm always in awe of it.

here is a link to it http://steampunkworkshop.com/visit-pratt-university-steam-plant

"OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK"  Thomas Edison

 “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’

P.T.CHESHIRE

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Connecticut Antique Machinery Association Presents Our Spring Power-Up and Open House Sat May 5th Lots of Steamers Always a good event. Paul

http://www.ctamachinery.com/SpringPowerUP2012.html

"OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK"  Thomas Edison

 “Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘Holy shit, what a ride!’

P.T.CHESHIRE

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I believe that show is in July and from Ashville I would think it would be 2 or 3 hours. (Denton, NC I think) I have definately shorten my life span for the amount of coal smoke I ve inhaled running engines and pitchin bundles.

Ahhhh - pitchin' bundles....makes my heart go pitty patter when I see a three prong pitchfork!

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