Steam 101

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Gerry says one thing that surprises the students the most, he thinks, is the responsiveness of the throttle. 'Pulling a throttle is very, very tricky, and we notice this too when people actually get on our full-size steam locomotive. When they grab that throttle and start jerking it around, they find out that you have to make very, very fine adjustments at the throttle. I think when they discover how much power is in these pieces of machinery and how carefully you have to apply it, I think that's very surprising to them.' The instructors make sure students know that all the steam machines are important, and that they learn how to operate both a single-cylinder steam traction engine and a double-cylinder. 'The single-cylinder is much more difficult to operate than a double-cylinder,' Gerry says.

Tom says, 'Steam traction engineering is as much an art as a science. It's like an art teacher explaining to someone how to try to do a painting. You can explain the technique involved, and the types of paint, and how the different types get applied to the canvas, but you can't teach them how to paint. The same with the steam engines. (Operators) have to have some talent, or common sense, or whatever, and they have to practice.'

'Every year,' Gerry says, 'we have a number of people who are really thankful for what we've done, and are so happy. Those people are usually the ones who get really involved, and come back to Rollag to be part of the show. That's the most thrilling part of the school, because Tom and I can look around now and see an awful lot of engineers that are at Rollag that own machinery or run machinery because they've been to our school. That's a good feeling.'

For more information on the yearly University of Rollag College of Steam Traction Engineering classes, write:

Tom Hall, Registrar, Box 999, Moorhead, MN 56561.

Members of WMSTR (Western Minnesota Steam Threshers' Reunion) are admitted free; for others, the cost is $50. Additionally, a separate $50 is charged for a Minnesota Steam Traction Engineers license, which is offered the afternoon of the last day of the course, given by inspectors from the State of Minnesota Division of Codes Enforcement People taking this test must have the additional steam traction engine operating experience (verified by a notarized affidavit - the University of Rollag course counts for 16 hours of the total needed.)

Bill Vossler lives and works in Minnesota. His most recent book is The Complete Book of Farm Toys and Boxes.

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