Last summer, Greg Trout and I took my 1/2-scale model Geiser Peerless UU steam engine to Kinzers, Pennsylvania, to the Rough and Tumble Reunion.
I could not run my Geiser steam engine at the show because the boiler is not stamped for the boiler code in Pennsylvania.
First, we went to Emanuel King’s farm where we stayed through the show. We got there Monday night around 7:30 p.m. and visited for a while. Tuesday morning I steamed my engine up and took it off of the trailer and took all the King children for a ride on the engine. Then I ran the fan for a while and by then, it was dinner time. After dinner we toured the Cattail Foundry, which the Kings own.
Tuesday night we went to the showground and put the Geiser Peerless UU steam engine together and filled the boiler with water so we could steam it up the next morning for the show. Greg and I ran Emanuel King’s Geiser steam engine through the show.
Wednesday morning, Greg and I took the little half-scale model Geiser Peerless to the show. We got it parked and took the trailer back to Emanuel’s farm and parked it. Then we went back to the show and steamed the factory-built Geiser Peerless UU for the show. The Geiser engine was sold new in 1910. It sure was a fine running engine.
Wednesday night, the Kings had a big party. There were fifty or more people at the event. They steamed corn with a 65 HP Frick Eclipse steam engine and we sure had a real good time at the farm and the show. The King family are really nice people.
If you need any castings poured for a steam engine, send your order to the Cattail Foundry or Emanuel King, 167 Cattail Road, Gordonville, Pennsylvania 17529. They do real good work. They poured some new parts for my little model Geiser Peer less UU steam engine.
I am now 77 years old and still taking my little model Geiser Peerless UU steam engine to shows and enjoying myself.
I love to run a steam engine. I was nine years old when I took up to a 19-65 HP Baker steam engine. When I was ten years old, I met Mr. Abner Baker and he took me through his steam engine factory, and he took his time and told me all about it. I still remember some of the things he showed me and told me what he did, it sure was something to see. Mr. Baker was a nice man. He liked children. He gave children cast iron toys of his machinery and I wish now I had all the toys he had given me.
I taught Greg what he knows about steam engines. I am still learning myself. Nobody will ever know all about steam. My father told me when you think you know all about steam, park the steam engine and stay off of it so you don’t get hurt or get killed. I believe what my father told me about steam engines. He knew machinery, and he would not take a chance with a steam engine or any thing else.
