JUST ANOTHER LUMP OF COAL
Just another lump of coal to keep up the steam as I don’t
want to miss a single issue. To use Gilmar Johnson’s words,
‘The biggest and best little magazine out yet.’
Last year I sent a letter with my subscription and you printed
it. This brought me a letter from an old engineer down in St.
Louis, Missouri. He used to work around here before the railroad
strike in 1920. He was very happy to hear about all the older folks
he used to know. Some of the families he mentioned have children
living here yet that remember him so they had some nice
correspondence.
I attended the Nelson’s Steam Reunion at Rollag and got to
see a hand fed separator in operation. Very good show and turnout
as that organization is growing rapidly.
Keep up the good work as I look for the next issue long before
it is due.
I. K. HAUGEN, Hanaford, North Dakota
CROWN METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY
PHONE WEST NEWTON 1550, WYANO, PENNSYLVANIA
FELLOW STEAM ENTHUSIASTS
Dear Friends,
About two years ago, after nearly ten years of looking, I
finally located and purchased a 15′ gauge 4-4-0 park type steam
locomotive. A picture of it is shown to the right. It is about 9
feet long over engine and tender, and the cab is about 34′
above the rail.
The engine was well worn when we got it, and when we decided to
rebuild it, we made patterns so we could build engines for sale. We
purchased two boilers and are now set up to make engines in
commercial production. Our original engine will be ready to run in
February and the new one in March. The new engine will be a
duplicate of the one shown to the right.
These locomotives, as you will remember if you are old enough,
were dandies. They are simple and ruggedly built so that they can
take the use and abuse incidental to park operation. In hobby
service they should last indefinitely. The boiler is
3/8‘ plate and made to conform to all the
codes.
The engine is really fun to run. It looks, sounds, smells and
handles just like a standard gauge engine. I ran standard gauge
engines about thirty years ago, and I had never run a small one
till we got ours. I was not a bit disappointed in the small one.
The skill required to handle the throttle is the same and when you
stick your head out and look at the side rods and the drivers, you
know you are running a live steam locomotive. It has plenty of
power to pull 20 adults on two cars. We burn coal.
The purpose of this letter is to try t o find out how many
people might be interested in purchasing this type of locomotive.
If you are interested, I hope you will write me.
By the time I receive your letter, we will have full price
information available so we can send you a price. If enough
interest develops, we will also build a car and fabricate track and
switches. We use 12 pound rail welded to steel ties. It works
fine.
We should be able to deliver the first engine in April. Do you
want it?
Sincerely
K. S. WILLIAMS
CONGRATULATIONS IN ORDER
As editor of such a fine paper, I feel congratulations are in
order as I sure look forward to the coming of the ALBUM. Seems odd
that I have lived all these 63 years and only last year a years
subscriptions was sent me by a friend from Glendale, California. So
as long as I live I hope to always get the ALBUM.
Of course I am an old steam man as I threshed with steam a good
many seasons. Owned my own rig from 1917 to 1925 and feel we should
have a steam outfit in every district as they are sure a great
attraction to both young and old. If you ever heard of the
International Peace Garden, I live just 16 miles from it.
CLARENCE ARMITAGE, Boissevain, Man., Canada
(We were in the Peace Garden in July and drove up to your city.
Read this letter when we came back or we would have looked you up
and had dinner. Editor)
BETTER FROM TIME TO TIME
Keep the steam going as it’s getting better from time to
time and am almost smelling smoke. Will shut off the damper and say
‘Thanks.’
LEVI E. MILLER, R. D. 2, Fredericksburg, Ohio
A CORRECTION
Thank you Orrin G. Seaver, 953 Sheridan Avenue, Ypsilanti,
Michigan, for your letter on the typographical error that appeared
in Mr. Sweet’s article, ‘Throttling Governors’, that
appeared in the last issue of the ALBUM. I’ll thank you too for
the fine comments directed to Elmer, since he turned the letter
over to me when I admitted the error.
The last line starting on page 4 and continued on page 5 of the
January-February issue reads, ‘This force is called centrifugal
action.’ It should read, ‘This force is called a
centripetal force.’
REPORT OF THE PIONEER ENGINEERS CLUB REUNION
The Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana, Inc., Reunion was held
Aug. 2, 3 and 4, 1957 at the Rush County Conservation Club grounds.
It was a great success in all ways.
The weather was ideal, attendance was extra good, more engines
and other displays were shown. More than 25,000 people attended for
the 3 days.
Folks from far-distant states as well as from Indiana and
surrounding states came to see these old timers perform once
again.
All engines were fired up and in operation each day threshing,
saw-milling, fan testing, etc.
Engines on the grounds were well known makes, such as
Gaar-Scott, single and double; Huber road roller and Huber traction
engine; Bakers, Reeves double; Russells; Nichols & Shepard
double; Frick double; Keck-Gonnerman; Advance-Rumely; Case; Kitten;
Minneapolis. Case 6 hp. self propelled on truck chassis, nickel
plated. All boilers were state inspected. Quite a few models
patterned from the larger well-known makes and others designed from
the owner’s own ideas were displayed.
Model steam merry-go-round, models built out of wood patterned
after the large steam engines, old antique machinery such as
1-horse cultivators (Muley), etc. This old machinery drew a lot of
attention from the visitors. There was a working model of a Horse
power and separator as used in 1884. Separators in operation were
Russell, Reeves, Keck-Gonnerman, very old Aultman Taylor separator
with hand feed and drag stacker, in operation, horse power hay and
straw baler, Reeves saw mill operating each day.
Two fans were in operation continuously each day. Quite a few of
the old well-known tractors were on display, such as the Rumely Oil
Pull, Huber-Heider, La Rue 3-cylinder gas engine, made in 1911, the
only one made. There was the Trading Post where a lot of swaping
was done. Stanley engines for Stanley Steam car, also Locomobile
engines, pop corn machine engines. The Glenwood Fire Department had
a pumper on the grounds for fire protection, also P.A. system and
first aid. There was a Red Cross first aid tent.
Walt Disney had his cameramen on the grounds taking pictures for
his TV show and there were many other camera fans taking movies and
still pictures. The Rushville Salvation Army Chapter was in charge
of the Church services Sunday morning.
Lunches and meals were furnished by the New Salem Methodist
Church, Andersonville Eastern Star, Hannin-gan Adult Class, St.
Maurice Community Club, Delta Theta Sorority Club of Rushville,
Rushville Lions Club, and the New Augusta Boy Scouts had charge of
parking cars.
The Club had a very good and interesting show and are planning
now for a larger and better show next year.
From all reports, the folks attending this Reunion were well
pleased and a large majority plan to be back next year. See you
there!
By JOHN J. MENCHHOFFER
HOW ABOUT A LIFT?
Mr. Louis V. Johnson, 180 So. May St., Bensenville, Illinois,
says ”I notice in the Nov.-Dec. issue an article by Mr.
Steinmetz of Wisconsin concerning a power lift he made for handling
lumber.
‘If anyone is interested in making one like it, I have at my
disposal a telescopic lift from a 5 ton Baker lift. It raised about
8 ft. high. Will lift 3 tons at 24 inch on the forks. Forks are 48
inches long. I have the lift, tank, control valves, pump and
fittings. Also have a heavy weight to help counter balance it. If
anyone is interested drop me a line.’
