Minnesota Steam Engine Association Steam-Up

attended. Bob Jostad, a director of Bonanzaville, had the fire
going in their 50 HP Case traction engine by 9:00 a.m. The entire
grounds were open for touring by the attendees. The official
program began at 11:00 a.m., with a lecture using the village’s
portable Case engine of 1880s vintage as a visual aid, on the
various things that need to be done and checked before firing
up.

At noon, a chicken dinner provided by the village was enjoyed by
the attendees, followed at 1:00 p.m. by the last monthly meeting of
the MSEA for the season, where a report was given on the activities
of the association during the past year. After the meeting, those
desiring were able to practice running the Case 50 and belting it
up to a Case separator that the village had set up.

These steam-ups are held by the MSEA annually at various
locations, to give those people new to the steam engine hobby the
basics in running a steam traction engine and a chance to get some
hands-on experience under the supervision of experienced engineers.
In all aspects, it was a very successful day.

Beginning in 1994, the association is also awarding a
scholarship each year, to one of its members, for the Steam School
which is put on each June by the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers
at Rollag, Minnesota. Upon completion of this school, a person
should be able to pass the test required to obtain Minnesota’s
steam traction engineer’s license.

The MSEA thanks the people of Bonanzaville for hosting this
event and invites anyone in Engine Land to join the association. To
do so, send $5.00 dues to the address above. You will then receive
your membership card and the subsequent newsletters of the
association, which are published following each meeting. If more
information about the association is desired, again, you are
invited to write to the address above and you will receive a
complete history and explanation of what the MSEA is all about.