Traction Engines and Threshing Machines
Larry G. Creed, R.R. #13 Box 209, Brazil, IN 47834, writes:
‘I would like to welcome Ogden Publications along with new
Iron Men Album staff into the steam hobby. Our new editor, Richard
Backus, is committed to keeping the Iron-Men Album a quality steam
publication. I know Richard will welcome any ideas, questions or
doors to us as both readers and contributors.
‘I have picked out some of my old steam photographs for you
to enjoy. Photograph #1 is of an older Reeves steam engine pulling
parade wagons. The engine is a double cylinder simple, which would
have built early last century. The early Reeves engines had a round
water tank located under the right rear wheel. The tank was
complete with a plumbed in funnel. The engine is jacketed and has a
flare stack instead of the later stacks, which were straight except
for the flared crown. I can easily picture Lyle Hoffmaster on the
front wagon of this picture, and you would have no trouble counting
all of his front teeth.
‘Photograph #2 is a Kansas threshing crew enjoying some
liquid refreshment. The engine is a 24 or 28 HP Minneapolis. The
toolbox mounted on the right side of the engine located under the
stack must be every bit of three feet long. I guess big equipment
called for big tools. The wind feeders of the separator are folded
back in the transport position. The inscription on the picture
reads, ‘Bergon & Ratzlaff crew.’
‘Photograph #3 is also a Kansas threshing scene. Smoke and
dust obscures part of the picture. The man on the bundle wagon is
in the process of forking a bundle to throw into the feeder. Straw
can be seen blown out of the blower stack. The engine is a Huber
single-cylinder about 18 or 20 HP. The crossed braces at the front
of the canopy are a Huber feature.
‘Photograph #4 is an Ohio threshing scene. The size of the
straw pile proves that some serious threshing was done in Ohio. The
threshing machine is an Avery. The steam engine is hooked to the
separator ready to move. The engine appears to be a Frick, judging
from the position of the engine on the rear of the boiler and the
flat spoke rear wheels.
‘I was sad to learn of the passing of Howard Wade, who lived
in Whitewater, Wis. Howard was a true steam man who liked all steam
engines, but he was a dyed-in-the-wool Nichols-Shepard man. The
Wade brothers have many large Nichols-Shepard engines in their
collection, some being one-of-a-kind. Photograph #5 was taken in
Sept. 1966 and shows Howard and Harlan Wade in front of their
Nichols
Creed Photo #9: This illustration shows an 11 HP Westinghouse
with the boiler removed. It only took removal of four bolts in the
boiler angle plates and disconnecting the steam and exhaust pipes
to remove the boiler.
Creed Photo #10: Illustration of Westinghouse’s unique
boiler, on which the upper section could be removed for complete
cleaning of the boiler.
Shepard 30-98 single-cylinder engine. Photograph #6 is a catalog
illustration of a Nichols-Shepard double-cylinder 35 HP plow
engine. This was one of Howard Wade’s favorite engines built by
Nichols-Shepard Co.
‘Recently I acquired a 1902 Westinghouse catalog and noted
several features you will find interesting as compared to the more
common fire tube locomotive-type boiler. Westinghouse used a water
tube boiler, which could be removed from the frame by taking out
four bolts and the steam and exhaust pipes. The boilers were made
in two parts, which could be unbolted to clean the inside of the
boiler or replace the tubes. I hope you will enjoy the differences
this catalog illustrates.’
Editor’s note: Our sister publication, Farm Collector,
published an article on Westinghouse engines in the Sept. 2001
issue.
12 HP Greencastle
Fred Hammond of Chambersburg, Pa., sent in these photos he took
of an 1885 12 HP Greencastle steam traction engine at the
Cumberland Valley Antique Engine & Machinery Association
Spring Fling show in 2000. The engine, believed to be the only
one in existence, is owned by Willis Abel. Greencastle engines were
made by the Crowell Manufacturing Company, Greencastle, Pa. It is
believed that 12 of these engines were built. Crowell went into
receivership in the late 1890s, and around 1901 the Geiser
Manufacturing Company of Waynesboro, Pa., bought the Crowell
factory to build engines and tractors.