Three readers identified the “mystery” engine
in the March/April 2005 issue of Steam Traction. The first
response came from Paul E. Deo of Snover, Mich., who wrote:
“The mystery steam engine in the March/April 2005 Steam
Traction is a Northwest, manufactured by the Northwest
Thresher Co., Stillwater, Minn. They also built a return flue
the manufacture date or the horsepower, but the flat spokes make it
a later model and I’ll guess it’s about a 20 HP Keep up the good
work on the magazine, I look forward to each issue. Also, I own a
1906 18 HP double Buffalo Pitts.”
Right on Paul’s heals was a letter from John Malsch, Pell Lake,
Wis., who also correctly identified the engine as a Northwest, but
thinks it’s a 25 HP model. Regular contributor Alan New also
correctly pegged the engine as a Northwest.
For getting his answer in first, by mail, Paul gets a free copy
of Prof. P.F. Rose’s Steam Engine Guide.
This month’s mystery engine comes, as usual, courtesy of
John Spalding, 112 Carriage Place, Hendersonville,
TN 37035 (genesis645@aol.com).
As ever, the first person to correctly identify the engine, by
mail, gets a free copy of Prof. P.F. Rose’s Steam Engine
Guide. Good steaming.
