Editor’s note: Responses to Spalding’s Corner are generally short notes of identification. But when Bert Michel responded to our Summer 2007 query, he sent full documentation supporting his identification of the engine shown. Owing to the quality of Bert’s material, we thought it deserved special treatment, and we present it here for your benefit.
This engine is a Waterloo traction engine, manufactured by Waterloo Mfg. Co. Ltd., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. I would take it to be about a 16 or 18 HP engine.
I would like to point out two things which make identification a bit difficult: 1) The smokebox door is not typical of a Waterloo engine (this is an older type), which I have seen on older portable engines. Most doors are in two parts, both castings; a convex ring is bolted to the front of the smokebox. A smaller cast iron door containing an emblematic lion’s head is then hinged from this ring. 2) The smokestack is in one piece, made of sheet steel. A number of later Waterloos have a two-piece stack; the lower portion about 12-14 inches long is cast and the upper rolled steel part with a flange is bolted to it.
Identifying the Waterloo
The items which I see that identify the engine as a Waterloo are:
• The wheels, both front and back, have cast hubs and rims with round spokes cast in place.
• The cleats on the rear wheels are typical.
• The smokestack ring is a typical cast part.
• The clutch, visible through the flywheel has three arms and shoes, a design on smaller Waterloo engines.
• Looking at the spoke at the 6 o’clock position in the flywheel, you can see a round pin held in place by a set screw. This lock pin can be engaged if the flywheel is rotated by hand to line-up with a “U” shaped slot in the hub of the clutch. The pin is then pushed in and locked by the set screw to give a positive drive.
• The linkage from the throttle lever to the throttle is in two parts with a cast support arm bolted on the top of the dome which pivots back or forth with movement of the lever.
• The valve gear and the way it is hung.
• The angle steel frame, which carries the countershaft on which is mounted the differential gear and road wheel pinions. The back end of this angle frame is bolted to the lower section of the axle brackets. The front end of this sub-frame is supported on each side by a cast bracket. The top end of bracket is bolted to the boiler and the lower end to the forward part of the angle steel frame. Both the angle steel frame and the cast brackets are visible in the photo (Steam Traction, Spalding’s Corner, Fall 2007).
• There area two gears for the intermediate gear, which means this is a 2-speed engine – an option.
Family Farm
I am 70 years old and the fourth generation living on the Michel family farm, settled by my great-grandparents in 1867. My father, Albert Michel (1899-1968), was a stationary engineer. He started running traction engines for threshing and sawmill work back in the 1920s and owned various engines in his lifetime. One such engine, a 20-22 HP John Goodison, purchased by my father the year I was born in 1936, is still owned by us and on the farm to this date.
In the early 1960s, we picked up a number of other engines to keep them in our area. We also have two Waterloos on the farm; hence that is why I was able to identify the mystery engine. I also have an original Waterloo catalog dated 1916, which I referred to.
In addition, I have sent along two photos taken in 1924 using a Waterloo for threshing in the Petawawa, Ontario, area and operated by my father, but owned by Fred Burger who lived on the farm next to us. Included is a third photo of another Waterloo taken in September 1930 of an 18-20 HP. It was also owned by Fred. The men in the photo are unknown. This engine, after sitting idle for a number of years, was purchased by my father around 1948 and sold to a contractor working on the construction of a large hydro dam being built on the Ottawa River about 40 miles upstream from Petawawa. That was the last we ever saw or heard about the engine.
Contact steam enthusiast Bert Michel at R.R. 1, 590 Black Bay Road, Petawawa, ONT Canada K8H 2W8.
The Waterloo Standard 18 Horsepower Traction Engine
Built to conform with the rigid Government Specifications of all the Provinces of Canada.
Governmental Steam Allowance, 175 Pounds
Specifications
• Boiler barrel – 30 inches in diameter, 5/16-inch in thickness
• Longitudinal seam – triple riveted lap
• Firebox – length 38 inches, width 26-1/4 inches, depth 36 inches
• Grate area – 6.85 square feet
• Stay bolts – 7/8-inch diameter
• Tubes – 41 in number, 2 inches in diameter, 84 inches long
• Heating surface – 187 square feet
• Working pressure – 170 pounds per square inch
• Cylinder – 8-1/2 inches in diameter, stroke 10 inches
• Crankshaft – 2-7/8 inches in diameter
• Flywheel – 40 inches in diameter, 11-inch face
• Revolutions – 230 per minute
• Front wheels – 44 inches in diameter, 10 inches wide
• Rear wheels – 66 inches in diameter, 16 inches wide
• Traction speed – 2.75 MPH
• Shipping weight – 17,000 pounds
Standard Equipment
Jacket on barrel and wagon top, platform fitted with steel water tank, wooden supply and toolbox and patent coupler, Ham headlight, oil pump, lubricator, two Penberthy injectors, pop safety valve, steam gauge, whistle Gardner wide-range governor, blower cock, water gauge, all necessary cocks, valves, oilers, injectors hose, oil can wrenches, flue cleaner, poker and scraper.
(The) 16 HP tractions are built according to above specifications excepting tubes are 70 inches long, cylinder 8 inches in diameter, rear wheels 60 inches in diameter.
– From a 1916 Ontario Catalogue of High-Class Waterloo Threshing Machinery catalog.
Waterloo Portable Engines
Waterloo portable engines are regularly built in 12, 14 and 16 HP sizes. Larger portable engine are only built to special order. These engines are especially adapted for running portable sawmills, ordinary sized threshing outfits or for any other farm use. The material used in the construction of them is of the same high standard as used in our traction engines, and in the mechanical construction they are given the same attention and are in every detail as well built as any of our tractions.
In design and finish they are excelled by none. For power and durability they surpass all rivalry. They are very economical on fuel and water, built for burning wood or coal. They do not require an expert to operate. They are sufficiently light so as to be easily handled by a team of horses and are particularly adapted for rough country. For winter transportation they are easily mounted on sleighs; rear axle hub castings which bolt to the runners can be supplied for the purpose if desired.
They are fitted out with the best accessory parts such as governor, lubricator, steam gauge, two injectors, a perfectly balanced disc, etc. They are carefully worked out in every detail, with the idea of making a simple, plain and serviceable engine that with proper care should give years of service without expense.
– From a 1916 Ontario Catalogue of High-Class Waterloo Threshing Machinery catalog.
