Traction Engine and Farm Machines

[redhorse]

Looking good as usual. Must be nice to have your daughter back with you!

[Art Deco]

Very cool, Lala! You have such a wide taste in models, from warships and warplanes to architecture and traction engines!

I think those raised parts on the iron wheels are called "cleats".

Can't wait to see how this one comes out!

[Art Deco]

I love traction engines! As a boy growing up in Iowa, I sometimes saw them operating at "threshing festivals".

I was always under the impression that the main reason they were replaced by internal combustion machines is because the steam engines, so massive and thunderously powerful in appearance, were actually inefficient and not all that strong. I was very wrong about that. Recently I was enjoying some videos of traction engines on YouTube and found this awesome demonstration of power.

The video is from the 2008 annual Dorset Steam Fair. For the highlight of the show they used a big diesel semi-tractor with a large six-axle heavy-duty flatbed trailer. On top of the truck's trailer they loaded a huge steam railroad locomotive. The semi, trailer and locomotive together weighed 145 tons.

Then they hitched the entire rig behind a 1919 traction engine named "Boadicea". Boadicea easily tows the entire 145-ton rig.

At about 1/3 steam pressure.

With the throttle barely open.

U P H I L L.

In the video it sounds like the steam engine is almost dying, but that's because the driver could barely open the throttle. As you can see, if he opened it even a bit more, the wheels started spinning (they had smooth rubber treads instead of cleats).

It's estimated that at full steam pressure, with an open throttle, this engine could tow nearly 400 tons uphill - running on a tank of water and a couple baskets of coal. What amazing technology!

.

[shrike]

At an Old Thresher's Meet in Mt Pleasant Iowa(my grandfather's home for his last 30yrs) I saw a great demonstration of the sheer power of steam. Circa 1980

The John Deere dealer brought a brand new 8850 (4wd 955cid (15.6l)) tractor with all the options and, to show it off, they hooked it up drawbar to drawbar with a smallish traction engine.
The Deere started pulling, all four wheels digging in and pulled the steamer about 10 feet. The driver of the traction engine opened the the throttle a crack and gently pulled the new machine backwards 20 feet.
The driver of the Deere put his foot into it, dirt started flying a little and he made back his initial gain.
The Steam Man cracked his throttle a little bit more and back they went.

After a few more rounds of this the driver of the brand new tractor lost patience and any sense of discretion or self(tractor) preservation and redlined the huge V8.

The Steam Man opened the throttle a touch more and there was a tremendous horrid crash and scream and bang and thump, then silence. He waved politely at the cheering crowd as he dragged the wreckage of a brand new tractor- transmission shattered, engine seized, all four wheels locked immobile -smoothly out of the arena.

Reciprocating team engines are really very efficient provided a sufficient source of CLEAN water (if you won't drink it don't put it in your boiler), but they are very maintainence intensive. That's why they faded from service.

[Royaloakmin]

Shrike is right, the maintenance cost killed steam. That's why the railroads dieselized so quickly.

The only large scale steam traction engine I know is from HS Design. It would be nice to have a circa 1890 Case in 1/25th!

[murphyaa]

I always remember the comparison I read once that a Big Boy locomotive could pull a mile long 100 car train without any problems.

They don't pull mile long trains anymore, because the Railroad companies aren't allowed to have more than 36 drive axles in a locomotive consist.

[dansls1]

I know when we drove out west for our honeymoon a few years ago, we passed some really long trains coming home. It was in nebraska, and I'd watch the odometer and it'd turn over a mile for some of them - with me travelling 75-80 and the train travelling whatever speed in the opposite direction. (When I was a youth I could have estimated a length in my head but learning calculus cancels most basic mathematical abilities...)

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I work a little more here between yesterday and today. I have less time now some. But I finish one big wheel, and I start to glue parts to the Engine sides. I make some very fine pice like steering rod from wire although the model it says to make from bristle from brush. I have to make TINY 1.5mm piece that goes from the chimney to the box on the boiler! I make that from black inked wood slice.



The wheels have MANY part!

[Don Boose]

The road wheel turned out very well, Lala. This is going to be a good-looking engine.

Don

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I have now had to start to fabricate parts. On the little drawing they say to make from match stick, broom bristle, and string. I have looked some at photos of real engine to see how some details go. I find a couple mistakes on the model as for the printed detail. There is part of a valve on the top of the boiler with a big "F" print there. "F" should be on another side not the out side. So I cut that away and make a new side from all black paper. Also, and this is hard to describe, but on the front of the body where the boiler sticks out from the wall, there is no detail on that wall. But on the back inside the tractor there is a wall with printed detail... that detail it should be on the front around the boiler. It is where a piston go into the body from atop the boiler. Also the area on the top of the body that is printed with white and black detail, that should all be open to see gears and pistons and shaft inside.

But I have made this from wood I make round and then ink black and green... I am sorry for the rough look but it is mostly due to the large photo. There is some scrap of grey paper sitting on the side not a mark there. THe piston from the top of the boiler to the body it is only a wood splinter maybe 3mm long and the one in front is less than 2mm. These are very hard to fix.