I took a road trip with a few buddies over the weekend to the 'Roots of Motive Power' festival in northern logging country of Willits, California. The event is modestly touted as a major gathering of early steam-powered machinery, with the main attra... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
First thing they used to do with a new helper was send him around the corner for a "bucket of steam"....Bigelow boilers were made just down the road.
I noticed a post a while back where one of the HAMB moderators said, "90% of the HAMB posts are not about traditional hotrods or customs."
sounds like a fun show. it's interesting to see the way they used to do things. at a car show over the weekend there was a bunch of the old hit-and miss powered pumps and whatnot, and there was also a vintage small engine club there with old gas powered engines doing different things.
The early inventors who came up with the principle of using steam as a power source were truly amazing. It is incredible to see the true power that steam can produce. The early steam automobiles were fast, pretty elaborate, and made incredible torque, but were very dangerous to an unskilled operator. The construction equipment is much the same, but on a much larger scale. I would have loved to see that big steam shovel in operation. I'm a big fan of seeing "old" things in operating condition. I love the reference to the old children's book, "Mike Mulligan and Mary Ann the Steam Shovel". One of my favorite books when I was a kid.
I wholeheartedly agree! Very cool stuff! Any time I've experienced watching things like this in motion it seems so surreal. These sorts of things always mesmerize me!
Just figured you guys were tired of hearing about Ryan's 65 Buick Riviera obsession... Seriously though, I try to find unique inspiration to post about sometimes, just to break up 365 posts a year on cars.
You know, collectively, I think we are the group that will become the caretakers of all that older machinery that a isn't a "hotrod" or "custom". Who else understands how they work, can make parts, fix them and operate them?
We have a big steam engine and tractor show outside Springfield, MO every September. Awesome to see the ingenuity and "technology" of that time!
There is a really cool show this fall in Fredinia, Ks called "Old Iron Days" that cas a whole line of giant hit and miss engines running various equip. They also have several small ones as well as a bunch of flat belt driven farm machinery that they actually use to show how they operate. Its really cool if you ask me.
Yep!! If you can't appreciate cool old machinery, and even more important, the HISTORY of stuff like this, Then I question your p***ion for anything traditional, even hotrods and customs. I love this old stuff. Thanks for the vids Jive Bomber!
100% agree. I think this is what I was trying to say, you just did it a lot better Who's up for steam shovel races??
What does steam shoveling have to do with the H.A.M.B? Nothing! I ***ume the H.A.M.B rules don't apply to certain H.A.M.B members.
Very neat Jay!!! If anyone lives in Kansas area, this is a cool event this weekend north of Lawrence, Kansas. http://www.mclouththreshingbee.com/index.html And this is at the end of the month in Fort Scott, KS. TONS of steam powered motors. http://www.pioneerharvestfiesta.org/ Chris Nelson Kansas
To see things in their connection to hot rods try to remember that the use of steam power allowed the factory to move away from the riverside, and coloser to the source of what was being worked, and closer to the worker. Steam is also the foundation of the industrial revolution, out of which came (a**** other things) cars. Out of which came hot rods. Look up one of these old power events and attend. Listen to an ideling steam engine. The feed water pumps and air compressers working make a living breathing thing.
Now that's funny!!! Think what I like most about the old stuff (I work on trolleys) is you can really see how change happens. Make is lighter & faster (want to race?) and maybe better. Oh wait, that's hot rodding..... Thanks for the videos. The line drawing is great but nothing like seeing machinery in action!
When I see one of those big modern machines I still tend to call it a steam shovel.... my son corrects me and says today it's an excavator....
Thanks for sharing. The videos are great. I love old running and operating machinery. Just like with old hot rods; the sites, the sounds and even the smells, it's the closest you can come to having a time machine. I'll never stop loving it.
Steam shovels built the Panama C****. I think they were the earliest earth mover. I also saw one in operation many years ago, the early machinery didn't have hydraulics yet, The little 2 cyl. steam engine works the rack and pinion on the shovel. so cool. Steam Locomotives had all steam accessories also.Steam turbo generators for electric, steam piston air compressors, steam stoker engines.steam jets to spread coal in the firebox, steam water pumps, steam injectors to get water in the boiler etc. Ago
This "Old Girl" was obsolete technology and digging a hole somewhere as the New Fangled Deuce hit the road; cool! Is it very loud?
These machines are amazing. We found the remains of one snowmobiling in UP Michigan at the old Hiawatha mine in Caspian.
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