150 Case steam tractor and pulling a 44 bottom plow at threshing bee

[hpman66]

 

[WAYNO]

This is incredible! Having worked in a paper mill for 38+ years, I go back far enough to when paper machines were steam powered. Steam has no limits! Thanks.

 

[Mobuck]

I wouldn't stand within 100 yards of that machine under full load. Decades back, we attended a World Plowing Match and there was a much smaller version pulling 12-15 bottoms. The day after we were there, the steam engine blew up during a display run.

 

[contender]

Incredible for sure.

Such machines are what helped build the REAL America. Yes,, steam engines could be dangerous,,, but they also are workhorses when it comes to their abilities. I've seen several smaller steam powered machines,, and find them fascinating.

True farmers too riding the plows. I had to chuckle at the fact that all of them but one gentleman were in bib overalls. And he appeared to be Amish,, and had suspenders on his pants.

 

[gunzo]

The steam engines that run at public shows now have to be inspected & certified by licensed boiler inspectors . That doesn't mean they still can't blow, but much safer now than somebody just dragging an old one out a junk pile, getting it running, & taking it out in public.

Otherwise, an awesome display of power.

 

[Rum River]

I really enjoyed that!

 

[hpman66]

 

[bedfordboy]

This is incredible! Having worked in a paper mill for 38+ years, I go back far enough to when paper machines were steam powered. Steam has no limits! Thanks.

Getting ready for a two week paper mill shutdown starting next week, the mill is 130+ years old and our #1PM was built around 1900, #3PM in the late 50's (same as me) #4PM mid 90's. One of the powerhouse boilers is fired by wood refuse and is pretty much a massive locomotive engine. Spent a couple nights on the Queen Mary some years back, the engine room was fascinating. My grandfather worked the Bluefield to Norfolk mail route for N&W back in the steam era, guess that is where I got my love for steam engines from.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Getting ready for a two week paper mill shutdown starting next week, the mill is 130+ years old and our #1PM was built around 1900, #3PM in the late 50's (same as me) #4PM mid 90's. One of the powerhouse boilers is fired by wood refuse and is pretty much a massive locomotive engine. Spent a couple nights on the Queen Mary some years back, the engine room was fascinating. My grandfather worked the Bluefield to Norfolk mail route for N&W back in the steam era, guess that is where I got my love for steam engines from.

AHHHH yea the bark boilers are great but the Black Liquor Boiler can cause a weee bit of a problem.
While I was working on a BLB in Crossett AR it came real close to blowing.
I'm not an operator so don't have a clue as to what took place. It cleared everyone out of the building in a hurry.

 

[Papalote]

The old high school I went to had a boiler for heating the classrooms. Every so often the horn would blow and red lights would come on. That meant evacuate the building and stand out in the cold until the pressure issue was solved. Fun times back then.

 

[turd]

Those dang South Dakotans - don't say much, just tend to get things done.

 

[t-reg]

8000 ft/lb torque

 

[Watertender]

I wouldn't stand within 100 yards of that machine under full load. Decades back, we attended a World Plowing Match and there was a much smaller version pulling 12-15 bottoms. The day after we were there, the steam engine blew up during a display run.

The steam engines that run at public shows now have to be inspected & certified by licensed boiler inspectors . That doesn't mean they still can't blow, but much safer now than somebody just dragging an old one out a junk pile, getting it running, & taking it out in public.

Otherwise, an awesome display of power.

In response to both of you, most boiler explosions are caused by operator error and lack of maintenance. Steam tractors are safe if they have a competent engineer and or fireman. The most common cause of an explosion in a steam tractor is running the boiler water low which exposes and heats the crown sheet to a red hot condition. The expansion rate of water to steam is a factor of 1600. The safety valves cannot relieve the pressure fast enough so the boiler will rapidly disassemble itself when water is pumped back into the boiler. Steam tractors should have fusible plugs in the firebox that will melt under a low water condition. Most marine and stationary boilers have multiple interlocking safety systems to protect the equipment and people in the area of boiler. The Case 150 is built of modern materials and has been taken care of from the time it was built. Many old steam engines were not properly maintained and they used any water that they could get to run them. As I am writing this I am operating 2 500 horsepower boilers that I check several times an hour. The water is tested daily by me and I adjust the blow down and chemical rates accordingly. Good maintenance does not cost, it pays...

 

[gunzo]

Great info Watertender!

But the shows in my area did stop the running of steam machines for a time. I do know that later the machines got inspected. But you made a good point about the operator. Maybe they got trained as well ?? I do know steam machines got barred for a few years,,,, Ohio Valley Antique Machinery Show. But happily, they came back.

 

[gunzo]

Watertender, what is your opinion of this concept? It spins my mind.

 

[Watertender]

Gunzo, that thing is what is referred to as "Steampunk" which is science fiction set in the Victorian Era. Think 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or The Wild, Wild West or the new Sherlock Holmes movies.
The steam engine that blew up at the fair in Ohio was a compounded bunch of things that became deadly. Metal fatigue and thinning along with improper repairs and operator error contributed to the explosion. The steam gauge was off by 25psi, the safety valves were supposed to lift at 125psi and it took over 200psi to lift them. The crown sheet was supposed to be .375" thick and was actually .087". The crown sheet was exposed and when water came in contact with it the explosion occurred. I have had many boilers inspected in my life and have always been 100% honest with the inspectors. If there is a problem I bring it to his attention and have no problem calling him if the facility wants to run deficient equipment. I retired as Chief Engineer and am currently working as a 1st Class Engineer at a hospital. The plant I was Chief of had 7200 horsepower of boilers at 150psi and 11000 horsepower of diesel generators. That was a lot of responsibility and when I retired it took 3 people to replace me. I take being a good Engineer very seriously.

 

[jspick]

Having run steam engines I must say they are incredible. I truely miss those days.
A steam engine must be inspected before running in any state now. They must be ultra sound tested to see if there are any thin spots due to rust in the boiler. And then they must be hydro tested to 125% of operating pressure. If a boiler blows up now it is due to the operator letting the water level get below the top of the fire box, the crown sheet. Then the metal has to over heat and melt. Then the boiler blows up. Steam is truely a incredible form of power. I miss the smell of coal smoke.

 

[Watertender]

Having run steam engines I must say they are incredible. I truely miss those days.
Steam is truely a incredible form of power. I miss the smell of coal

I fully concur and agree about the proper inspection of steam equipment. I have run steam compressors, engines and turbines. A properly fired coal boiler makes little smoke. I cringe when I see great clouds of black smoke rolling out of the stack on a locomotive or steam engine. Smoke like that is done to put on a show in many cases. If you have your draft set correctly and your fuel bed even there is a light grey haze coming from the stack. You will get a puff or two of smoke as you add coal when the fines burn off but the fire should be glowing with small licks of orange and blue shimmering on the surface. I love the way the 150 "talks" as the plow bottoms are lowered. It's amazing what a single 14 inch duplex cylinder with a 14 inch stroke can do. That is raw power in its purest form.

 

[jspick]

For the most part you are correct about the smoke. When you are starting out on a steam locomotive smoke is necessary or the engineer will blow your fire out the stack. If you ever have seen the movie Geronimo at the end of the movie, or Broken Trail at the very beginning. There is nothing but black heavy smoke. That is what the director wanted. The amount of coal in the firebox was close to 10" deep and the fire was being smothered. When we backed to where we started I had to drop most of the fire in the firebox onto the tracks and build up my fire again. In the movie A River Runs Through It we made 5 runs from Livingston to the top of Bozeman Hill. If I remember right it was over a 4% grade. Very little smoke. But I kept a feather on her back and was running at 202 to 203lbs of steam pressure. A nice even fire is a art as well as a science. The best, cleanest coal I have ever used is from Roundup, MT.

 

[Watertender]

Interesting tidbit of information concerning steam engines and boilers.... Cap Garland from the Little House on the Prarie books was killed by a boiler explosion while threshing grain in November of 1891 in South Dakota. He was 26 years old...