Weekend Steam: Back To The Beginning Of Steam On The Farm

I don't know if Westinghouse was the first engine built for farm use, but I think it is the first to come into general distribution and use.  This one is from 1881, and you will probably never see one at a show.  Boilers have to be built to certain specs and be inspected for public shows, and a boiler from the 1880's is not going to make the inspectors happy.  Click this video over to YouTube and you can see that the owners are confident of the boiler at low pressure for private showings, but they do not plan to make it meet current specs.  It would require a new boiler to do that, and this one is good enough for private runs.

Most of the early portable and traction engines did not survive because of advancements in technology.  The air stackers of later threshing machines required more horsepower, so early traction engines became obsolete overnight.  Boilers were another subject.  There were many bad boiler designs in the early years and boiler explosions were common at sawmills and threshing sites.  If you have been looking at steam engine magazines for the last fifty-something years, you know what I am talking about.

The Westinghouse engines are remarkable because they pushed the Industrial Revolution onto the farm.  There are a few survivors because they were a solid design.  Henry Ford liked them, and maybe they were part of his inspiration.


Many Thanks to Merle for spotting this video for our enjoyment!