Eureka- they thought they found it

[loggah]

Its a little hard to read but Eureka is painted on the back of the cab.Well back in the 1890's the Akeley  Lumber co. of Akeley Minn.  thought they had found it !!! They decided to build a steam log hauler. It consisted of a steam engine mounted on 2 sleds the front sled steerable from inside the cab. They had two sets of 2 driven wheels ,2 wheels front ,and 2 wheels back. The wheels were set up like a Crimean wheel with pads around the rim as they came to the ground excentric links made 2 pads hit the ground the same time giving it more surface area  for traction. I believe it worked a bit on down grades or absolutely flat ground,but wasn't the success they hoped . Heres a cabinet photo  of the beast!!!

[mad murdock]

Thanks for posting loggah, that is a real neat photo!  I am always amazed at the stuff they came up with back in the day to get the wood out!

[loggah]

It must have been one beast to try and use ,it had to be incredibly hot in that  cab!! ;D Don

[SPIKER]

Wonder what they did for wood in that beast?  Shove a log in on a self feeder one log to the mile? :D 8) : :D

Mark

[clww]

Amazing machinery they worked with way back when.
Great pictures as always.

[beenthere]

Wonder what they did for wood in that beast

Why, they were pullin the firewood right along behind. This was prolly on the return trip out to get some more. ;)

[gjersy]

I wonder if it out performed horses, day in and day out? Neat old machine!

[loggah]

I believe it only made a few trips, basically not to successful . I don't know if they were using wood or coal in the boiler. Don

[Al_Smith]

That thing might prove to be a little shakey on hill ground .If the crown sheet got exposed it in fact would shake the ground for miles around when it blew into a million pieces .

I'd about bet it was wood fired .

[pineywoods]

Whoever built that monster was more than a little familiar with a mississippi river steam boat. Maybe that's what it actually was.  ;D It looks almost exactly like some of the smaller paddle wheelers that used to ply the smaller rivers and bayous of the south..

[Al_Smith]

I addition to the fuel that thing would burn up it would take a bunch of water .They'd have to have a half dozen teams of horses just hauling water to keep that big old contraption moving .

[loggah]

I believe that boiler has a condenser tank on the roof,so it will retrieve some of its water from the steam. I know the old steam Lombards need a supply every 8-10 miles. Don

[Al_Smith]

 That would make sense with the condenser especially in cold weather .Although a lot of those old steamers exhausted the steam out the smoke stack which increased the draft on the fire box .

[loggah]

Al, Those steamers really make stack music when there under a load with that steam  going up the stack.

[Al_Smith]

I've never seen a logging engine but I've seen some big case and Russel steamers under power.That pressure will rise when it really gets to huffing .Fact I saw a big Russel pull an 8"  flat belt into on a Baker fan .The engineer had it over fired and it was lifting the relief before he turned it loose plus he held down the ball weight governer. Probabley not a good thing to do .Might have turned out bad .

[Ianab]

Just wondering why it didn't work?

I mean engine power and torque simply relates to gearing. You can pull practically anything if you gear the drive down enough, just you wont pull it very fast.

Or traction? Maybe it just skidded on the snow and didn't go any place?

Or stability / manoeuvrability? Maybe it was just impossible to drive and steer?

I mean there were plenty of steam powered log haulers built and used, some on rails, some free running like a traction engine. They seemed to work, so I just wonder what they got wrong?

Ian

[loggah]

The weight of the machine was on the skis, the only weight on the drive wheels was the wheels ,and support beams and drive chain, they kind of floated on the terrain. Basically a lack of traction. Al i have worked around steam logging locomotives under power,pushing 4 and 5 railcars full of tourists. A 50 ton 2 truck  Climax,And a 27 ton 2 truck Heisler, they really talk going up a 5%-6% grade  pushing a couple hundred tons !! ;D ;D

[Al_Smith]

After I got out of high school I worked as a welder at the place that made the geared Shay locomotves .Much before I worked there though .

I 've seen them under power at the Cass scenic railroad in Cass W Va .In fact I deer hunted in that same area once .

I helped set the one up in this link for static display .http://www.remarkableohio.org/HistoricalMarker.aspx?historicalMarkerId=544&fileId=109400

[loggah]

Those Lima Shays were quite a locomotives,my buddys got one also ,but it would require a brand new boiler to pass inspection. one of the problems they had was snow building up in the gears because of no clearance by the rails.

[Al_Smith]

The boiler is shot on that one I put the link to also .I can't exactly remember the history but it was acquired for 10 grand and weighs about 50 tons with the tender .It came with about two semis full of parts which were sold to the Cass scenic railroad to help defray the cost .

The engine was free though because we rolled it with a big air compresser with the drive shafts disconnected and blew a bunch of oil into the cylinders in hopes of preserving it .Most likely a wasted effort because it's unlkely it would ever be under steam again .

That locomotive was originally in service for Tioga lumber in West Virginnia .1905 if memory serves correct .

BTW that little town I grew up in Harrod Ohio was originally a track station where they picked up oak ties from a local mill owned by one Mr. Harrod .