Steam Tractors

 

Year

Make/Model

Donated by:

1917

Nichols & Shepard

Ed and Aganetha Baerg

1916

Case

A. Krushel, Morden

Restored – 2004/05

1917

Sawyer - Massey

In operation till 2003

 

Operated by:  Licensed Steam Traction Engineers 

Annual Events where it runs:     -  Museum Heritage Day (June)

            -   Morden Corn & Apple Festival (Aug)

            -   Museum Reunion Days (Aug/Sept)

Other events:                    -  Haskett Homecoming (July 2007)

                                          -  Winkler Centennial in (Aug 2007)  

 

100 0482

 

PTM's 1916 Case Steam Tractor Restoration History 

1995          Steam tractor taken out of operation

Fall 2003    Volunteers spent approx. 50 hrs dismantling the steam tractor 

Feb 2004    Boiler shipped to Seaforth, Ontario for exact replica 

                 Engine shipped to Fargo, N. Dakota to be rebuilt 

Dec 2004    Reconstruction of the steam tractor began 

-  approx. 500 hours of volunteer labour 

                       -  approx. cost:  $60,000 

June 2005   First public appearance at the Pembina Threshermen's Museum (PTM)

                    "Heritage Day" event and has been the museum's mascot since 

June 2016   ‘Birthday Party’ held for the 100 year old antique ‘iron work horse’

 

Steam Tractors

Steam driven ploughs and threshing machines first appeared on the prairies  in the late 1880’s.  Steam traction engines were often too expensive for a single farmer to purchase, so threshing rings were often formed.  In a threshing ring, multiple farmers pooled their resources to purchase a steam tractor.  There were also threshing contractors who owned their own tractor and thresher and went to different farms, hiring themselves out to thresh again.  

The advantage of a steam-powered machine was that it could employ many different types of fuel.  Most steam tractors designed for agriculture used straw for fuel, although some burned wood or coal.  

The steam tractor was gradually phased out after World War I with the invention of the less expensive, lighter and faster starting internal combustion tractors.  By the 1920’s steam tractors were hardly being used.

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