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)
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.