Purpose of a traction engine

[jefelectric]

Here is another site with lots of pictures for those interested.  Lancaster County, PA is a hotbed of interest in these old steamers.

http://www.roughandtumble.org/rt_photos.asp

[Anonymous]

Is this what you saw?

http://www.nrm.org.uk/collections/loco/stirlingsingle.asp

It's an old British passenger-locomotive type with a single pair of driving wheels, called, logically enough, a "single".

 

I am afraid not. The traction engine was displayed in the Science Museum and Library right down the street from the V&A in Kensington. Very cool engine, though.

[BDT in Minnesota]

Not really a big issue, but the traction engine I saw had information posted saying it could do rolling duty, hence my steamroller comment.

You are absolutely correct that a steam engine can be used for rolling duty. they were all heavy enough...       One steam roller that I know of was advertised as being convertable to a traction engine by replacing the front roller with a regular wheel...For traction work, however,in addition to changing the front wheel,  the rear wheels would be fitted with lug bars for traction...these lug bars, in turn,  could be unwelcome when returning to roller duty.  There were many small machine shops throughout the world that each built their own design, according to local needs and demands...   one that would be an eye grabber was built in Scotland in 1877...this creature had 14' rear drive wheels. the axel was level with the top of the boiler..

 

 

 John,,,,,Do they currently  require license plates on farm equipment in West Australia??   I still have some license plates I took off some used Ford tractors that were purchased in England and shipped to Minnesota in the 1970s..I enjoy chatting with you folks on the other side of the pond...there is much to be shared...

 

By the way, any of the items mentioned here will look great riding the rails on a flatcar.. I recently bought a metal toy road grader for $4.49 in a variety store....It is a perfect fit on a Lionel 6825 flatcar....Always looking for more ideas...BDT

 

[Anonymous]

Not really a big issue, but the traction engine I saw had information posted saying it could do rolling duty, hence my steamroller comment.

[lionelsoni]

I don't see anything.

[BDT in Minnesota]

To me, traction will mean only one thing... See below.

 

Doug,, that picture brings a smile every time I see it,,,,glad to see that colorful piece so well cared for,,,

[cnw1995]

To me, traction will mean only one thing... See below.

[BDT in Minnesota]

 hi BDT

A steam roller and a traction engine are two different machines.

A traction engine is a hauler of freight trailers ect often licenced for road use, and should not be confused with the farm engines or road works engines which had a way of powering other static machines via belts or chains

Which a traction engine which is just a mechanical horse could not they also often had rubber tyres which the others did not.

Showman's engines where a different beast yet again.

But all looked very similar from a distance

regards John

Hi John:  yes, a steam roller is a steam roller.......As for the others, the proper names could vary from area to area....In the USA, a portable steam engine that could supply power to it's own wheels was called a traction engine......Different engines were built for specific purposes... Some of the steamers were advertised as Road Locomotives, and even had a cab that resembled the railroad locomotives of the time.... This name designation could very well take on other meanings in Europe, where Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends are from.

One good reference good I can recommend is Floyd Clymer's Steam Traction Engines and Threshing Equipment No.1...copyrighted and published in 1949...... a good overview of American and Foreign engines is presented in this book.

[chuck]

I think that a "traction" engine just meant a steam "engine" that moved.  If it was on rails it was called a locomotive, aka a "special class" of traction engine.

[danrunner]

Thank you for all of the responses.  I'm getting the picture.  I knew I came to the right place.

 

Dan 

[John Busby]

 hi BDT

A steam roller and a traction engine are two different machines.

A traction engine is a hauler of freight trailers ect often licenced for road use, and should not be confused with the farm engines or road works engines which had a way of powering other static machines via belts or chains

Which a traction engine which is just a mechanical horse could not they also often had rubber tyres which the others did not.

Showman's engines where a different beast yet again.

But all looked very similar from a distance

regards John

[BDT in Minnesota]

Dan:   Steam traction engines,  in the past, have served several purposes throughout the world... One of the most common uses was for threshing grain, when paired up with a grain separator (commonly called a threshing machine)..the large flywheel on the engine would power a long drive belt, which would run the pulley on the separator......This same type of belt setup would be used to power saw mills or any other machine that needed engine power...The traction engines were also used for plowing fields and  pulling large wagons, as well as grader blades for road building projects...  They were clumbsy and slow, but very powerful...

A picture is worth a thousand words, so  www.rollag.com    will get you the website for the        Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion..........go to former exhibits, then traction engines.........

Rollag is also home to former Soo Line 0-6-0 #353...You are welcome to come out on Labor Day Weekend and ride the train and see some traction engines at work...There are also horse exhibits, old cars.....This  event goes for four days, and there is no way that you can see everything in four days...    

 Not to mention the miniatureland, several old railroad depots,,,and most important:: people who are willing to take the time to explain how things are done...

[lionelsoni]

Is this what you saw?

http://www.nrm.org.uk/collections/loco/stirlingsingle.asp

It's an old British passenger-locomotive type with a single pair of driving wheels, called, logically enough, a "single".

[Anonymous]

Those steamers with the big wheel on each side,  what are they designed for and what is so special about them?  I am curious as my daughter watched Thomas the Engine and saw one on the show.  Couldn't figure out their purpose, etc.  Any insights appreciated.

 

Dan 

 

I think they are basically old-fashioned tractors and/or steamrollers. There's a nice one in the British Science Museum in London.

Of course, in reality, they exist solely for badinage with Thomas.

[danrunner]

Those steamers with the big wheel on each side,  what are they designed for and what is so special about them?  I am curious as my daughter watched Thomas the Engine and saw one on the show.  Couldn't figure out their purpose, etc.  Any insights appreciated.

 

Dan