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I went to the old threshers today in denton, NC and made a short clip. It was really neat.
Steam Shovel
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Hey, that's neat!
Thanks Tarheel.
Thanks Tarheel.
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7,473 Posts
Thanks for sharing with us. Nice old machine.
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I actually had a ride in the bucket of a steam shovel like that, when I was about 5 years old--they were building a new elementary school at the end of our formely dead end street in 1966,and they had all kinds of aincient equipment still being used by the contractor who got the contract to build the roads and the excavation work..
I recall being hoisted up about 20' in the air,and being "dumped" into a dump truck,sitting on top of a pile of gravel in the bucket..my dad was a good friend of the contractor,he did all the excavating for the local gas & electric company he worked at..
I bet OSHA would FREAK if they ever saw the rides we took on that thing and some of the road graders,and other equipment !!..I know my MOTHER flipped out when she saw us on the steam shovel!!..:hide: ..my dad got a tongue lashing the day she sneaked up to the construction site, to see what was taking us so long to get home for supper,and saw me and my brother in the steam shovel bucket!..she was like
..
I recall being hoisted up about 20' in the air,and being "dumped" into a dump truck,sitting on top of a pile of gravel in the bucket..my dad was a good friend of the contractor,he did all the excavating for the local gas & electric company he worked at..
I bet OSHA would FREAK if they ever saw the rides we took on that thing and some of the road graders,and other equipment !!..I know my MOTHER flipped out when she saw us on the steam shovel!!..:hide: ..my dad got a tongue lashing the day she sneaked up to the construction site, to see what was taking us so long to get home for supper,and saw me and my brother in the steam shovel bucket!..she was like
..The old shovels are fun to watch! Sometimes I am amazed when I think that things like the Panama Canal were built with that type of equipment.
I suppose, anything is better than throwing the dirt by hand into a wagon just so you could throw it off the wagon later that day.
Later,
Jerry Christiansen
I suppose, anything is better than throwing the dirt by hand into a wagon just so you could throw it off the wagon later that day.
Later,
Jerry Christiansen
Brings back memories. In 1969 they used an old steam shovel to haul gravel for a section of road they were building by the house. It did all right with a good operator in it.
The only problem they had was that they did not clean the overburden off the gravel very well. They could scoop gravel very well, and always fill the bucket, but often times the overburden would fall from above and it would be shoveled into the gravel. It did not seem like a big deal at the time, but now you can see where the spots of topsoil was put into the road as that is where it is breaking up. Of course 40 years as a road might be part of it too.
I love video...you get to see the old iron move and bring back memories like still photos can't.
The only problem they had was that they did not clean the overburden off the gravel very well. They could scoop gravel very well, and always fill the bucket, but often times the overburden would fall from above and it would be shoveled into the gravel. It did not seem like a big deal at the time, but now you can see where the spots of topsoil was put into the road as that is where it is breaking up. Of course 40 years as a road might be part of it too.
I love video...you get to see the old iron move and bring back memories like still photos can't.
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'Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel' was one of my favorite books as a kid.
Thanks! That's great - I'd love to see one work in person one day.
Thanks! That's great - I'd love to see one work in person one day.
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12,406 Posts
WOW, does THAT take me back!!! I was a machinery addict as a little kid and there were plenty of those working around then, most of 'em much bigger than that one. That one is a perfect "Maryann" size! Thanks for the video!!!!
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Never seen one of them in person yet. Thanks for the video!
Closest I seen to that as a kid was a 60's to early 70's model Bucyrus-Erie drag line with I think a Detroit Diesel. City dredged out the crick next to park across the street from home with it every summer or two back then. It made a little black smoke too when that grabbed on to something real solid with it. They also had a big ole CAT they drove in the crick. Wish I had pictures of them now as they must be long gone from the city barn.
Closest I seen to that as a kid was a 60's to early 70's model Bucyrus-Erie drag line with I think a Detroit Diesel. City dredged out the crick next to park across the street from home with it every summer or two back then. It made a little black smoke too when that grabbed on to something real solid with it.
They also had a big ole CAT they drove in the crick. Wish I had pictures of them now as they must be long gone from the city barn.
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:ditto: :thThumbsU
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We went to this steam show a couple of years ago. My grandson thought it was great 5 yrs old at that time. We was able to watch about 90% of all the machines work.
/www.donnan.com/steam-show.htm
Talked with a lady setting watching some of the shovels working and I asked her if anyone she knew had some of the equipment ,she replied her husband had several shovels there and he was running the one machine in front of us. When he sold his business and retired he paid to have the machines moved to this show (appx 60 miles away) .They were all working machines near Frostburg Md. He was close to 80 years old and came every year to run the shovels.
/www.donnan.com/steam-show.htm
Talked with a lady setting watching some of the shovels working and I asked her if anyone she knew had some of the equipment ,she replied her husband had several shovels there and he was running the one machine in front of us. When he sold his business and retired he paid to have the machines moved to this show (appx 60 miles away) .They were all working machines near Frostburg Md. He was close to 80 years old and came every year to run the shovels.
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So these shovels, how many people operate them?
Trains have several, someone to stoke the fire, the conductor, maybe even a third monitoring pressure and water level.
Do these shovels require two people to operate? Also how often did they have to restock fuel? Its not like they have a tender behind them.
Trains have several, someone to stoke the fire, the conductor, maybe even a third monitoring pressure and water level.
Do these shovels require two people to operate? Also how often did they have to restock fuel? Its not like they have a tender behind them.
I believe the steam shovels required two people to operate. One person was up front operating the levers that made the shovel work. The other (the fireman) was in the back maintaining fuel and water in the boiler.
When our shovels run at my local show I think they use a flexible hose that provides them with a continuous water supply.
Later,
Jerry Christiansen
When our shovels run at my local show I think they use a flexible hose that provides them with a continuous water supply.
Later,
Jerry Christiansen
Engineer, and fireman in the cab of a steam loco. In the mountains, you could have a second person to shovel coal forward or into the firebox. I prefer firing an oil burner over thinking about firing a coal burner. Headend brakeman could also be put to work moving coal.
Railroad steam wrecking cranes also take one man to operate and one man to maintain. That means fuel, water levels, and lube. And on a self propelled crane, you'll have to maintain air pumps too.
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