Re: Why did steam tractors die out?

Posted by The Dukester on February 21, 2003 at 11:14:18 from (65.89.18.201):

In Reply to: Why did steam tractors die out? posted by Gary The Rookie Farmer on February 16, 2003 at 13:43:37:

Truth is, steam tractors(traction engines) are not especially good(efficient is the word, I guess) drawbar tractors, being so Ungodly heavy, they use an exceedingly high percantage of their power just to keep themselves moving. Witness the power ratings of several of the more popular models; Case 32-110, 25-90 and 9-30, then the Port Huron 24-90 and 32-100 and the 40-140 Rumely to mention a few. True, you see them at shows pulling 8 or 10 bottom plows(the big engines), but watch closely when they're going up a hill of any size, if the plows stay in the ground, the engine often slows and the plows have to be "cheated up" a little to keep the old steamer going. look at the gearing those old girls had--pretty primitive huh? The first heavy gas tractors had similar problems, they were way heavy for the power to the drawbar they had. Russell steamers seem to have the best pulling ability, I've seen some of them pull their front wheels up a little and keep chugging along. A rare example of good balance and steady power. In the 30's and 40's even the English had some great "road locomotives" pulling their circus show trains. These engines were designed with pulling in mind with quite sophisticated gear trains and hard rubber road tyres.

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