A locally-owned, 1915 Frick Steam Traction Engine, at the 2015 Canadaigua Pageant of Steam. Includes some history of the machine, and a pulling demonstration at the end of the video.
A 900 HP steam engine isn't very loud. A multi-thousand horsepower steam engine can be VERY quiet. The difference is that this is steam driven, which has several advantages over gasoline or diesel. The main advantage is that the torque curve is completely different - you get full torque at almost no rotation at all. The engine is also reversible - no need for a transmission. Instead of "an explosion" with high pressures and shock, the maximum pressure is much lower (the pressure of the boiler). That's good for something like a vehicle - maximum torque when you need it (accelerating/starting) and easy reversing (there are reversible 2 stroke diesel engines). A gas or diesel engine needs to keep rotating and it's power curve peaks at a much higher RPM - so you need a clutch and transmission. (They're actually better for fixed plants like generators. That's why a hybrid or mo-gen setup is so much more efficient than the usual engine plus transmission.) A modern diesel or gas engine is more efficient, but they're also far more noisy because they have (in essence) explosions in the cylinder and much of that blast ends up going out through the exhaust rather than into torque on the crankshaft. If they could get expansion ratios a lot higher without also increasing the compression ratio, a 900 hp gas engine would be a lot quieter - more power to the crank rather than out the tailpipe. Comparing gasoline or diesel engines to steam is in a way comparing apples and oranges. They're both fruit, but...
No, its amazing how much power can come from steam, now, imagine the power out of super heated steam (full vapor gas). The expansion power is nuts, and the torque from it is insane.
That was the best tractor pull I have ever seen. I've been watching tractor pulls since the 70's my uncle had a steam-engine tractor. It was a big deal to stand on the back and feel power. It is smooth power that seems to keep chugging. Thanks for sharing.
1) Very cool how you know the entire history of the engine. 2) Loved how pulled the sled like it wasn't even there; Engine: "What? There's something behind me? Meh." LoL 3) Is it me, or are sled pulls just an excuse for everyone to bring out their toys and drive them around? :) Nice vid, thanks for sharing it!
The sleds are mostly to show off toys. The amount if torque in these beasts is amazing. Not much can stop them. Lots if torque, and weight to keep the wheels from spinning in the dirt.
Nice control on the throttle, opening up to much at the start when resistance from the sled is still low makes it using to much steam and dropping the boiler pressure. But the control showed here (keeping a steady slow pace) saves the boiler pressure for when its needed the most, the end stretch of the pull. More pressure is more torque!
Jerri Bruce , im glad to see it too . the engineering of the past century or so is amazing to me , i read about the case 150 was a huge land locomotive i was hooked after that
Nice video, especially with the included history of the vehicle. Unfortunately the video was partly ruined for me when the sound was muted and some stupid music was put on top of it when the tractor started to pull.
The steering is by the chains on the front axle, and the thing on the rear that looks like a clutch is a combination of a differential and a parking brake, they are both mounted in the same general area on the left wheel. Its a lot of fun to drive, and if all goes well will be steaming again soon.
I met Jim at his antique store in Owego. He is a great guy concerned with preserving history. I am an art school trained photographer and I bought a 4x5 pinhole camera from him that day. He was so happy that I was still shooting film that he offered me to come to his house and shoot images of this very tractor. We need more Jim Meade in this world!!! I thought my 1964 International tractor was old before I met him :)
It gets pulling power from having incredible torque numbers. Basically it is geared insanely low so that 65hp is thousands of lbft. It's so heavy it can put the power down no problem. So the formula is massive torque and unlimited traction.
The gears connecting the engine shaft to the axle provide a gear reduction. There is also a differential on the left side wheel. Steam has truely phenomenal torque though, and the boiler makes it so heavy that it sticks to the earth in all but the worst of conditions. If it wanted to it could drag a power-comparable modern tractor backwards slinging mud the whole way.
Kgw100 It's an external combustion engine, as opposed to an internal combustion engine like a gas or diesel. The power is made by heating water into pressurized steam, and then that steam is released in a way that drives a piston to make power. Keep in mind that the piston makes power on every single stroke. The valve opens on one side and the steam pushes the piston one way, then that valve closes and the valve on the other side opens and the steam pushes the piston the other way. A diesel or gas engine only makes power every 4th stroke.
She'd have taken it loaded without issue. Steam clings to the ground incredibly well, and it all comes down to how skilled the driver is at handling the engine's timing and chest pressure.
renegadeoflife87 I have seen the sleds spin out the steamers, even some big 100hp Case jobs. Just like the steam locos they would usually rather spin out than be choked just so much torque.
For sure. It is plenty possible for a steamer to lose its feet just like a diesel would. But the mass on the drivewheels is so great that its pretty rare to see in traction engines. Locomotives have a lower coefficient of friction, and a great deal more tonnage on the drawbar. So they'll slip somewhat easier, especially if the rails are wet or the engineer is too eager on the throttle.
The only trees anywhere near Lucas, Kansas are in someone's yard! LOL! Lots of wheat though. I'm sure it was belted to a thresh machine, or possibly a plow. The soil there is light.
I feel like it would be more interesting it the chains weren't pulling the weight of the sled up (ie were flat and level) and the weight block was at the end of the sled before the end of the run,.. but what ever
Steam 'POWER' -- Make no mistake of it -- 'The MUSCLE is still there. A powerhouse from the 'PRAIRIE to the LUMBER MILL' -- and nearly everything in between.
I used to attend the Canadaigua steam show every year with my dad before he passed away. We used to take our little hit and miss to show off, it was used back in the old days to run a washing machine, wood saw, water pump and later a generator so my great-grandmother could listen to her radio. The tractor pull was always the most boring thing you ever saw. Hardly any noise, no massive 1000hp nitro powered engines blowing up, just a 20hp to 100hp steam tractor leisurely pulling the weight and doing it's job. Much more fun was a tractor hooked up to the sawmill!
I have tons of sawmill video, if I ever get around to editing it... I agree, the sawmill is fascinating! I never get tired of watching the old steam engines running it.
these things are great. growing up we went to a show every year that a whole bunch of these, big and small. some even bigger than this one. I'm pretty sure most of those were baker but it's been a while. I actually got to operate one and plow a field with it. really cool. as long as you have traction the thing is unstoppable
I don't know. Perhaps someone else can answer that question. I know they will pull an 8-bottom plow without breaking much of a sweat. I suppose someone could do a rough calculation... I am interested in these old machines, but not an expert on them. I believe the steam pressure runs in the 125-150 PSI range. For a 10" diameter piston, the surface area would be about 78 square inches. At 150 PSI, that would be about 11,700 pounds of force pushing on the piston. I don't know what the overall gearing ratio is between the crankshaft and the wheels... but that seems like a lot of force to start out with..
guys im fricking out here. theres Henry Clay Frick and then theres George Frick. what the frick does this engine have to do this frick? wtf! WHAT THE FRICK????
I wonder though if someone came up with the "steam" engine today and what it would be called... Probably not steam engine, a coal engine most likely... anyway as always "steam" engines are awesome!
Those things are going to last another100 + years even though it was built in the late 1800s early 1900s, I will bet any money that the new ones from today, they may be fancy and lots of extras won't even last 30 years
I’m from Kansas not that far from Lucas I know where there’s are 6 of these babies the old man is restoring them all one at a time they’re are amazing machines
