Big Steam

This magnificent contraption was made by the American LaFrance Fire Engine Co., Elmira, NY. Boiler is a Fox sectional water tube type with a working pressure of 100 - 120 psi. Fuel is soft coal. The engine is a 2 cylinder, double high pressure, double acting steam engine set a 90 degrees. It operates 2 double acting high pressure water pumps. The pumper will deliver 600 gallons per minute at 140 to 160 psi. This 7 ton apparatus would be pulled by a team of three large well trained horses. 

"Earthquake"

Our fifteen-ton Monarch steam roller is named "Earthquake." We jokingly refer to her as a retiree from the "Old Friends Ancient Road Traction Co." (I'll let you figure out the rather obvious symbolism). During her working career in Hudson New York (which ran from 1911 until 1959), our baby burned soft coal. Today, however, if it burns (wood, coal, leftover bagels -- whatever), Earthquake eats it.   

Some fascinating statistics.  Boiler: locomotive type (horizontal fire-tube). Engine: two-cylinder at 90 degrees, double high-pressure (8"& 8"X 11"), double-acting -- producing about 75 hp at 125 psi. Makeup water: 600 gal. A constant speed is maintained by a fly-ball governor. The machine is capable of making about ten mph. 

On several occasions Earthquake has journeyed the two or three miles (under her own steam) to the town center and participated in the annual Guilford Fair Parade. While rumbling along, the roller's astonishing weight is capable of flattening about anything -- cars tend to give us a wide berth. 

Case in point: one time we were trying to get rid of a big old computer, so we put it out with the trash. The trash guy would come and go and the computer would still be there. Earthquake to the rescue! After running the computer over, we swept up the remnants and the next time the trash guy showed up, it was gone. 

Moral of the story: A little 19th-Century technology can go a long way in solving some perplexing 21st-Century problems. 

As found