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2008 THEME

August 29 thru Sept 1 2008

Labour Day Weekend
At the 48th Annual Steam-Era
Milton Fairgrounds
Milton, Ontario, Canada

"The Evolution of the Tractor"

Showcasing

The development of the farm tractor and how they evolved from the earliest forms using pioneering gas and kerosene fueled motors.

"AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE"

 

See examples of adaptations many of the early manufactures used as they attempted to evolve from steam engine manufacturing to reliable gas tractors and gas engine manufactures tried to prototype new designs of the tractor.

Some of the earliest manufactures tried to copy the concept of the horse drawn equipment. Farmers were reluctant to change. Their horse drawn machinery had seats which they sat on to drive the horses. The tractors were designed around adapting to the horse drawn equipment. The new tractor was going to have to replace his old but reliable team of horses. A tough change for many but necessary to prosper as increasing demands had to be met.

 

Another early tractor dating pre 1915. Note the seat & general similarity to a horse drawn implement. The motor and drive wheels out front where the horses would have been.

 

Eventually design gave way to a rear platform for the farmer to stand on. Considerable effort was required to steer these early tractors. This one with the single front wheel was a feature intended to allow very tight maneuvering on corners. A feature offered by the team of horses but not many cumbersome early tractors.

 

Another example of an early model slowly giving way to design improvements. Better steering contro,l but with transverse motor (crossways). Transmission development was also in its infancy and a cross motor design lends its self better to straight cut gears.

 

Below is an example of a huge 35-75hp Minneapolis tractor built to service the western farm lands. Also utilizing the transverse motor and large straight cut open gears, large wheels and chain steering like its predecessor the steam traction engine. Many considered the traction engine to still be superior and would never replaced by the internal combustion gas engines. With there much more complicated, often hard or imposible to start massisve gas engines, it was not unheard of and comon to have to start one with a belt connected to another to turn the motor over. Oil & Water would have to be drained in colder weather and the oil brought inside to be kept warm for the next day to assist in making the cranking to start easier. Not a good way to start the day. There was no such thing as an electric starter yet.

 

Developments in design and modenization with electric starters, simple designs and priced affordably made small tractor like this Ford very popular. 3 point hitches and PTO's (power Take Off) to drive machinery was eventually encorporated to almost every manufactures designs.

Tractors such as this by the mid 1950's and on to 60's were on every farm with PTO driven implements.

 

COME TO STEAM ERA IN 2008 AND SEE THEM IN ACTION