Lombard Steam Log Hauler
Encyclopedia
The Lombard Steam Log Hauler, patented 29 May 1901, was the first successful commercial application of a continuous track for vehicle propulsion. The concept was later used for military tanks during World War I
and for agricultural tractors and construction equipment following the war.
equipment in Waterville, Maine
. He built 83 steam log haulers between 1901 and 1917. These log haulers resembled a saddle-tank steam locomotive
with a small platform in front of the boiler where the cow-catcher
might be expected. A steering wheel on the platform moved a large pair of ski
s beneath the platform. A set of tracked vehicle
treads occupied the space beneath the boiler where driving wheel
s might be expected. The locomotive cylinders
powered the treads through a gear
train. The log haulers mechanically resembled 10- to 30-ton snowmobile
s with a top speed of about 4.5 miles (7.5 kilometers) per hour.
s filled with logs. Each sled train required a crew of four men. An engineer
and fireman occupied the cab behind the boiler and a steersman sat on the platform in front. A conductor
rode on the sleds with a bell-rope or wire to signal the crew in the cab. The earliest log haulers pulled 3 sleds, and later models were designed to pull 8 sleds. Each train carried 40,000 to 100,000 board-feet
of logs. The record train length was said to be 24 sleds with a total length of 1650 feet (500 meters).
The greatest operational difficulty was on downhill grades where ice allowed the sleds to accelerate faster than the engine. Jack-knifing sleds pushed many log haulers into trees, and most photos of log haulers show rebuilt cabs and bent ironwork on the boiler and saddle tank. Hay was spread over the downhill routes in an effort to increase friction under the sleds, but hungry deer sometimes consumed the hay before the train arrived.
The steersman was regarded as the hero of the crew. In sub-freezing temperatures down to 40 degrees below zero, he sat in an exposed position in front of the train. Sparks flying out of the boiler stack above him would sometimes set his clothing afire as avoidance of trees required his full attention and effort turning the clumsy steering wheel. Some steersmen earned enough money to purchase fire-resistant leather clothing. Some log haulers had a small roofed shelter built on the steering platform, but the shelter limited the steersman's ability to jump clear when collision became inevitable, and few were able to avoid injury from the following trainload of logs.
Berlin Mills Company
was one of the larger woods operators to use Lombard log haulers. They purchased one machine in 1904, and then purchased two more to maintain reliable operation when one needed repairs. The company maintained a single six-mile-long (10 kilometer) iced haul road in Stetson, Maine
by nightly application of water from a sprinkler sled, and strung a telephone line with frequent call boxes to dispatch sled trains over that road. The company estimated those three Lombard log haulers did the work of 60 horses.
in 1901 prior to construction of the Eustis Railroad. These early machines had an upright boiler and were steered by a team of horses. Most of the Lombard log haulers were used in Maine and New Hampshire. A few were used in Michigan
, Wisconsin
and Russia
. Lombard began building 6-cylinder gasoline
-powered log haulers in 1914, produced a more powerful "Big 6" later, and built one Fairbanks-Morse
diesel-engine hauler in 1934. The internal combustion log haulers were less powerful than the steam log haulers. The steam-powered haulers are thought to have been used as late as 1929; and some have been preserved and restored in Ashland, Maine
, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
, the Owls Head Transportation Museum
, the Lumberman's Museum
, Clark's Trading Post in Lincoln, NH, and the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and for agricultural tractors and construction equipment following the war.
Description
Alvin Orlando Lombard was a blacksmith building loggingLogging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
equipment in Waterville, Maine
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
. He built 83 steam log haulers between 1901 and 1917. These log haulers resembled a saddle-tank steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
with a small platform in front of the boiler where the cow-catcher
Pilot (locomotive)
In railroading, the pilot is the device mounted at the front of a locomotive to deflect obstacles from the track that might otherwise derail the train. In some countries it is also called cowcatcher or cattle catcher....
might be expected. A steering wheel on the platform moved a large pair of ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
s beneath the platform. A set of tracked vehicle
Tracked vehicle
A tracked vehicle is a vehicle that runs on continuous tracks instead of wheels...
treads occupied the space beneath the boiler where driving wheel
Driving wheel
On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons...
s might be expected. The locomotive cylinders
Cylinder (steam locomotive)
The cylinders of a steam locomotive are the components that convert the power stored in the steam into motion.Cylinders may be arranged in several different ways.-Early locomotives:...
powered the treads through a gear
Gear
A gear is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part in order to transmit torque. Two or more gears working in tandem are called a transmission and can produce a mechanical advantage through a gear ratio and thus may be considered a simple machine....
train. The log haulers mechanically resembled 10- to 30-ton snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
s with a top speed of about 4.5 miles (7.5 kilometers) per hour.
Operation
While the ground was covered with snow and ice, a log hauler could tow a string of sledSled
A sled, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle with a smooth underside or possessing a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners that travels by sliding across a surface. Most sleds are used on surfaces with low friction, such as snow or ice. In some cases,...
s filled with logs. Each sled train required a crew of four men. An engineer
Railroad engineer
A railroad engineer, locomotive engineer, train operator, train driver or engine driver is a person who drives a train on a railroad...
and fireman occupied the cab behind the boiler and a steersman sat on the platform in front. A conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
rode on the sleds with a bell-rope or wire to signal the crew in the cab. The earliest log haulers pulled 3 sleds, and later models were designed to pull 8 sleds. Each train carried 40,000 to 100,000 board-feet
Board foot
The board-foot is a specialized unit of measure for the volume of lumber in the United States and Canada. It is the volume of a one-foot length of a board one foot wide and one inch thick....
of logs. The record train length was said to be 24 sleds with a total length of 1650 feet (500 meters).
The greatest operational difficulty was on downhill grades where ice allowed the sleds to accelerate faster than the engine. Jack-knifing sleds pushed many log haulers into trees, and most photos of log haulers show rebuilt cabs and bent ironwork on the boiler and saddle tank. Hay was spread over the downhill routes in an effort to increase friction under the sleds, but hungry deer sometimes consumed the hay before the train arrived.
The steersman was regarded as the hero of the crew. In sub-freezing temperatures down to 40 degrees below zero, he sat in an exposed position in front of the train. Sparks flying out of the boiler stack above him would sometimes set his clothing afire as avoidance of trees required his full attention and effort turning the clumsy steering wheel. Some steersmen earned enough money to purchase fire-resistant leather clothing. Some log haulers had a small roofed shelter built on the steering platform, but the shelter limited the steersman's ability to jump clear when collision became inevitable, and few were able to avoid injury from the following trainload of logs.
Berlin Mills Company
Berlin, New Hampshire
Berlin is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coos County in northern New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,051 at the 2010 census. It includes the village of Cascade. Located on the edge of the White Mountains, the city's boundaries extend into the White Mountain National Forest...
was one of the larger woods operators to use Lombard log haulers. They purchased one machine in 1904, and then purchased two more to maintain reliable operation when one needed repairs. The company maintained a single six-mile-long (10 kilometer) iced haul road in Stetson, Maine
Stetson, Maine
Stetson is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 981 at the 2000 census. It was named after its first proprietor, Amasa Stetson. His brother Simeon Stetson originally settled here as well, but moved to nearby Hampden, Maine in 1803...
by nightly application of water from a sprinkler sled, and strung a telephone line with frequent call boxes to dispatch sled trains over that road. The company estimated those three Lombard log haulers did the work of 60 horses.
History
The first two Lombard log haulers were used near Eustis, MaineEustis, Maine
Eustis is a town in Franklin County, Maine, United States. The population was 685 at the 2000 census. Eustis, which includes the village of Stratton, is a popular recreation area.-History:...
in 1901 prior to construction of the Eustis Railroad. These early machines had an upright boiler and were steered by a team of horses. Most of the Lombard log haulers were used in Maine and New Hampshire. A few were used in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Lombard began building 6-cylinder gasoline
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
-powered log haulers in 1914, produced a more powerful "Big 6" later, and built one Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks-Morse
Fairbanks Morse and Company was a manufacturing company in the late 19th and early 20th century. Originally a weighing scale manufacturer, it later diversified into pumps, engines, windmills, locomotives and industrial supplies until it was merged in 1958...
diesel-engine hauler in 1934. The internal combustion log haulers were less powerful than the steam log haulers. The steam-powered haulers are thought to have been used as late as 1929; and some have been preserved and restored in Ashland, Maine
Ashland, Maine
Ashland is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,474 at the 2000 census.DIRTY town-External links:**...
, Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Rhinelander is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 7,735 at the 2000 census.-Claim to fame:...
, the Owls Head Transportation Museum
Owls Head, Maine
Owls Head is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,601 at the 2000 census. A resort and fishing area, the community is home to the Knox County Regional Airport...
, the Lumberman's Museum
Patten, Maine
Patten is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The town was named for Amos Patten, an early settler. The population was 1,200 at the 2009 census.-Geography and history:...
, Clark's Trading Post in Lincoln, NH, and the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.