It looks like a very interesting museum and in a lovely setting too.

I had to look it up: The Phoenix Centipede was made in Eau Claire, Wisconsin starting in 1903. The company licensed the patents from Lombard, so the two machines are nearly identical.

Great piece of history . Thanks for the contribution 👍🏼

Invaluable historical info! Thank for your contribution. 👍

Its not a terrible monster. Its a gorgeous piece of art and engineering❤

Thank you! The Lombard crew at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum do indeed love it and we take deep pride in being the stewards of such an amazing piece of history.

It's the first time I've seen a tracked traction engine too and it's a ripper!

Its actually not that intensive. This was the first run of the season and we just had it all opened up for the annual state boiler inspection so we went over it with a lot of care. It takes about 4 hours to steam up from dead cold. We could do it faster but we like to be gentle. Once under steam its just feed the fire, add water and oil here and there. Like any steam engine your always checking for loose fasteners and if the journals are running cool.

Äh, nope, the Lombard Steam Log Hauler is from 1901.

The boiler seems disproportionately large for the cylinder bores.

@@532bluepeter1 The cylinders are 9"x10" its rated for 90 hp at 175 psi. Maximum RPM is 250 which moves the machine along at 4.7 Miles per hour. The water tank (425 gallons) tends to make it look larger than it is.

@@terryharper2024 Thank you

Many if not most steam shovels had crawler tracks as well.

Absolutely! Machines like this are part of our history and culture. They can inspire and serve as a reminder of inventive genius and creativity. Alvin Lombard grew up in the backwoods of Maine. Had very little education yet he created this remarkable machine using practical knowledge and his invention of the first practical crawler track system has had a tremendous impact on the world we live in. Our mission at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum is to present history in a living format. As such we have very few static displays. The major exhibits in the collection are operated and demonstrated on a regular basis for our guests. What we do need is an influx of younger people to hand the torch over too.

I have seen another one with skeys for working in the snow. Awesome. I saw one @ Clarks Trading Post, N. H.

51 might be my magic #❤

It's basically a 2-4-0ST but with the tracks built in and it's own steering!

how was the show?

No this is a Lombard made in Waterville, Maine. The Phoenix was a licensed built version. Alvin Lombard received a royalty for every machine Phoenix produced.

No, this is a Lombard tractor. The Lombard is the predecessor of the Phoenix tractor. When Lombard went out of business, they sold the patents to the Phoenix company. Phoenix changed several things in the design. For instance, the Lombard tractor has a "saddle tank" for water for the boiler, the Phoenix has the water tank below the boiler in the frame. Also, the steam cylinders are arranged different. The Lombard has horizontal cylinders like a railroad locomotive while the Phoenix has vertical cylinders like a Shay geared steam railroad locomotive. I have an old video on my youtube channel of the Phoenix engine from Wabeno, WI running at their annual "Steamup Days" from 2011, I think.

@@amberyooper Lombard did indeed proceed the Phoenix. However the Phoenix was a licensed built version of Lombards early machines (pre-1905) Lombard did in fact use vertical cylinders on his pre-1905 machines with the exception of his initial prototype built in 1900. After 1905 Lombard went with the saddle tank and horizontal cylinders while Phoenix stuck with the earlier design until the end. What adds to the confusion is Lombard offered a lighter, cheaper machine concurrently with his big 19 ton log haulers. These used a vertical boiler with the cylinders mounted vertical on the front of the boiler barrel. The last steam Lombard left the Waterville factory in 1917 though they continued to manufacture gasoline powered log haulers (Tractor-Trucks) until 1936.

And stopping that beast must be in dozens of yards. Must be a nightmare to steer on potholes, soft spots, and rainy days.

@Einwetok these were more for stationary power. With belt-run implements. Moving one, I'm sure was well thought out.

@@gearheadgregwi Yeah, it probably started as a Frankentank, It looks a lot like a camelback switcher engine that got mated to this chassis. Seriously too top-heavy to be safe at any real speed off of rails with those points of contact.

@@Einwetok They worked very well. 82 were made in total. They were designed for winter use with skis rather than wheels. We have wheels installed so we can demonstrate it during the simmer months. Yes, stopping is interesting. There are no brakes. However you can use the reverse lever to admit steam in front of the cylinders which works well. When hauling sled trains of loaded with logs they would spread straw on the hills to create friction on the sled runners. The idea being that the Lombard would drag the sleds down the hill rather than being pushed by the sleds.

It's always been my impression these were most often used in winter-time, with a pair of runners in place of the front wheels. They would pull trains of sledges carrying logs, over snowy paths and frozen lakes. It would have really resembled a train, only without the rails. I don't expect they would have been quite so useful in the summer.

@@jetporter Yes, I think over frozen ground they would be far more practical- and quite a sight as you portray it!

@@jetporter Correct. We do have a set of skis for it. The steam powered Lombards such as this one were equipped with skis and only used in the winter. We have wheels on this one so when demonstrate it during the summer months.

I saw The Iron Maiden, fell in love with this kind of tractor.

I suppose also that in the summer the risk of forest fire would be somewhat increased...

I'm only surprised that they haven't, given the incredible colection of authentic machines the Fat Controller and his friends have amassed of late.

@@JohnDavies-cn3ro I agree with that. XD

Not many bridges where they were used,

Yes, we can't say the Lombard developed "the crawler track". Others had come before. However, his track is recognized as the first practical crawler track to actually go into production as opposed to being a one-off. Hornsby patented their first track in 1904 (nearly four years after Lombard's 1900 patent) and did indeed build the first "full track" (or tank track) type machine.

@@terryharper2024 it is hard to say when products were developed based on patent filings.

@@stevecarlisle3323 Lombard had his first track system in operation by November 1900. Which coincides with his patent application filed on November 9th, 1900. No need to rely on that date alone - Plenty of primary source material including his own testimony in court proceedings, photos, first person accounts, and contemporary articles. His second patent was filed on November 22nd, 1905. By then he had already built 17 machines featuring his track system including the prototype, which was used on a logging operation by Lawrence, Newhall & Page during the winter of 1900-01 and 1901-02. In fact that February they tested a electric powered version on the same operation. The patent filed in 1905 was at the heart of the litigation with Holt. Interestingly Lombard had already built several machines that conform to his 1905 patent before he even filed it. One such machine was sold on October 25th 1905 to the Western Lumber Co. of Lothrop MT. and was also at the root of the lengthy litigation with Holt.

@@terryharper2024 Ya, I am aware of all the controversy. There is a reason they bought the Hornsby patents, as it was the real deal, turns in its own length, not hoping the machine will steer eventually. The Mammoth is sitting in my backyard !

​@@stevecarlisle3323 remember these were built for a purpose and regional use. Hauling long trains of heavily laden sleds in Northern New England and the Maritime provinces. Maneuverability was secondary to power, speed and stability. in 1920 With the availability of early tank type machines such as the Holt it was found they were not suitable for the work the big steam and gasoline powered Lombards excelled at. The Holt (Hornsby) type steering system - which yes allowed the machine to turn in its own length, became a liability. For instance the steering input reversed depending upon if the machine was pulling or being pushed. If descending a grade with sleds or wagons pushing from behind, the operator had to reverse the steering inputs as opposed to normal control inputs applied while pulling. The other issue was traction. When turning a corner the Holt (Hornsby) system transferred the power applied to the inside (disengaged) track to the outside (driven) track. This increase of power to the outside track coincided with the lose of 50% of available traction due to one track being disengaged. Thus on large operations through the 1920's Holt tractors were usually restricted to hauling the short distances from the cuttings to the main haul road with Lombards making the long hauls. All this is minutia. The important fact is that Lombard developed the first practical crawler track system. I hope the Mammoth project is moving along well. I have the pleasure of operating the steam Lombard and the two gas Lombards (a third is due soon) on a regular basis - amazing machines.

Fortunately they were only used in the winter. Yes, tremendous pulling power. Its only rated at 90 hp but produces over 11,000 ft/lbs or torque at the tracks. Depending on the terrain and the condition of the ice/snow road they could pull up to 300 tons of logs loaded on sleds and forming a long sled train. Originally equipped with skis we have wheels on this oneso we can demonstrate it during the summer months.

The Breton boys from Vassalboro Maine have pulled weight sleds with theirs at local fairs . No challenge at all .

Actually, it was a conversation in 1900 between a lumberman and Alvin Lombard when they happened to meet on a trolley. The lumberman expressed a desire to replace horses in the woods. Lombard went home and created a model than built and patented the first practical crawler track system. Before that halftracks were simply unknown.

Thank you. The Maine Forest & Logging Museum in Bradley, Maine (where this was filmed) uses a living history format to present Maine unique forest centered history and culture. Visitors can see how the technology functioned as opposed to just static displays collecting dust.

No. These machines were built new at the factory in Waterville, ME. The boiler is a locomotive style boiler but they did not come from a locomotive. They were built to Lombard's specifications.

Just because it’s steam powered, doesn’t mean it should be a train.

Its a lot worse! The steering is very low geared. As we like to say "Steer early, steer often!" Also with the center pivot wagon type axle you do not stick your fingers or thumbs through the spokes! Back in the days these were used exclusively in the winter and were equipped with skis. We have wheels on it so we can demonstrate it and move it around during the summer months. It steers much better in snow with the skis.

@@terryharper2024 It is an awesome machine!

Espectacular saludos desde Argentina

Lombard log hauler from the great state of Maine.

Thanks.

🇺🇸

Indeed it is, the locomotive design also has that American Look to it

At the Maine Forest And Logging Museum, just north of Bangor Maine.

LOL

Form follows function...sort of.

We are trying too! Like many museum type organizations its very difficult to attract the younger generations

Yes, however it was Alvin Lombard who developed the first practical crawler track system in 1900.

The roller chains take the place of bogie or road wheels. In 1905 Lombard was awarded a patent for a system that did in fact use road wheels rather than the roller chains. However, he abandoned it after only a few machines. The roller chains where preferred because they spread the weight evenly and kept the track pads flat on the surface of the snow/ice roads these were used on. This not only aided traction but also preserved the surface of the road.

Any footage or video online?

They were indeed expensive ($5,500.00) but fairly cheap to operate. For small logging operations they were not practical. You also had to have your logging operation setup correctly. A well planned and constructed main haul road that could be used for at least several years and plenty of sleds. Usually three sets - one set in transit, one set being loaded and the third set being unloaded. Often during the brief hauling season (January-March) they were run around the clock. The 1914 Lombard we have in the collection was used as late as 1948. I dare say they got their money out of it.

We are always looking for volunteers

But the owner of the electric car might be a bit miffed after you drove over it.

No need. We use whistle signals for stop, go and reverse. Works very well.

@@terryharper2024 Your one way communication system may work well enough to operate the tractor on the grounds of your museum, where everyone involved is familiar with every road you operate on, but I can envision scenarios back in the days when these machines were used to perform actual work where effective TWO WAY communication would result in more efficient work or even prevent an accident.

@@richardcall7447 back in the day when these machines were hauling up to 300 tons of logs loaded on 15 sleds or more it was done the same way. It doesn't take long for the engineer and steersman to become a team. Just as the engineer relies on the fireman to maintain pressure and the water level the engineer has to trust the steersman but he also has to know the road - i.e. grades, curves etc. He has to be thinking about the steersman at all times. Take a sharp curve too fast and the steersman can't react quick enough with the low geared steering. Likewise, until the steersman returns the movement signal via the whistle the engineer cannot move the machine. the The video doesn't really pickup on it but when your in the cab its not a quite place. We have to shout back and forth just across that short distance. Unless the voice tube is glued to your ear your not going to hear it. Remember also how these machines were used. When hauling a loaded sled train you only stopped for fuel or water. Short of a breakdown nothing was allowed to interfere with a loaded sled train. Empties were usually brought back to the cutting using a go-back trail so they didn't get in the way. Other than hitching up you never backed-up and turning at the end of a road was often via a loop. There was not a lot of manuvering.

If a blind and deaf lumberjack, moose or bear gets in the way, that's tough, fight on...I'll bet on the crawler. THis ran back when men were men and the government got out of the way.

He is testing the PH of the feedwater. We treat the water to control corrosion and mineral deposits.