Operating the Weirdest Steam Tractor Ever Invented

We'll take you on a fascinating journey through the history and technology of steam engines, with a special focus on their use in agriculture and harvesting. This episode, featured on Tekniq, celebrates the enduring legacy of steam power and its pivotal role in the development of various machinery used worldwide.

The steam tractor showcased in this episode serves as an exemplary demonstration of the basic concept of a tracked vehicle—a machine that moves on rails, placing its tracks ahead and picking them up behind as it progresses. The first seven minutes of the video are shot at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum in Bradley, ME. The opening sequence features a 1934, 10-ton Lombard Tractor-Truck, which is used to pull a 19-ton, 1907 Lombard steam log hauler out of storage. This Lombard steam log hauler, an invention of Alvin Lombard who developed and patented the first practical crawler track system in 1900, represents a significant milestone in the evolution of tracked vehicles. Lombard's company, The Lombard Traction Engine Co. of Waterville, Maine, built 83 of these machines between 1901 and 1917. These machines were primarily used for hauling long trains of sleds loaded with timber, with capacities reaching up to 300 tons. They operated over snow and ice roads and were steered using skis, rather than wheels.

The Lombard steam log haulers are recognized as the ancestors of all modern track systems, including snowmobiles. These were not converted steam locomotives but were factory-built machines. Lombard sourced boilers from the Ames Iron Works in Oswego, NY, and various castings were custom-made by a local foundry. The machining and final assembly were performed at Lombard's factory. The Lombard steam log hauler featured in the video was actively used in logging operations until 1925, when it was abandoned near Knowles Brook in northwestern Maine. It was recovered from the site in the late 1960s and eventually became part of the collection at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum. The steam log hauler underwent a 30-year restoration, completed in 2014, and now shares the museum's Lombard bay with a companion machine built in 1914, which is also in operating condition.

This episode on Tekniq offers a rare glimpse into the intricate workings and historical significance of the Lombard steam log hauler, showcasing the ingenuity and engineering prowess of early 20th-century machinery. Watch it below and enjoy.