1897 Center Crank Case Traction Engine Spent 100+ Years in Texas

From the archives. 1897 Center Crank Case Traction Engine spent over 100 years in Texas.

My dad initially inspired much of my old iron preservation and restoration efforts. From the railroad imagery he captured long before I was as born to his stories while serving in the US Navy. My efforts then were limited to steam models and model railroading.

I grew up believing there would never be, for me, an opportunity to have a hands on experience with full sized steam era machinery. The 1989 fall show of the, then extant, Iron Wheel & Leather Belt Association proved that thought wrong. I simply didn't know the right people with their knowledge and connections.

These video scenes were captured at the Collin County, Texas Farm museum in the fall of 1989.

This 1897 Center Crank Case was bought by Tarrant County, Texas as "New, Old Stock" along with a wooden agitator threshing machine around 1899, possibly as late as 1901.

They were notorious for poor balance and rocked steadily when belted. Tarrant County used the set on their Poor Farm, and the rig was said to be stored out service by 1920.

Case introduced their familiar, side crank, spring mounted engines in 1898, rendering the earlier Center Crank designs obsolete.

Sometime in the late 1950s Al Smith of Cresson, Texas, bought the Center Crank Case and the thresher. He restored it, including new chromed piston and valve rods. He exhibited them at some early Pate Museum swap meets until his death in the 1970s.

Paul Armstrong of Hart, Texas bought the 12 Hp Case engine around 1985. At that time it was complete with the fire door straw burning chute. Lou Wallace of Weston, Texas and JJ Templin of Anna Texas got it running again in the spring of 1987.

A boiler issue idled the Center Crank Case in 2001. After Paul Armstrong's passing it was sold at his estate auction in March of 2009.

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