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On 7/13/2020 at 7:50 PM, JimKB1MCV said:

I don't think the limiting factor on the Lombard log hauler was how many sleds of logs it could haul.

It probably was how many sleds it could stop on a downgrade. If you look closely you'll see the lad in the front is steering the hauler.  He would be the first to arrive at the scene of any accident. I suspect he was VERY aware of the tons of logs behind him.  😁

Tales of using Lombards in the woods were still current in the 1950s.

 

I know its an old post but.... snowy evening here in the upper north east corner of the country so what the hey... I have had the fun of operating and maintaining the Lombard in the video for the past few years. Its an amazing machine. The turning circle is a modest 50 feet and the steering is 40:1 as we like to say "Steer early, steer often." Originally it was designed to operate during the winter with ski's  - it was never intended to run with wheels. Needless to say with the wagon type axle the rule is don't put your thumbs inside the steering wheel rim unless you like pain. 

 

The issue of stopping sleds on a downgrade is mute. There are no brakes. With that said, when going down a hill you can pull the reverse lever back... very gently... to admit steam in front of the pistons and slow things up. It actually works quite well. but on the ice roads of the day you had to be careful not to lock up the tracks or else you were instantly riding a 19 ton sled. Usually  - just like with a railroad - they tried to avoid heavy grades. If there was a downgrade then they would spread hay on the road. The idea was to create enough drag on the sleds that the Lombard would have to pull the sleds down the hill rather than being pushed - remembering that a loaded sled train could hold over 300 ton's of logs let alone the weight of the sleds themselves. 

 

The other steam Lombard we have at the museum operated as late as 1946. Not bad for a $5,500.00 machine built in 1914.

 

Here is an excellent vintage film:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSq7x6edExI&t=128s

 

HA-13.thumb.jpg.9402a2557902aec7afa3a886e6c47e7e.jpg

 

HA-24.thumb.jpg.31f2d6892bf7abcbd077c5c5d3fe86a8.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Terry Harper (see edit history)
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I like how every time you see someone carrying a mattress home on the roof of their car, there's that one guy holding it in place with his hand. As if when a giant gust of wind comes at 40 mph and grabs the mattress, he's going to be able to hang on. "I got this, bro!"

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