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100+ Year Old Iron

JointVenture

JointVenture

Active Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
42
Location
In The CT Woods
The caption is "Traction steam engine hauling borax, 1904"
Don't know where this was taken, or who manufactured the Traction Steam Engine. I culled this from a power point presentation of "old" pictures that a friend emailed me.
Any idea who made this tractor? Like how the woman are riding along? :crazy
 

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JDOFMEMI

JDOFMEMI

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Jan 3, 2007
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3,074
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SoCal
I don't know all the details, but that traction engine may be the same one on display at the Furnace Creek ranch in Death Valley California. The traction engines were brought in to replace the 20 mule teams hauling Borax from the mines in Death Valley to the railroad heading.

Not sure, but the tractor may be a Holt
 
RonG

RonG

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Dec 2, 2003
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1,833
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Meriden ct
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I got that recently from a friend in Australia.Very interesting.Ron G
 
T

tripper_174

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Jul 22, 2009
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173
Location
Manitoba, Canada
Occupation
Heavy Equipment Operator Trainer
The tractor is a Best built somewhere in the early 1890's in San Leandro, CA. and including the trailers cost about $10,000 U.S.. These were sold all over the world from Hawaii to Siberia. I have a picture of one hauling logs for the McCloud River Lumber company of northern California in 1894. If I can get it scanned I will post it. Holt and Best combined forces in 1925 to form Caterpillar Tractor Co. and Western Harvester Co.

Source "Century of Change", Caterpillar Tractor Co.
 
JDOFMEMI

JDOFMEMI

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Tonka

Great link.
I knew I had seen that somewhere, but I couldn't find it. Looks like I had Holt and Best mixed up on this one though. Glad you and Tripper174 cleared it up for me.
 
tonka

tonka

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Jan 14, 2008
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1,555
Location
Longview WA
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Equipment Operator
JDOFMEMI said:
Tonka

Great link.
I knew I had seen that somewhere, but I couldn't find it. Looks like I had Holt and Best mixed up on this one though. Glad you and Tripper174 cleared it up for me.
Click to expand...

Your Welcome:drinkup
 
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