The Ultimate Firewood Hoarders Club Experience

I have operated some interesting stuff; skidders, bulldozers and locomotives, but today was a first in that I drove a combination of all three; a 190o-1917 Lombard Log Hauler.

We went to the Maine Logging Museaum and at noon they brought out one of the 83 steam Lombard log haulers that Alvin Lombard built in his Waterville, Maine shops. Today only 5 remain in existence. This one the University of Maine rebuilt and got into working order and this was the first year they allowed rides. We were fortunate to get on the last ride, but just before the wife and kids went for a ride they asked if I would like to be the "steersman"; the guy up front who cranked a wheel to get the skis or wheels to steer. So I did.

When it came time to go for a ride with the kids and wife, I got to help feed the boiler, and yes it was with wood and not coal making the experience even better. And for those that want to know, one of these rigs can pull some 200 cords of wood at once, but only gets 7 miles to the cord!

 

Oh wow that's awesome

 

Wow, very cool!!

 

Now there's a stat I never thought I'd hear...

 

Sweet. Jealous!!!

 

I'll tell you this; steering that thing was quite the workout. The gearing is something like 4 to 1 so you really have to crank it a lot to get it to turn. And it has a lot of bump-steer with those solid wheels. I am sure steering it with the skis on an iced road would be much different, but then winter has its own set of problems...like 200 cord of wood behind you on ice with a tractor that does 5 mph and has no brakes.

 

Very cool. Had to be a thrill for ya!

 

Great day for you and the family got to enjoy it as well learning some history and the feeling of what it was like.

 

That's bad-azz right there!!! How many people can say they've done that...

 

Good time's!

 

Some facts about the Lombard Log Hauler:

• First Steam Log Hauler was placed in operation on Thanksgiving Day 1900 and I heard stories of Lombards operating well into the 1960's (gas though and not steam)
• Four people operated a steam log hauler: Engineer, fireman, steersman, and a conductor
• Log Haulers replaced 50 horses on twitches longer then 4 miles
• Steam log haulers were built from 1900-1917 and used until 1928
• Gas Log haulers were first built in 1910

Steam Log Haulers Specs:

• Length=30, width 8'-2", height 9'
• Speed 5 mph no brakes
• Weight 19 tons
• 90 horse power at 175 pounds of steam
• Fuel capacity was 7/8 of a cord
• cost was $5,500 (in today's money, $150,000)

Sled Loads:

• typical sled held 7000 board feet (14 cord)
• train length was typically 8 sleds (112 cords)
• in ideal conditions a log hauler could pull 300 tons
• largest recorded load was 265 cords (600 tons) on 22 sleds
• train lengths were around 1650 feet long

 

Very cool!

 

Looks like the new model year cars are out early this year for Maine!!

 

Owww, man, that's cold....but funny.

 

Wow, I love this. What engineering from long ago. Really impressive.

 

You are so right!

This was #70 out of 83 steam Lombard Log Haulers made, so if they made 83 from 1900 to 1917, that would put this Lombard Log Hauler being built around 1916. It is amazing how far we have come in 100 years. Yes I love old school stuff, but to think this was the technology then, and now 100 years later we have feller-bunchers that can cut, delimb, cut to length and pile wood in 30 seconds is really beyond comprehension.

This venue was also well done. It cost $10 per person to get in, $5 for a child, but all the food was by donation. Yes they had a suggested donation for a bowl of bean hole beans at $2, and a cup of fresh squeezed warm cider had a suggested donation of 50 cents, but unlike most venues I did not feel like I was being fleeced for money. The Lombard ride was free. The horse ride was free...yeah you had to wait in line granted, but such is life.

And there was so much more than I took pictures of, and keep in mind everyone is living like the old days, eating food, in period dress, and sawing lumber...it was really neat.

• A working shingle mill
• A rotary sawmill
  
• A 1600 up and down water wheel sawmill (including a timber framed building)
  
• 1700 frontier house
• Working Blacksmith Shop
• Working woodworking shop
• Working Pottery Shop
• Working smokehouse (with sample meat)
• Trappers Cabin
• Bateau

Even better, about a third of the volunteers there were from our old church! Next year I am getting involved!

 

It is in a town called Bradley which is just a small town across the river from Bangor. (It is situated between Brewer and Old Town). From Gap PA, I would say it is about a 10-12 hour drive. They always have it in the fall, though I'll be honest with you, if it rains it kind of sucks as everything is outdoors. You can go for tours any day in daylight hours, but without reenactments, there is not a lot to see.

(I say Gap, PA because I have friends that live there and drive to Maine a lot).