View Full Version : If you like antique machinery
W1GUH
09-09-2011, 01:30 AM
Particularly steam engines (both stationery and locomotive), the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association (http://www.ctamachinery.com/) has a festival coming up on 9/23-25. I've been there when nothing was running, and it's this annual festival when the fire up as much as they can for a public demo. Come on down!
Even when nothing's operating, that's a pretty great museum of antique steam engines, and the exhibits are pretty interesting. Most of the engines they have on display also include photos and descriptions of the type of engine and where it was before being there. That's also very pretty country to drive through.
And...if we thing collecting BA's is bad.....:wtf:
They've also got a mining museum there that had a pretty extensive collection of bricks. The curator there was telling me about how he got started collecting bricks (just like getting that first BA at a hamfest!)...and before he knew it he had a couple of tons of bricks on his property!
PA5COR
09-09-2011, 04:50 AM
http://www.panorama360.es/woudagemaal/
The world largest steam driven water pumping machine, 20 miles away from me ;)
W1GUH
09-09-2011, 07:20 AM
Can't wait to see that. Can't here, that site is blocked. Will look this evening. Must be outstanding. Thanks!
W1GUH
09-26-2011, 09:20 AM
So I made it up to Kent yesterday and wasn't disappointed. Saw many, many steam engines including a steam tractor and a steam locomotive in operation. Also LOTS of engines that seemed to fire only once ever few revolutions. That what they call a make and break?
Plus a bunch of vintage tractors. Back when they actually LOOKED like tractors.
I was struck by how quiet a stationery steam engine is plus how smoothly they run. Those are some magnificent machines! One of 'em even had poppit valves. Will post pix later. Don't think I can post video -- won't put 'em on Youtube & the thingie here want's a url. bummer.
There was also a big flea market just chock full of antique stuff like I mentioned above. We think collection radios is bad? How about collecting f'ing tractors! Imagine Pat with as many tractors as he has radios?
I managed to pick up an unbuilt plastic model of a '65 GTO -- now I get to decide whether to preserve its minty-ness or go ahead and have fun building it. On second thought, don't want to build it -- the pic on the outside of the box makes it look like a frequin' AUTOMATIC!!! WTF? An automatic GTO? Get the freq outta here!
And I saw a non-puke yellow Gonset Communicator II. Thought and thought about it. Kept looking at it wondering what the asking was. Finally decided that I've got enough radios so I passed on it when the guy didn't seem to take notice that I kept looking at it. Pretty good shape for its age.
ki4itv
09-26-2011, 09:33 AM
I love steam engines too.
We have a local annual event over in Centerville that usually acts as my fix. Steam engines always seem "alive" to me, unlike other engines and motors.
All those yellow Gonsets were Civil defense rigs back in the fifties, were they not? I've only seen a couple of pictures.
W1GUH
09-26-2011, 09:49 AM
Yea. The puke-yellow ones. This was one of the few (maybe even the first) normally-colored Gooney Bird I've seen.
I was struck by how quiet a stationery steam engine is plus how smoothly they run.
Even the ones that move are surprisingly quiet when moving at slow speeds. I attended the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento big 10-year anniversary bash back in the mid-Nineties. At one point I was walking along lost in thought when I heard someone speak from behind me. I turned around to find that this had snuck up on me:
http://railfanning.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/3qtr_view_844_web.jpg
I guess that's why they put bells on them.
W1GUH
09-26-2011, 10:43 AM
You're still here....got out of the way on time!
Gorgeous Locomotive!
K7SGJ
09-26-2011, 11:02 AM
Even the ones that move are surprisingly quiet when moving at slow speeds. I attended the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento big 10-year anniversary bash back in the mid-Nineties. At one point I was walking along lost in thought when I heard someone speak from behind me. I turned around to find that this had snuck up on me:
http://railfanning.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/3qtr_view_844_web.jpg
I guess that's why they put bells on them.
No, that's why they put the "cow catcher" on them.
< snip >
There was also a big flea market just chock full of antique stuff like I mentioned above. We think collection radios is bad? How about collecting f'ing tractors! Imagine Pat with as many tractors as he has radios?
< snip >That's almost too horrible a thought to contemplate.
Imagine being the wife of a guy who collects locomotive engines...moreso, imagine being the guy on a date when asked what kind of hobbies he's into!
Imagine being the wife of a guy who collects locomotive engines...moreso, imagine being the guy on a date when asked what kind of hobbies he's into!
Imagine being dumped immediately. And you thought being a ham was bad for your image...
K7SGJ
09-28-2011, 08:51 AM
I wonder if they have a "Pat" in that hobby, too? That would require one helluva garage.
ki4itv
09-28-2011, 10:16 AM
Imagine being the wife of a guy who collects locomotive engines...moreso, imagine being the guy on a date when asked what kind of hobbies he's into!
The hat and oil can should be a dead giveaway.
ki4itv
09-28-2011, 10:18 AM
I wonder if they have a "Pat" in that hobby, too? That would require one helluva garage.
...and a very understanding employer. It seems half of his collection is stored there.
If they ever send him packing, he'll be packing for a week. Or two.
The hat and oil can should be a dead giveaway.
The key is to find a woman who collects cats, and cries at the very mention of them, then you get married and call it even.
W1GUH
09-28-2011, 04:26 PM
I was in a conversation a while back with a great young(er) lady. I made a reference to ham radio (without revealing I was one of those), and she immediately exclaimed, "OMG!!!! They're the geekiest!!!!"
ki4itv
09-28-2011, 05:20 PM
I'm hardly going to argue with that in front of this crowd. ;):lol:
ETA:
Oh yea, I've been inviting some of my hippie musician friends over to record some tunes lately and my shack is in the music room. Not a one has even mentioned the military looking radios, the Bencher paddles, and the straight key, or asked what I used them for, but we've certainly had discussions about the other shit in the room. Probably looks just odd enough to take on elephant status. That's all I can figure. funny as shit, if you ask me. :lol:
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