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>>> THIS IS THE STEAM AND GAS
ASSOCIATION.
IT WAS STARTED OVER IN THE MIAMI
COUNTY, JUST OUTSIDE OF TROY IN
1949.
AND THIS IS OUR 70TH YEAR.
IT 
STARTED OUT ON A FARM, A
GENTLEMEN'S FARM JUST OUTSIDE OF
TROY, OHIO.
EVERYBODY HAD THEIR OLD
STEAM-POWERED EQUIPMENT THAT WAS
SITTING IN THE BARN.
THEY DECIDED TO GET IT OUT AND
JUST PLAY WITH IT ONE SUMMER.
AND THAT CREATED THE MIAMI
VALLEY STEAM THRESHER
ASSOCIATION.
I WAS JUST RUNNING THE ANTIQUE
EQUIPMENT JUST LIKE THEY DID
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS JUST TO
SHOW THE YOUNG PEOPLE ACTUALLY
WHAT GOES ON.
MAINLY, IT'S JUST A BIG HOBBY.
>> THERE'S MANY STEAM ENGINES.
THERE'S 20 OR 25 STEAM ENGINES.
ABOUT 300 TRACTORS ON THE
GROUND.
>> THIS IS OUR STEAMROLLER THAT
WE HAVE.
IT'S FOR A SURPRISE.
I WENT AND BOUGHT IT FOR MY DAD.
IT'S A 1925.
IT WAS ACTUALLY BUILT IN OHIO,
IN SPRINGFIELD.
GOT IT OFF THE ROSE BROTHERS
DOWN THERE IN ASHVILLE.
ROSE BROTHERS.
THESE ROLL ASPHALT IS WHAT THIS
ONE WAS SET UP FOR.
SO, I JUST BRING IT AROUND.
AND WHENEVER THE TRACTION
ENGINES TEAR UP THE GROUND, I
JUST GO AND LEVEL THE RUTS OUT
AND MAKE THE GROUND SMOOTH
AGAIN.
>> THIS IS A 1912 BAKER STEAM
ENGINE.
MANY OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE BEEN
FAMILIAR WITH STEAM LOCOMOTIVES.
SOME OF THEM ARE FAMOUS FOR
PULLING TRAINS.
STEAM ENGINES WERE ALSO USED FOR
POWERING FACTORIES AND EVEN
WORKING ON FARMS.
LET'S SAY YOU WANT TO BAIL HAY.
THIS WAS YOUR PRIMARY SOURCE OF
POWER.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS
THE FLY WHEEL.
NOW, HOW DO WE GET THE FLY WHEEL
TO MOVE?
HOW DO WE RUN THE STEAM ENGINE?
YOU NEED TWO THINGS.
YOU NEED WATER AND COAL OR WOOD,
OR SOME TYPE OF OIL.
HERE WE MAINLY BURN COAL ON THE
STEAM TRACTION ENGINE.
THIS IS THE BACK END OF THE
BOILER KNOWN AS THE BULKHEAD OF
THE BOILER.
BELOW, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE
FIREBOX.
WHEN THE FIREMAN OR THE PERSON
RESPONSIBLE FOR STOKING THE
BOILER PUTS THAT FIRE INTO THAT
FIREBOX, THAT'S GONNA HEAT UP
THE WATER IN THIS BOILER.
IT GOES THROUGH THESE TUBES UP
TO THE SMOKEBOX.
THE SMOKE THEN DISSIPATES UP
THROUGH THE SMOKESTACK.
NOW, WE HAVE A THING HERE THAT'S
CALLED THE STEAM DOME.
NOW, THE ENGINEER WHEN HE PULLS
ON THAT THROTTLE, THAT STEAM IS
GONNA GO UP THROUGH THE STEAM
DOME, THROUGH THIS PISTON DOWN
TO THE DRIVE WHEEL.
SIMILAR TO STEAM LOCOMOTIVES.
IT USES SO MUCH PRESSURE UP.
IF IT WERE A POWERFUL STEAM
PEDAL, THAT STEAM IS GONNA GO
BACK AND FORTH; BOOM, BOOM, BOOM
MAKING THE MOTION AND MAKING THE
ENGINE GO.
NOW, STEAM TRACTION ENGINES IN
ADDITION TO PULLING CARS OR
WAGON, THEY COULD ALSO BE USED
TO RUN --
LET'S SAY YOU WANT TO RUN A
SAWMILL, OR LET'S SAY YOU WANT
TO USE IT TO RUN A HAY BALE, OR
BASICALLY AN ASHCROFT MACHINE
LIKE YOU SEE HERE.
AND THEN THESE WOULD BE USED TO
RUN CONVEYOR BELT LINES LIKE
WHAT YOU SEE IN FACTORIES FROM
THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
YOU HAVE TO STAND WAY BACK FROM
IT BECAUSE THAT THING IS SO
POWERFUL THAT INJURIES COULD BE
INVOLVED IF THERE'S NO CARE AND
SAFETY.
THE BEST PART ABOUT FOR ME IS
GETTING TO SHOVEL COAL, RUNNING
THE BOILER, AND BLOWING THE
WHISTLE AND THE THROTTLE.
[ WHISTLE BLOWS ]
>> WE TRY TO RESTORE THE PAST TO
EDUCATE THE FEATURE IS OUR GOAL.
SO, ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO
COME IN AND GET INTERESTED IN
THAT SO THEY'LL KNOW WHAT THEIR
ANCESTORS DONE IN THE PAST TO
MAKE A LIVING AND FIELD THE
WORLD.
>> PEOPLE JUST LOOK AT IT, IT'S
A PIECE OF JUNK IRON.
SCRAP IT.
AND THEN YOU GOT ALL THE OLD
FOLKS ON THE EQUIPMENT AND WHEN
THEY DIE OFF, THERE AIN'T TOO
MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AROUND.
>> SO WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO
GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT THESE?
>> GET THEM OF VIDEO GAMES.
>> SEEING THE PEOPLE YEAR AFTER
YEAR IS WHAT I LIKE.
IT'S A REUNION.
REUNION IS ACTUALLY IN OUR
OFFICIAL NAME.
SO, IT IS A REUNION ANNUALLY.
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[STEAM WHISTLE ]
[ MUSIC ]
