Overview

This book tells the story of the amazing transformation of farming brought about by the gigantic steam tractors that hauled agriculture into the modern era, the first Iron Horses. Here is the first-ever thorough history of the steamers packed with more than 400 super-rare photographs and brochures that have taken years to collect. Before the advent of lightweight gasoline engines, steam tractors were met with awe, delight, fear, and enthusiasm at their promise of quicker progress. Even today, county fairs, and tractor shows, these remarkable machines command great respect, and always draw fascinated crowds.This book gives readers and tractor fans a chance to linger over every detail of these marvelous - and now, all too rare-machines. Richly illustrated and meticulously detailed, each entry brings to the fore a steam tractor that in its day transformed the business of farming acre by acre and day by day. Full of rare archive photographs, technical details, specs, information on day-to-day working, cleaning, repair, usage, fuelling, water supplies, this is bound to appeal to the enthusiast and casual reader alike.

Full Product Details

9780760334737

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""This is a very nice book. Many, many interesting period photographs, most are from John's collection, make this a good coffee table book but, it's more that a picture book. It covers the history of steam tractors. Manufacturers that I never knew existed, are documented here. Overall, a very good book for anyone interested in steam tractors and early agricultural history and would be a great addition to your library."" - Power of the Past Tractor Club ""This book is excellent resource for all steam engine enthusiasts from the beginner to the most experienced collector."" - John Hunter, Foothills Antique Power Association Newsletter ""I find this book both easy to read, and well written. The pictures are some of the very best I have ever seen on Steam Engines. The fact that it is written alphabetically by companies is especially good. I had seen many of the engines at antique tractor shows over the years, but knew little about the engines or the companies that produced them. I find this book to be a must have book for any collector of 19th century machinery or information on it! I recommend it to the members of the Society, and to anyone else who shares my love of 19th century antique machinery."" - Kenneth A. Reis, Campbell County Historical Society ""But upon opening the book for the first time, a page of original vintage photographs about knocked my socks off. I flipped to another section of the book, and was met with MORE vintage photos. The entire book is jam packed with photos of tractors in the factory, in the fields, on the road and performing tasks for which these amazing machines were built. For a fan of steam tractors and vintage photographs, this book brings it all together in a way that is sure to both inform and entertain. I know no better collection of images."" Rob Skinner, ""Hit & Miss"" ""This book is well written, with a large collection of antique photographs. The articles on each of the manufactures is quite impressive, with some running three to four pages. Once you pick it up it's hard to put back down."" - Rick Logan, Tuscarawas Valley Pioneer Power Association Inc."

This is a very nice book. Many, many interesting period photographs, most are from John's collection, make this a good coffee table book but, it's more that a picture book. It covers the history of steam tractors. Manufacturers that I never knew existed, are documented here. Overall, a very good book for anyone interested in steam tractors and early agricultural history and would be a great addition to your library. - Power of the Past Tractor Club

This book is excellent resource for all steam engine enthusiasts from the beginner to the most experienced collector. - John Hunter, Foothills Antique Power Association Newsletter

Author Information

"Dr. Robert T. Rhode is one of the world's experts on steam-tractor history. He is an English professor at Northern Kentucky University and author of four other books, including The Harvest Story: Recollections of Old-Time Threshermen and Classic American Steamrollers. John Spalding is a columnist with Steam Traction magazine, the steam-tractor buff's ""bible."" He has the world's largest collection of steam tractor images--some 1,500 rare photographs."

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