[SEL] Nice Wheels/ cable plowing

[Curt]

Tim,
Since the Ozzies didn't answer I'll take a stab at it. I was quite 
fascinated by the steam traction cable plows we saw at Narracoorte. A 
picture of one is here:
<http://www.oldengine.org/members/holland/images/Australia2005/Australia2005%20247.jpg>
<http://www.oldengine.org/members/holland/images/Australia2005/Australia2005%20252.jpg>

As it was explained to me it had nothing to do with speed, but rather 
the desire to eliminate compaction of the soil by the heavy traction 
engine. A pair of traction engines were spaced side by side the cable 
lengths apart. They would yo-yo the plow back and forth between them, 
alternating which engine advanced a plows width. They used toots on the 
whistles to communicate the long distance between the engines in 
foggy/dusty weather. Apparently the plow did move along at a pretty good 
clip, as I heard stories of plows getting caught on buried roots and 
stumps and the plow being launch considerable distance in the air.

Have been to several steam shows here in the states and, to date, have 
yet to see a steam traction engine with a cable setup under the belly. 
So it might have been done, but it was sure on small scale. In our early 
culture of entrepreneurial / no government involvement, what farmer 
could afford to buy 2 traction engines!? It would be interesting to know 
the extent that government subsidies were involved in cable plowing in 
Australia.

Curt Holland
Gastonia, NC

**Tim Christoff wrote:

>Does anyone know if cable plowing was ever done in the US?  I have never
>seen a reference to it.  Also, what was the advantage of plowing a feild in
>this way beside the fact that the engines were not traveling through the
>feild, I guess what I am trying to say is, was this method quicker than
>pulling the plow behind a smaller tractor?
>
>Tim Christoff
>Basehor Kansas
>
>
>  
>
>>[Original Message]
>>From: Peter Scales <peter at loud-n-clear.net>
>>To: The SEL email discussion list <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
>>Date: 7/31/2006 5:47:40 AM
>>Subject: RE: [SEL] Nice Wheels
>>
>>I can remember, as a child of ten or eleven, watching a pair of Fowler
>>    
>>
>BB's
>  
>
>>(steam tractors, look here, 3rd pic -
>>http://www.oldglory.co.uk/archive/30nov05/ft3.htm) plowing the 20-acre
>>    
>>
>field
>  
>
>>behind our house.  This would have been in 1966 or 1967, well after the
>>    
>>
>end
>  
>
>>of WWII.  As I recall, this working pair used to plow fields,  dredge
>>    
>>
>pools
>  
>
>>and pull out stumps for many years after that.  I do not know if they are
>>still working, but they almost certainly still exist.
>>
>>Regards
>>
>>     Pete
>>-- 
>>Peter Scales  
>>
>>    
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com 
>>>[mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of 
>>>john palmer
>>>Sent: 31 July 2006 09:08
>>>To: SEL at lists.stationary-engine.com
>>>Subject: [SEL] Nice Wheels
>>>
>>>You can see how far behind the British were.We were using 
>>>these things till 
>>>after the second war!!   John
>>>
>>>
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>>>SEL mailing list
>>>SEL at lists.stationary-engine.com
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>>>      
>>>
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>
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