| 1/13/2001 ( pics 001 - 005 ) Main engine being set on concrete base. Unit is painted with red primer while the pump is painted black. The engine and pump are not connected yet. Only half of the giant flywheel is assembled and a lot of work remains to be done before the upper half can be added as there was a lot of freeze damage to the bearing surfaces which carry the load of the 12,000 pound flywheel. Much of the engine is still on the ground and covered with tarps in varying stages of cleaning, scraping, and painting. | ||||
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| Mar. 31, 2002 14 months later a lot has been completed. A building has been constructed over the engine. Water Lines, Air lines, and some oil lines are connected and a lot of paint added. A Description sign is completed and a color chart to help viewers identify the various types of pipes, and lines. The flywheel bearing took several weeks to be hand repaired and fitted to match it's large shaft. | ||||
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| Dec.
28, 2002 Almost ready to operate, at least on air
power anyway. The building has been closed in with
walls and doors. Most of the engine and pump are
now connected, assembled, and looking good. Lou's
"golfcart" [a WWII airplane mover] was used to turn
the engine for it's initial breakin period to adjust
and test all the various bearings and moving parts. This was a big night for Flywheelers who have worked hard over the past several years on the engine. The air compressor has been pumping up pressure for several hours while most of the camp settles down and gets ready for sleep. Only a few are here tonight and the excitement rises as Lou gets ready to flip the valves and let the engine turn on it's own air power for the first time. Then Lou gives a few flips, twists, turns, and the mighty engine does what it was designed to do 88 years ago. With the swishing sounds of giant gulps of air filling the cylinders and exiting through the large 12 inch exaust pipe the flywheel takes off spinning. Suprisingly it spun faster than expected and after 10 minutes of stops and starts the first stages of operational tests under her own power were complete. Unfortunately videos taken on our "undeserving" camera did not come out due to darkness. The four of us were Lou Donaldson, the master, Len Collins, Lou's sidekick, Bud Heil, and myself, Lewis Johnson. Bud and I were merely honored observers. |
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| November
11, 2004. The snow engine has been running on it's
own power since early 2003. It is started by using
compressed air to start it into motion. Once it
is spinning, the electrical system is engaged and
propane fuel is turned on allowing the engine to
burn it's own fuel and continue running without
the need for compressed air. The large pump on the East end of the engine has been deactivated to reduce noise and now would only pump large volumes of air instead of the natural gas it was designed to burn as fuel and pump through pipelines in 1914. Lower costing diesel fuel engines and pumps have replaced the old snow engines. These newer engines run faster rpms, but deliver more effective horsepower at a reduced fuel cost. They are also "MUCH" lighter and easier to maintain. We will post more details about the Snow Engine as soon as we recieve details from "those in the know". |
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