16HP Russell Portable Engine

[cjmlarson]

It wasn't long after completing the 16HP Russell, my brother Craig (Big Coulee Russell), found a 16HP Russell portable engine. After many phone calls between Craig and the owner, they finally struck a deal. This engine was sitting in Plymouth, OH. There are a couple pieces missing, but am confident that we will locate or be able to have these pieces cast. Actually, I think a couple of the pieces match what is on our traction engine. When we get it home, we'll be able to start measuring to find out for sure. If all goes as planned, the engine should be delivered in time for the show this fall.

When Jane & I were on vacation, we stopped in Massillon, OH, and Craig flew out from Omaha to meet us. We got to look at the engine at that time, but one of the highlights of the trip was being able to sit in a gentleman's air-conditioned basement and spend the day looking through original Russell catalogs that dated from 1882 to 1927. In short, I will be making another trip out there, due to the fact that we didn't get through everything he has about Russell history. He also took us around town and showed us 4 of the Russell brother's mansions, and we got to tour a couple of the old Russell factory buildings. Anyway, I guess there will be a new project to get started on in the future.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s319/cjmlarson/portable1.jpg

[edin]

Congratulations! What a wonderful addition - a matched portable/traction set! Do you know what year that it is from? How does the boiler look?

Have a good one,

The Edins

[Big Coulee Russell]

The serial number is 7187. We looked this number up in the Russell records and found the year to be 1892.

Boiler....as always needs work, most likely we would like to replace so we can run it as it was operated in the past.

[cjmlarson]

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s319/cjmlarson/100_1994-2.jpg
Lining the Russell equipment up for the show.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s319/cjmlarson/100_1995-2.jpg
Here is a left-side view of the 16 Portable.


http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s319/cjmlarson/100_2000-2.jpg
Clayton, Eldon, Craig & Kevin are discussing parade protocol for the Friday morning parade.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s319/cjmlarson/100_2004-2.jpg
Coming down the east end of the parade hill with the Russell train.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s319/cjmlarson/100_2005-2.jpg
Here the portable is bringing up the rear after finishing the parade route.

I was amazed at how much weight there was with a full tank of water and the portable behind it going up the parade hill.

[40avery]

Gotta keep em workin! I missed that as well as a lot of other stuff!!

Thanks for the post Clayton. - or Jane?

[BKarels]

If anyone knows me well I love to pull stuff so thanks for letting me pull the portable.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee181/gnkar/Rollag%20Pics/08%20Rollag/Rollag%2008%20CBs%20B/Rollag08CBsBClaytonLarsonsStationar.jpg
I hope it looks as good as the traction engine when it's done.

[cjmlarson]

Blaine ....thank you very much for helping us out at the show.Blaine saved us some travel time with pulling the portable back up where we were parked . This was when we were going to be on the Prony Brake one day and also when we were going to be on Earls sawmill.That is Blaine driving his B and Kevin one of my older brothers.