The only 1923 bucyrus 50b still in existence is at the nederland mining museum in nederland, co. This machine was built in 1930 and bought new in 1932 by the guy f. Steam shovels today how steam shovels work howstuffworks. Bucyrus model 50b steam shovel earth moving equipment.
Dick and sue berkenbush hold mike mulligan and his steam shovel at west newbury town hall, which is featured in the story. It may not be there now, for a lot can happen in that period of time. The bucyruserie model 1850b electric shovel, or big brutus, the largest existing electric shovel in the world. The steam shovel didnt disappear from the landscape entirely.
Crane shovel abebooks abebooks shop for books, art. At the sycamore il steam, tractor, and antique equipment show. For our third fiar book study, i chose mike mulligan and his steam shovel by virginia lee burton. Cable shovels, draglines and backhoes historical construction equipment association.
The father was in the construction business in the early to mid 1900s. An outstanding collection of photos from the companys archive, now. Some were rescued and restored and survive as tourist attractions or museum pieces. Company lore even has it that president theodore roosevelt climbed aboard a 95ton bucyrus steam shovel while inspecting progress on the panama canal in 1908. Invented in 1839 by william otis, the steam shovel didnt take off right away due to the plentiful and cheap supply of manual labor. The track had to be laid solid as possible someone messed up for the shovel is buried and as level as possible for there were no lugs on the wheels. Steam shovels and draglines model railroader magazine.
The electric 120b shovel utilized separate dc motors for its various motions and employed the wardleonard system of control. What a fantastic, vintage structo toy in good condition. The steam shovel was one of the first inventions that made it possible for mankind to overcome muscle power when it came to earthmoving. He can sometimes be clumsy and once nearly caused thomas to have an accident when he knocked out the keystones of a bridge.
Gasoline, diesel, electric, published by the bucyruserie company, south milwaukee, wisc. Bucyrus steam shovel build 1 model engineering website. As a child, his steam fueled hot 1939 childrens classic. By tom berry june 27, 20 the erie b steam shovel could be set up with various combinations of booms and dipper sticks. Early history the steam shovel was built in 1932 amid the depression by the bucyruserie company of south milwaukee, wisconsin, whose shovel manufacturing plant was in evansville, indiana.
Many were abandoned after their work was done and can still be found at old quarries or mining sites, rusting away. This model was commissioned by toy trucker and contractor magazine and is. The otis shovel was the worlds first mechanized steam shovel and excavator. Shovel, bucyruserie 50b steam roots of motive power. The only bucyrus model 50b still existing, this 1923 steam shovel weighs,000 pounds and is rated at 75 tons. This is the bucyrus excavator shovel metal kit model railroad vehicle in n scale by jl innovative design. At the end of the weekend, the shovel was trammed back to the shop area, to be on display until next time. Bucyrus 50b heavy equipment, heavy construction equipment. Mike mulligan and the steam shovel, katy and the big snow, the little house. The western minnesota steam threshers reunion in rollag mn has 4 steam shovels operating, including a 50b and a marion osgood similar to the type used to dig the panama canal. It is the earliest type of power shovel or excavator. A steam shovel is a large steampowered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving. Its the only 50b left in the world that carries just the bucyrus name on. A steam shovel is a large steampowered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and soil.
Recovery and restoration of a 25ton bucyrus steam shovel. Shovel has some bent, broken, and a piece of missing, handrail trim. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. Recognizing that the market for such engines was maturing, it began manufacturing. Model railroader is the worlds largest magazine on model trains and model railroad layouts. Mike mulligan and his steam shovel mary anne cant find any more digging jobs. It was founded as bucyrus foundry and manufacturing company in bucyrus, ohio in 1880. The steam shovel joins the outstanding collection of industrial steam machinery on display by roots of motive power at the mendocino county museum in willits. I also took pictures of a much smaller bucyruserie 10b shovel.
While in colorado last week, we drove down to nederland to look at the last surviving steam shovel used at the panama canal. I had seen the steam shovel some fifteen years earlier. Bucyrus erie 20b, bulletin 20b2, shovel, dragline, crane, clamshell, dragshovel, skimmer. The classic childrens book mike mulligan and his steam shovel features a steam shovel as a main character. One of the few remaining, operational, bucyrus model 50b still existing, this 1923 steam shovel weighs,000 pounds and is rated at 75 tons. There are only several panama canal shovels left in the entire world this is the only running one. Includes every erie model at work on mining and construction projects. The original is not dated, but it is probably late 1940s or early 1950s, since there are telephone numbers beginning with exchange names followed by either four or five numbers. The first power shovels traveled on rails and were powered by steam. Erie shovel photo archive by erie steam shovel company. In 2003, classic construction models produced the bucyruserie 15b crane and cable hoe in 1.
Bucyrus, in one of the most common ironies of business, wound up buying one of its biggest longtime rivals, marion by then named the marion power shovel company, in 1997. Bucyrus 95 ton steam shovel, o guage factory direct trains. Rmp has a steam shovel model 50b of bucyruserie, donated in 1992 by the. It is located at the nederland mining museum in the heart of nederland. Everyone hoping it didnt run off its huge caterpillar tracks. Fortunately, jacks quick thinking and bravery saved the day. Reallife mike mulligan and his steam shovel in action a great video to show how mary anne worked. Steam shovels played a major role in public works in the 19th and early 20th century, being key to the construction of railroads and the panama canal. Steam shovel history how steam shovels work howstuffworks. The shovel had been thoroughly overhauled by its previous owner, but then the old operator retired. Largest operating tracked steam shovel in north america, worked on the outside of the panama canal.
At the time the 225 b was built there were no hydraulic jacks to level the shovel. Bucyrus erie 20b shovel, dragline, crane, catalog prob. Atkinson company who operated it on a number of high profile construction projects from 1. Some of the 120bs were steam driven, and the last two sold in 1939 were the very last steam shovels built in america. Virgina lee burton, author of mike mulligan and his steam shovel see more. Please support the author by purchasing the book here. Bucyrus moved its headquarters to south milwaukee, wisconsin in 1893. Bucyruserie 50b steam shovel move to willits roots of. Bucyrus steam shovel 1923 panama canal ih engines red. The development of simpler, cheaper dieselpowered shovels caused steam. Bucyrus 1912 steam shovel model railroader magazine.
Affordable and search from millions of royalty free images, photos and vectors. Twentyfive bucyrus model 50b steam shovels were sent to the panama canal to build bridges, roads, and drains. You will note that this is not a fully revolving steam shovel only the front shovel. Expand your options of fun home activities with the largest online selection at. New works of the bucyrus steam shovel and dredge company. Bucyrus steam shovel in nederland, colorado nederland colorado, bucyrus erie, colorado usa. They were amond the largest tracked steam shovels in the world at that time. This one makes me think of mike mulligan and his steam shovel.
Mack ac lowboy loading gillespie, bucyruserie 50b steam. Jl bucyrus excavator shovel metal kit model railroad. Handbook of steam shovel work facsimile bucyrus company on. In 1927, bucyrus merged with the erie steam shovel company to form bucyruserie. It was a nice brisk january day in 1974 when joe martin and i decided to check on the condition of a steam shovel that was located in remington, ohio. Ned the steam shovel is a member of the team called the pack who works for the sodor construction company.
Erie was one of americas major manufacturers of steampowered excavators, eventually becoming part of bucyruserie. Unfollow bucyrus shovel to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Bucyruserie company 75b electric revolving shovel shovel, bucyrus erie 75b this project is made possible by a grant from the u. The otis shovel is used as part of the historical construction equipment associations logo. Making the earth move for 125 years bucyrus international inc. A steam shovel was powered by steam, were usually fullrevolving, and travelled on crawlers or wheels. Power shovels are a type of ropecable excavator, where the digging arm is controlled and powered by winches and steel ropes, rather than hydraulics. Old childrens books you have to explain coal, steam shovels, etc but her books are. Around the turn of the century the 95ton steam shovel was the largest the company built and they were used on many projects and bucyrus shovels were the most prevalent in use during the construction of the panama canal. A power shovel also stripping shovel or front shovel or electric mining shovel or electric rope shovel is a bucketequipped machine, usually electrically powered, used for digging and loading earth or fragmented rock and for mineral extraction. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Until 1932 most were steam powered and moved on railroad tracks.
Two weekends prior to the move were spent in south san francisco preparing the machine for disassembly. Old childrens books you have to explain coal, steam shovels, etc but her books are irreplacable. Bucyruserie was an american surface and underground mining equipment company. Bucyrus model 50b steam shovel western mining history. Reprinted brochure and spec sheet discusses 30b universal shovel crawler steam shovel, traction steam shovel, crawler dragline, crawler crane and clamshell crane. Because of their massive size, completely dismantling them wasnt easy. The move of the steam shovel north by roots of motive power volunteers was a major project in itself. Otis in 1835, it was literally one of the most groundbreaking pieces of equipment to appear in the construction and mining industries.