Restored Steam Roller Makes A Big Impression
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The 1905 Kelly-Springfield steam roller that makes keepsake posters at the Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Old Thresher’s Reunion spent nearly 50 years hard packing roadbeds and paving streets in Boulder, Colo. Dave Gross bought the engine for $200 in 1955 when he was just 17 years old, then put it in storage on a family friend’s farm for the next 50 years.
Gross found number 907 on one of his excursions in and around Colorado’s Front Range while enjoying his hobby of photographing old locomotives and steam engines. It was in tough shape, but it was a 12-ton relic he had to own. More than 65 years have gone by since Gross spent most of his hard-earned savings on the purchase, and he hasn’t regretted it once. For nearly 20 years, he’s been passing his love of steam power on to his grandson, Russell Heerdt.
Heerdt says, “I grew up listening to grandpa’s stories, and when he retired and wanted to fix up old 907, he decided to have the work done in Mt. Pleasant, where I lived, because we’re home to the long-running Midwest Old Threshers Reunion and Steam Show.” Gross shipped 907 to Huffy’s Iron Works, just outside Mt. Pleasant, in the winter of 2007.
Over the next 2 years, they cleaned and sandblasted it, fabricated a new steam down, and replaced boiler tubes and the front flue sheet. The Babot bearings were repoured, and a new front roller steering bracket was cast. The lengthy project was capped off with new paint and detailing. Gross and Heerdt were frequent observers of the restoration, and when it was complete in 2010, the steamer moved to the Mt. Pleasant show site.
For 7 years, Gross and Heerdt cleaned, prepped, and drove it during the annual Thresher’s show. They’d even give visitors instructions on how the rig operates during “steam school.” In 2017, the printer demonstration began, and they’ve been doing it ever since. While Gross drives it, Heerdt fires and throttles the engine. He says, “It’s a balancing act of firing just right so the engine sits there warm enough to move a few feet forward and back to make the posters.”
Heerdt says, “There’s a fine line between an engine that won’t run and one that will. Luckily, the restoration in 2010 was very thorough, and hopefully, in the future, new machined parts and repaired gears will give the 907 a very long life.” He adds, “People take plenty of pictures. The engine is unique because the Kelly Company had a British engineer, so that’s where it gets a look completely different than, for example, a Case roller, which was designed by U.S. engineers.”
Heerdt has carried his enjoyment of steam vehicles into a job as a locomotive engineer and special events coordinator for the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which operates a passenger train powered by a steam locomotive.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Russell Heerdt, Durango, Colo. (rheerdt@durangotrain.com).
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Restored Steam Roller Makes A Big Impression TRACTORS Antiques The 1905 Kelly-Springfield steam roller that makes keepsake posters at the Mt Pleasant Iowa Old Thresher’s Reunion spent nearly 50 years hard packing roadbeds and paving streets in Boulder Colo Dave Gross bought the engine for $200 in 1955 when he was just 17 years old then put it in storage on a family friend’s farm for the next 50 years Gross found number 907 on one of his excursions in and around Colorado’s Front Range while enjoying his hobby of photographing old locomotives and steam engines It was in tough shape but it was a 12-ton relic he had to own More than 65 years have gone by since Gross spent most of his hard-earned savings on the purchase and he hasn’t regretted it once For nearly 20 years he’s been passing his love of steam power on to his grandson Russell Heerdt Heerdt says “I grew up listening to grandpa’s stories and when he retired and wanted to fix up old 907 he decided to have the work done in Mt Pleasant where I lived because we’re home to the long-running Midwest Old Threshers Reunion and Steam Show ” Gross shipped 907 to Huffy’s Iron Works just outside Mt Pleasant in the winter of 2007 Over the next 2 years they cleaned and sandblasted it fabricated a new steam down and replaced boiler tubes and the front flue sheet The Babot bearings were repoured and a new front roller steering bracket was cast The lengthy project was capped off with new paint and detailing Gross and Heerdt were frequent observers of the restoration and when it was complete in 2010 the steamer moved to the Mt Pleasant show site For 7 years Gross and Heerdt cleaned prepped and drove it during the annual Thresher’s show They’d even give visitors instructions on how the rig operates during “steam school ” In 2017 the printer demonstration began and they’ve been doing it ever since While Gross drives it Heerdt fires and throttles the engine He says “It’s a balancing act of firing just right so the engine sits there warm enough to move a few feet forward and back to make the posters ” Heerdt says “There’s a fine line between an engine that won’t run and one that will Luckily the restoration in 2010 was very thorough and hopefully in the future new machined parts and repaired gears will give the 907 a very long life ” He adds “People take plenty of pictures The engine is unique because the Kelly Company had a British engineer so that’s where it gets a look completely different than for example a Case roller which was designed by U S engineers ” Heerdt has carried his enjoyment of steam vehicles into a job as a locomotive engineer and special events coordinator for the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad which operates a passenger train powered by a steam locomotive Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Russell Heerdt Durango Colo rheerdt@durangotrain com
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