3314 Duff Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001
It all started in 1995 after I retired from a career in the
United States Air Force. I now find myself as a professional
driving instructor for CR England (the big red trucks out on the
highway). However, while in the Air Force being transferred from
Wyoming to Florida and back to Wyoming, I made some wonderful
friends. Some are in the South, West and in the Midwest where I
grew up. I return there every summer for the show at the
Coolsprings Power Museum in Coolsprings, Pennsylvania, and the
Tri-State Show in Portland, Indiana. Both of these shows are where
I got to know some of the big collectors around the country.
Having a job as a truck driver, I travel around the country
where I may have a little time on my hands. I have teamed or been
an instructor since I have been with CR England, so I can move
across the country in two or three days. So whenever I pick up a
load that may give me some extra time, I pull out the map and see
who I might know along the route I would be on, and give them a
call to see if we could get together and talk about their iron.
Most of the time my loads are going to the East Coast. CR
England is out of Salt Lake City, Utah, so I can leave Utah and run
to Coolsprings, Pennsylvania, in about 30 hours. When I leave the
company on a Friday and do not have to deliver out on the East
Coast until Monday, my student and I would put the hammer down
(trucker talk for not stopping for anything but fuel and nature
call breaks) and be in Coolsprings, Pennsylvania, Saturday
afternoon. That would give me a day working on something at the
museum, (picture 1) like the 25 HP Lima engine from the Lima Gas
Engine Works, Ohio, (picture 2).
Dr. Paul Harvey, co-founder of the museum, moved the Lima engine
to Coolsprings some 25 years ago where it just sits needing lots of
work. God willing, and the creek not rising again causing a flood,
it will be running at the 1999 summer show. Dr. Paul has been very
hospitable to me and my co-drivers, opening up his home to us when
we are able to stop and work. Thanks, Doc!!!
Not only has Coolsprings been a stopping point, but the engine
guys all over the country have welcomed me in to see their
collections, like Ed Laginess of Monroe, Michigan. Here you can see
all three Cam stoppers sitting in a row Columbus, Calahan and
Field-Brundage. Plus his beautiful 15 HP Miami from the Middletown
Machine Company, (picture 3) Then there is Stiles Bradley of
Pavilion, New York, where you can see five Springfields from
Springfield, Ohio, and the rest of his fine collection including
his 4 HP Springfield, (picture 4) Next there is Anton Affentianger
of Bakersfield, California, and his wonderful collection of Unions;
and the rest of his California collection, which includes a Samson,
(picture 5), Western, Mink, Frisco Standard’s, and a Regan.
There is also Greg Prskopchuk of Paso Robles, California, and
his collection of California engines including his nice original
Regan (picture 6). Charlie Parish’s Ag Museum in Merced,
California, has an 8 HP Frisco Standard from the Standard Gas
Engine Company, California, (picture 7) and a Doke built in
California (picture 8). Here is where I found my 25 HP Special
Electric Foos gas engine (picture 9 &. 10). Thanks again,
Charlie!!! Also, here is where you can see the Springfield that the
man with the hacksaw got mad at (picture 11). It belongs to Buzz
Stetler of Stockton, California, who also prides his California
collection with three Golden Gate engines.
Then there is Dick Leureault of S. Hadley Massachusetts, where
you can see two 25 HP Columbus engines and right now the
restoration of Doc Harvey’s 80 HP Miller gas engine from the
Miller Improved Gas Engine Company. Nathan Lillibridge of
Voluntown, Connecticut, has one nice collection of big engines.
Anyone who has ever been to Nate’s will know what I’m
talking about. And my good friend John Rex of Chelmsford,
Massachusetts, has a real nice collection of English engines.
Without John my 25 HP Foos might not have made it to the Foos Fever
show at Coolsprings in 1997. Thanks, John!!
And last of all, the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, in the summer of 1996, where I even talked my way
into their storage building (boy you talk about a lot of iron,
they’ve got it!!) And just think, I have seen all of this stuff
and been to all of these places and it has not cost me a dime!!
That is why I have the best job in the country.
So, if you ever see the big red England truck with the
Coolspring’s license plate on the grill pulling a Christopher
Ranch trailer filled with garlic from Gilroy, California, (picture
12), stay out of the way. I might be on my way to see one of my
buddies to talk about iron. But, give me a honk on the way by!
Don’t try to get hold of me, my address is 51492 Big Red Truck,
Anywhere USA, (the Post Office can’t keep up)!!
