Steam Engines For Sale

Image Gallery The first view we saw of the two engines.

RR 2,Box 120,Odell, Illinois 60460

Those four words are the beginning of many a good chase for those of us infected with steam fever. On April 14, 1990, my brother John heard of two steam engines that might be for sale, sitting side by side at an old barn yard. The chase was on! On April 19 we were driving up the lane of the farm where the engines sat. A friend, Don Worth, went with us as he had seen the engines before and knew the owner.

We stopped at the house to ask permission to view the old engines. When we knocked on the door we were greeted by Mrs. Art Kent. We introduced ourselves and she told us to go around behind the barn and have a look.

Now, before I go any further, I want to say that I have been to many auctions and, of course, steam events, but what we saw when we drove around that barn was right out of a dream! There had been two old steamers resting in the weeds where they were parked 25 or more years ago. John and I nearly climbed over each other getting out of the truck to get a better look.

There sat a 24 HP Minneapolis and an 18 HP Russell. Well, the next hour or so was spent looking and taking pictures. It didn't take long to see that nature had taken her toll on the old engines, but it also didn't take long to want to buy and restore them to their former shape. We couldn't wait to take them to one or two of the shows we attend. We both had been looking for an engine to bring home and restore, so we decided that if they could be bought at a reasonable price, we would take on the task of restoring them.

John liked the Minneapolis and the old Russell had my eye, so all was settled but the price.