The History of Steam Traction Engine 28803
Tracing the Lineage of a 60 HP 1926 Frick
July/August 2002
Arvid J. Hamilton
For me, this story started 34 years ago when I was 8 years old
when my father, John Hamilton, took me to my first steam show in
Kinzers, Pa. It was, of course, the Rough & Tumble Engineers
Threshermen's Reunion in August at the R&T Engineers
Historical Association Museum. That first experience was all it
took - the steam bug bit. The smell of burning coal, the sound of
the whistles, the whirr, the growl and chugging of the steam
engines, had taken their hold. Somehow, 1 knew at that young age
that one day I would have my own steam engine. And here I am 34
years later, my childhood desire realized.
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With the help of a generous gentleman, Ivan S. Zimmerman of
Leola, Pa., and a few very kind friends, things fell together. I
was able to purchase an engine in very good shape, needing very few
minor, mechanical repairs. Along with the wealth of knowledge,
generosity and craftsmanship of these friends, this engine was put
in shape in short order.
Engine History
The engine I was fortunate enough to get is a 60 HP 1926 Frick 7
x 10 double-cylinder traction engine, number 28803, boiler number
16133. This engine was order number 22926-B, written on May 26,
1926. The engine was shipped from the Frick Co. Inc. of Waynesboro,
Pa., on June 19, 1926 to the original owner, John H. Burchard of
Chestertown, Md.
Arvid Hamilton's 1926 Frick as it appears today, a clean,
well-preserved and well-maintained engine by anyone's
standards. Unlike many steam traction engines, Arvid's Frick
saw active employment for almost 50 years, only really retiring
from a working life around 1972.
George Willey of Earleville, Md., was acquainted with the first
and second owners of the engine, and he was able to supply some
information on this particular Frick. The first owner, John
Burchard, used the engine for powering a sawmill and threshing
machine until 1930. He then sold the engine to the second owner,
his nephew, Roland Burchard of Odessa, Del. The engine was then
used for threshing, cannery and creamery work, steaming milk lines.
It was also used for moving buildings and pulling thorn hedges for
the Delaware Road Department.
In 1948 the engine was sold to its third owner, Steven Zook of
New Holland, Pa. Menno Hoover, who ran the engine for Zook (and one
of those kind friends at Rough & Tumble I spoke about), was
able to supply some further information on the Frick. According to
Menno, the engine was then used for threshing, chopping/blowing
silage and steaming tobacco beds until 1972.