Hornsby Steam Crawler

[SONNY]

This is a one-of-a-kind unit and its hulk has been found in the PNW here in the USA in the woods and was moved to Canada for re-store!

http://hornsbycrawler.org/index.php/Main/HomePage

I helped a guy wanting to do cad drawings of the unit find little known info, about it and in return he sent me a package of VERY nice drawings he made from the leads that I steered him onto!---Even included an "'official" copy of 1 share in the light & power company the Hornsby worked for hauling coal at one time! thanks; sonny

[SONNY]

This is a pic. someone sent me years ago saying he took it and leaned on this track unit wondering what the H--- this went to!



Anyway the pic was at the current owners place and on display at a show in Canada museum grounds and the rest of the tractor is in a storage building until they can restore the unit to original early 1900's conditions! thanks ; sonny

PS if the taker/sender of this pic sees this post,---THANKS AGAIN FOR TAKING THE PIC.!!!!

[Iron Art]

Sonny, Thats one cool cat!! I sure would like to see it restored. Fred

[SONNY]

Its a one and only!---I hope too, that they can get the funds and manpower to restore this! thanks; sonny

[FSHOOK]

there is a fascinating story behind that picture.

It seems there was a rock stuck in the mechanism that brought the
mighty engine to a halt. The crawler was abandoned on a island in Canada
in the 1950s, that it survived at all is a miracle in itself. The steam crawler was the only one of its kind ever built. Hornsby had great aspirations of selling many such units,petrol, oil or steam to the great European war Entities. The problem was huge, This machine was so far ahead of the days technology no one could conceive how it could be used with the Calvary horses, Little did the Generals of the review boards knew, This machine would completely obsolete the use of animals as a means of moving men and supplies in war. Out of total complete frustration, Hornsby sold the patent rights to Holt of the United States for almost nothing, To add insult on top of that Hold succeeded in marketing over 100 units to the very Generals who months prior rejected the entire concept of self powered tracked war machines. WWl would prove beyond any doubt that Hornsby had it correct, And His machine would be the precursor to every tracked vehicle on planet Earth to this very day, whether for Exploration,War or for Peace

It is a fitting tribute to Hornsby & Sons that the Mammoth be restored to its former working condition and put on display for the World to marvel over.

Few machines ever own that right, This machine certainly has the rights


Fred, It was found on Vancouver Island not far north of Puget Sound

[Iron Art]

Frank, Its an amazing machine for its time and if it could be reduced to the major componets it would make a neat model project. I could see it complete and in its glory as a model, one of a kind. Would need more pictures to build one. Fred

[FSHOOK]

You wish is Our command, I just happen to have pictures of models.
some pretty nice ones too! let Me dig around and see what comes up

[FSHOOK]

Fred,
Did I send You the pictures? My computer is real sick and am not sure when My Daughter will finish up fixing it. Same old same old ,no time
Not for sure where Her work ethic came from I only work a half a day 7 times a week. I just need to keep straight if it is midnight to noon or noon to midnight

[Mark / Ohio]

I never saw nor heard of that monster before.

[FSHOOK]

Originally Posted by Mark / Ohio

I never saw nor heard of that monster before.

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