[AT] Steam trains and tractors (kinda OT?)

[Larry Goss]

Dean, you're coming close to my heart when you start talking about Dreyfuss and Loewy.  Dreyfuss held a seminar for us in Crown Hall on the IIT campus when I was a student there.  I didn't get the chance to ever meet with Raymond Loewy, but always felt a close connection because I studied under Jay Doblin who was a designer for Loewy in the 50's and who did major styling on the 53 Studebaker's. (How's that for a "Six degrees of separation" situation?)

Larry

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dean Vinson" <dean at vinsonfarm.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 7:41:21 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Steam trains and tractors (kinda OT?)

> she says, you know, tractor people and train people 
> have a lot in common. They're old and friendly.

> The last steam locomotive delivered to the UP (1944) 
> and the only one that was not put into retirement.  
> Looks like it has an extensive schedule in AZ.
> http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/details.shtml

Thanks, Ken and Don.  I would love to see and hear 844 someday (and 3985,
the gigantic articulated 4-6-6-4).  A quick youtube search turned up these
video clips and many others: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sXQFE2jAsw&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgHrDbN4EU&feature=related

And Ken, I agree about the "lot in common" part.  Lots of parallels between
railroad locomotives and farm tractors:  The prime movers of their
industries; the technological evolution from steam power to internal
combustion; streamlining in the late 30s and beyond; their pivotal role in
enabling economic growth; the great rivalries between competitors in the
industry; the passionate fans ("tractor people and train people"); no doubt
much more.

On the design side, rival industrial designers Henry Dreyfuss and Raymond
Loewy each made enduring contributions in both agricultural and railroad
equipment.  Dreyfuss styled the 2-cylinder and New Generation John Deeres
but also designed the shrouding on New York Central's 4-6-4 steam
locomotives for the 20th Century Limited--one of the most iconic locomotive
designs ever:
http://www.hotrodartcentral.com/lgartwork/planesandtrains_files/stacks_image
_2207_1.png.

Loewy "styled" the Farmall letter-series tractors but also streamlined
locomotives for the Pennsylvania Railroad, such as the GG1, S1, and T1:
http://www.raymondloewy.org/gallery/loc_T1.html.

I've also thought the EMD F-unit locomotives and the Farmall M-series
tractors each became the generic symbols of their industries, enduringly so:
Even these many decades later, their general profiles still seem to be the
template for little kids' book images of "train" or "tractor."

http://www.vinsonfarm.net/photos/Reading_F7s_Steamtown_PA.jpg
http://peachtreeprairie.com/earth/images/farmallM.jpg

Lots of links here... I'll try this post on the web forum as well.  :)

Good Sunday morning to you all.

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio


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