The Ford Barn

Chuck Dempsey · 01-31-2019, 08:09 PM

Floating around on FB . . . . .

mhsprecher · 01-31-2019, 09:02 PM

A chain drive Model A. Who knew?

1931 flamingo · 02-01-2019, 02:25 PM

Ingenuity at work.....................
Paul in CT

Gotta "hand it" to the old timers.

Werner · 02-01-2019, 02:40 PM

This is a railroad "Draisine". In the war or in India?

petehoovie · 02-01-2019, 04:15 PM

30 Closed Cab PU · 02-01-2019, 05:08 PM

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Does the car swivel to reverse direction?

Looks like there is something between the wood frame of the rail car and the wood frame of the A, towards the middle of the car

Looks like both A rear wheels have chains going to the gears on the rail car wheels. Also the other wheel shown without chain also has a geared wheel.

Remove chains, swivel the car around, chains back on, go the other way.

Synchro909 · 02-01-2019, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 30 Closed Cab PU

Does the car swivel to reverse direction?

Looks like there is something between the wood frame of the rail car and the wood frame of the A, towards the middle of the car

Looks like both A rear wheels have chains going to the gears on the rail car wheels. Also the other wheel shown without chain also has a geared wheel.

Remove chains, swivel the car around, chains back on, go the other way.

I noticed that the pivot for changing direction is positioned so that the weight of the engine keeps tension on the chain.

1ton · 02-01-2019, 05:24 PM

You got 200 tons of steam engine barreling down on you. You drop the chains, spin her around and get the hell out of there

Joe K · 02-01-2019, 06:01 PM

Reminiscent of a pix over at "Old Motor."

Opinions varied but this appears to be a "self powered" float to move this car (possibly a Chevrolet) using onboard power and direction. The "depressions" in the drive-on wheel channels suggest it - as well as the "propulsion wake."

Some have opined that the boat ahead is towing the float/car - but no tow-rope is evident.

One comment at the site http://theoldmotor.com/?p=168804

Quote:

The first photo may be Howard T Powers demonstrating his “Automobile Boat” near Corpus Christi, for which he and fellow Corpus Christ inventor Walter C Lewis received patent 1804262 on May 5, 1931. Apparently depression conditions sank any chance of commercial development for Powers.

Joe K

30 Closed Cab PU · 02-01-2019, 06:08 PM

Couple of outrigger pontoons would be nice. Does not look like it would take much for it to flip 180 degrees for submarine use.

burner31 · 02-01-2019, 06:28 PM

Bet that was rough on th clutch

BN · 02-01-2019, 11:56 PM

Looks like the "Train Car" was a slow moving affair. The speed reduction in the chain drive looks like somewhere between 3:1 - 4:1 . However, anything over 25 mph looks like it might be a bad idea. No brakes either.

Synchro909 · 02-02-2019, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BN

Looks like the "Train Car" was a slow moving affair. The speed reduction in the chain drive looks like somewhere between 3:1 - 4:1 . However, anything over 25 mph looks like it might be a bad idea. No brakes either.

I think the rear brakes on the car would slow the trolly.

01-31-2019, 09:02 PM	#2
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: Another nice old pic.... A chain drive Model A. Who knew?

02-01-2019, 02:25 PM	#3
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: Another nice old pic.... Ingenuity at work..................... Paul in CT Gotta "hand it" to the old timers.

02-01-2019, 02:40 PM	#4
Werner Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Germany, near Aachen Posts: 1,153	Re: Another nice old pic.... This is a railroad "Draisine". In the war or in India? __________________ Beste Gruesse aus Deutschland, Werner Ford Model A, Roadster, 1928 Citroen 11 CV, 1947 Hercules W 2000, 1976; (with NSU-Wankel Rotary Engine), Canadian version

02-01-2019, 04:15 PM	#5
petehoovie Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 8,081	Re: Another nice old pic.... __________________ The only thing nice about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others.... *"Silver rings, your butt! Them's washers!"* "We shot our way out of that town for a dollar's worth of steel holes!" - from 'The Wild Bunch' - 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NReUd2_0u0

02-01-2019, 05:08 PM	#6
30 Closed Cab PU Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 2,332	Re: Another nice old pic.... Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Does the car swivel to reverse direction? Looks like there is something between the wood frame of the rail car and the wood frame of the A, towards the middle of the car Looks like both A rear wheels have chains going to the gears on the rail car wheels. Also the other wheel shown without chain also has a geared wheel. Remove chains, swivel the car around, chains back on, go the other way.

02-01-2019, 05:24 PM	#8
1ton Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: North Aurora,Il. Posts: 154	Re: Another nice old pic.... You got 200 tons of steam engine barreling down on you. You drop the chains, spin her around and get the hell out of there

02-01-2019, 06:08 PM	#10
30 Closed Cab PU Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 2,332	Re: Another nice old pic.... Couple of outrigger pontoons would be nice. Does not look like it would take much for it to flip 180 degrees for submarine use.

02-01-2019, 06:28 PM	#11
burner31 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Shawnee, Ok Posts: 3,471	Re: Another nice old pic.... Bet that was rough on th clutch __________________ Keith Shawnee OK '31 SW 160-B

02-01-2019, 11:56 PM	#12
BN Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keller, Tx Posts: 114	Re: Another nice old pic.... Looks like the "Train Car" was a slow moving affair. The speed reduction in the chain drive looks like somewhere between 3:1 - 4:1 . However, anything over 25 mph looks like it might be a bad idea. No brakes either. __________________ Bill Newland