Coolspring Power Museum

1996 Summer Show

Coolspring Summer '96 Engine Show

After many of the guys on the Stationary Engine mail list mentioned that they were going to be there, we decided to go back to Coolspring, PA on June 14, 1996 for the Summer show. The Coolspring Power Museum has a walk-through display of over 250 historically significant internal combustion engines, depicting over 115 years of development and its effect on twentieth century industrial America.

The museum is located in Coolspring, Pennsylvania, ten miles south of I-80, Exit 13 (Brookville, Pennsylvania) Just off PA State Rt. 36.

For information, call or write: Coolspring Power Museum, P.O. Box 19, Coolspring, PA 15730 (814)849-6883.

The Coolspring show attracts the best of engine displays from around the country. Here are some examples of what could be seen out in the field.
Point AND click for enlargements!
Domestic side-shaft Mud Pump Engine Lauson Lawton side-shaft Engine Callahan tank cooled side-shaft engine IHC Mogul side-shaft engine Pierce inverted vertical engine Vertical engine from a well drilling rig

We also took the circuit through the museum buildings and saw additions and changes. Show time is the right time to go here because the members and volunteers assemble to keep many of the display engines running for the crowd. If you care at all about old engines then this is the place to visit. Even luckier are those who live close enough to become active members. All together there are at least nine buildings full of engines and even more outside. Point AND click for enlargements!

Columbus side-shaft Gas EngineYou might recognize the one on the left from an ad in G.E.M., November 1995 page 72. It was used as a backup engine in a water pumping station in the village of West Manchester, Ohio, and it was advertised for sale to the highest bidder. A SNAFU on its idenity caused it to be readvertised in the May 1996 issue on page 56 as a 15HP Columbus Gas Engine.
After a cool bid of $15,400 the new owner chose to deposit his new prize here for public viewing. Refer also to page 104 in Wendel's "red" book (American Gas Engines since 1872, © 1994.)

Super-sized Gas EngineThis engine is a newly added 60 HP beast that they were in the process of cranking over while I was taking pictures. Somehow the lens isn't wide enough or my elevation high enough to do it justice. At one point there were two people turning each flywheel and two others were involved with fuel mix and spark trip. The exhaust is piped underground to a stone filled pit outside the building and you should see those stones jump when it fires!

Crossley side-shaft engineHere's one that is as pretty as they come if an engine can be called a work of art. It is located along with other engines in a building that you'd have to see to believe.

Jump over to the (Cool Link) Coolspring Fall '95 page!


 

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