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Accident at Rushville Show

L

Lanse

Well-known Member
Such a sad thing. I was at this show, too.



RUSHVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A bad clutch on a steam engine is being blamed for the death of a 5-month boy in Rush County.

Authorities say the baby was killed and his grandmother was injured when the steam engine rolled downhill and they fell out of a trailer they were riding in behind the machine.

Five-month-old Tobi Coon died in Saturday night's accident at Caldwell Pioneer Acres about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis. Rush County sheriff's deputy Mark Click says the baby's father was driving the steam engine up an incline when the engine quit running, and the steamer and trailer started rolling backwards.

The baby's grandmother, Toni Decker, was treated at an Indianapolis hospital and released.
 
I never realized that they used a clutch on a steam engine. I have seen them start by catching the piston and crank in the right position/direction by openning the steam valve when it is in the proper quadrant. If they open at the wrong time it just runs backwards so they close the valve and begin again.
 
Makes me wonder why they were in the wagon while it was being loaded? I sure wouldn't do that with one of my tractors.
 
I don't think it was being LOADED, but the engine was pulling a trailer behind it, with child and Grandma riding inside, going uphill, and stopped. (At least that's how I read it.)
 
A steam engine has a "friction" clutch, basiaclly 2 or 3 pieces of wood that is pushed against the flywheel that turns the gears, when they start to slip on a hill there isn't much that can be done as you have no brakes , this is really a tragic accident and my heart and prayers go out to the family, , May god bless them ! Bill Thurman
 
Feel so bad for the family. What a tragedy. Drove one of these about 5 years ago, and I knew nothing about it. Owner just coached me. I had 3 grandkids with me.
 
It's so sad for the family. We will soon put this away in the back of our minds, but the family will live with it for the rest of their lives. They have my sympathy.

This story has a kind of ironic twist to it because another fellow and I had to listen to a bunch of crap for implementing some new safety rules for the parade at our local show. It occured last weekend and we really caught flak from some people who thought it was safe to have their eight year old son or daughter drive a tractor through the parade with dad driving behind them with a tractor laden with passengers sitting on the fenders and hood. Nuff said! Jim
 
The clutch is used to drive the gears for the wheels. Releasing the clutch allows use of the flywheel to drive a belt.
 
That's why most (if not all) traction engines had a "safety pin" which was inserted through the clutch, locking it to the flywheel before doing any road work. The old steam men I worked with would give you he!! if you didn't use it.
 
fixerupper, with regard to your position on the eight year old driving in the parade, you done good. To error on the side of safety may draw some ridicule but that is far better than the tragedies than can not be undone.
 
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