Wood smoke and steam clouds swirled around the hulking machines as I approached. Some shifted gently from side to side as if alive and eager to begin the day’s work. Others stood still, quietly hissing while people fed their boilers and filled their tanks. People and machines, equally comfortable with their roles. I was a stranger, wonderfully lost in this amazing place.

A two-pizza, three-beer dream? No - this was the Great Oregon SteamUp of 2003 where dozens of multi-ton steam tractors, ancient gas and diesel engines, and gigantic steam derricks come alive to the delight of owners and visitors alike.

So What's a "SteamUp"?

It's not what my boss does every time I foul up an assignment. It's one of the biggest events in Brooks, Oregon. Every year at the end of July collectors, owners, and anyone interested in old machinery - and big machinery - gathers at "Antique Powerland" to "steam their stuff."

The most dramatic are the huge steam tractors, but you'll find a host of other historical machines. How about an 11,000 cubic inch displacement two-cylinder engine? Or a 1912 one-cylinder tractor built by a forerunner of General Motors? A field full of Deeres, including the only crawler tractor model Deere made?

That, my friend, is a SteamUp!

Here, check out my pictures from the 2002 Great Oregon SteamUp!

So Who's Involved?

The Western Steam Fiends Association bought the 62-acre site and started the event 33 years ago. The Antique Implement Society and the Willow Creek Railroad were the next grouops to join. Others are listed on the 2003 SteamUp's home page. These are -

• Western Steam Fiends Association (Contact = debbie@q7.com This is also the contact for their Steam School starting in January
• The Electric Railway Museum
• Oregon Fire Service Museum
• Pacific Northwest Truck Museum
• Willow Creek Railroad

If I've missed some that should be here, please click "Contact Us" on the left and let me know!

What's There to See?

Everything from a pair of massive Belgian draft horses hitched to a plow to a 1961 sprint car that competed at the national level. How about a field of Deeres, the oldest operational steam tractor in the US, and the very steam tractor to come off the Peerless Tractor Company's assembly line? They're all on display and in operation. Vendors, collectors, and people who finally cleaned out their garages hawked an incredible variety of stuff. If you needed a certain part or wanted an entire machine, just sign the check and it was yours!

Since this was my fourth year I found many familiar things. Bill Thomasson had his unique, noisy Sieve-Grip tractor up and running. You can't miss the unmuffled sound of this one-cylinder beast! The Bucyrus-Erie Steam Railway Derrick was hard at work beyond the fire museum. Much was the same as last year, but many displays and machines were new this year, at least to me.

The best thing is the 1:30 parade! Anyone who wants to drives their machine around a dirt track in front of the crowd. They do this every Saturday and Sunday on both week ends.

Hey, Can I See Some of This?

Sure - here's the link to the thumbnail pictures. I've included additional narration and links. There are 35 pictures on the page, but the wait is worth it! Each thumbnail is linked to a larger (50-100K) image.

I spent several hours wandering the outside displays before and after the parade. These pictures are just a sample of the things to see. I've omitted the steam-powered saw mill, now named "Miller Mill" in honor of Leonard Miller, the last founding member of the Western Steam Fiends Association.

I'm already looking forward to next year's SteamUp - I hope to see you there! Oh, you'll recognize me. I'll be the guy wearing a Tilley hat carrying several cameras, a notebook, and an ice cream cone!

If you like things like this, consider visiting the Dufur Threshing Bee in Dufur the second full week end in August. This event features horse-drawn machines as well as steam powered stuff.

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