Atlas Steam Engine
This Atlas Steam engine has made it full circle. Joe Brooke, Prentice Lumber/Eagle Stud donated the steam engine to the museum. It was originally Owned by the Troutwine family and used in Blanchard Creek, Northwest of Clearwater Junction Montana. The Troutwines had an equipment auction and this engine went for more than we could afford and ended up at Eagle Stud Mill in Hall Montana. It sat there for many years until the mill was closing. Joe Brooke asked if we’d like the steam engine. Of course, the answer was yes.
The Troutwine family (Marvin, Bruce and Andy) has volunteered almost from the beginning of the Forestry Interpretive Area. So, the engine was coming home to where the Troutwine family has put in so much time.
The engine itself was in very good shape. We had to do some cleaning of the cylinder, and governor, but not much else. What was in tough shape was the frame. The timbers it sat on were rotten and needed to be replaced. Dick Clemow helped cut the timbers on his Timberking band mill. With his timber framing experience, we cut, fit and restored a new timber frame that the engine could sit on.
Thanks to Joe Brooke for donating the engine and Dick Clemow helping cut and build the new frame.
