brief history
The Case Road Locomotive as it was originally called was designed in 1904 and first built in 1905 by the JI Case company in Racine, WI. The engine was designed for doing heavy freighting work pulling large loads over many miles to the next rail connection. The first engines were sold into mining, sawing, or grain handling operations. It was advertised that the Road Locomotive could be used at a savings of at least fifty percent over ox, mule, and horse teams performing the same work.
The JI Case Company built nine of these engines from 1905 through 1907 until they had realized the market was very limited for this size of an engine and the main transportation of goods would be handled by the railroad. The engineers and marketing team working in the fields with these engines then suggested to the executives that they scale the Road Locomotive down to an Agricultural plowing tractor. This is exactly what they did, the result was the design of the 110 HP Case steam plowing engine that became the most successful steam plowing tractor at over 700 engines sold.
The 150 Case RL weighs in fully loaded at 37 tons, and is 25 feet long, 14 feet wide, standing over 12 feet tall. The engine burns both wood and coal to maintain its operating pressure of 180 psi steam. The bunkers have a capacity for 3 tons of coal and the water tank will hold 600 gallons of water.
the build
The journey of building the largest steam traction engine ever produced started in 2007 when Kory made a trip to Racine, WI to gather information regarding the 150 CASE Road Locomotive. As he uncovered information over the next few years, he started to engineer parts so that they could be produced. After building a business, resources, and acquiring an iron foundry over the next ten years Kory and team were ready to start the actual build of the engine.
In 2017, parts started to be poured at the Dakota Foundry in Webster, SD. Kory would run them out to Gary Bradley’s shop in Sheridan, WY where the two would machine all the parts and eventually build the complete engine there.
The wheels, extension rims, and drawbar were all built and riveted together at Jim Briden’s shop in Fargo, ND. Kory with his team of foundry workers, friends, mentors, and dad, Kevin Anderson, all coming together on this monumental project were able to complete the build of the engine in just 16 months.
This engine will forever stand as a monument to the men and women who preserved our history over the years for us to experience and enjoy.
-Kory Anderson
the debut
Kory Anderson made the historical 150 case debut on September 8, 2018 at the James Valley Threshing Show in Andover, SD. During the debut, two John Deere plows were assembled together to make 24 bottoms and the engine pulled it with ease.
In September 2019, he debuted the engine once again at the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion (WMSTR) in Rollag, MN, gaining more than 1 million views on YouTube with his infamous “engine pull” that he re-enacted from 1904.
What’s next? A 50-bottom plow demonstration might be in the works one day…
Want to see the 150HP case in person?
Come say hi to Kory & the team!Visit us every year at the James Valley Threshing Show in Andover, SD (weekend after Labor Day)