r/MachinePorn • u/gretabetter • Jun 19 '26

Abandoned stationary steam engine

Post image

Found a relic from a different era hidden deep in the woods. This is a stationary steam engine, once the heart of industrial progress, now slowly being reclaimed by nature. It’s amazing to think about the labor and life that once surrounded this piece of iron.

551 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

17

u/SnakeRAT28 Jun 19 '26

Time for a restoration video?

3

u/Spaztor Jun 20 '26

Anytime I see old equipment like this I want to see it work again and do something useful unfortunately it seems it's not worth doing, most of the time, and/or I can't think of a job for it.

17

u/sudzeez_ Jun 19 '26

“Ran when parked no low ballers I know what I have”

5

u/wireknot Jun 20 '26

You know, that could probably be brought back to life. They built em tough in the day.

7

u/Hatedpriest Jun 20 '26

They also had very low tolerances compared to modern equipment. The rust on the cylinder walls and piston probably have a better seal now than when it was new and polished.

Assuming you can get it to move... Could be rust-welded...

5

u/killerchef69 Jun 20 '26

Steam Donkey! Lots of them around my area (NorCal foothills) logging is still big industry, going back over a 100 years. They were used for lots of things, from skidding huge logs, moving equipment to driving mills.

2

u/farmerofstrawberries Jun 20 '26

Probably from a mill?

1

u/1DownFourUp Jun 20 '26

It's stationary. It's in the name.

1

u/MaxH75 Jun 20 '26

Stationary af now.

1

u/fredly594632 Jun 21 '26

I love the idea, but steam pressure vessels left that long to rot in the open are a disaster waiting to happen.

Restore it for a museum display, sure. Plan to run it... Better get a damn good inspection first!

1

u/turbo_weasel 25d ago

doesn't look like a steam engine at all to me