another recommended museum in Nebraska--this one with a slower subject than last

[Daniel Kalal]

Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory and the Larsen Tractor Test Power Museum
 
As gasoline/kerosene fuel tractors were rapidly gaining favor in  Nebraska, it became apparent that the advertised claims of the many  manufacturers were not a reliable indication of how well the tractor would  perform in the field.  Often, they hardly made it to the field, let  alone did any work.
 
So, in 1919, the Nebraska legislature required that any tractor sold in  Nebraska must be tested and must receive a certificate that guarantees its  performance.  The Lincoln laboratory (on the campus of the University  of Nebraska) has been running tests ever since.
 
The original building is on the left (and is now a museum), and the  current, much larger building is on the right.
 
 
 
The test track was once dirt, but is now concrete.  While it doesn't  match any field (of course), it is a reliably consistent surface for  testing.
 
 
 
The pulling red tractor is what's being tested.  The yellow machine  being pulled contains measuring equipment as well as the fuel for the tractor  (so that it doesn't get lighter as it burns fuel).  Round and round and  round.  This is a job for undergraduates...
 

 
Inside the air-conditioned monitoring station.
 
 
 
That European Claas tractor is being prepared for testing.
 
 
 
Supporting machine shops.  You don't want to cancel a test for want of a  simple fitting that could be whipped up in the shop.
 

 
In the museum building.  This is the original dynamometer, which has  long since been replaced.  The analog gauges are in the original test  rig (which has been replaced by digital instruments in the yellow rig you  saw, above).
 
 
 
Some significant tractors in the history of testing.
 

 

 

 
A collection of tractor carburetors that were once used for instruction.
 

 

[Daniel Kalal]

this is only a few miles from the (previously posted) Speed museum; both are in Lincoln, Nebraska.

[Mark West]

That is very cool. I love small specialized museums.

[oldbike54]

 Thanks Deke 

 Dusty

[cj750]

Neat! Growing up in a rural farming community, the Nebraska Tractor Tests were, like weather forecasts and the daily farm reports, an indispensable resource. New reports were eagerly anticipated, thoroughly studied, and always a reliable topic of discussion whenever farmers got together.
For us kids they were kind of like baseball cards. The Ford/Chevy/Dodge rivalry paled in comparison to the loyalties professed for favorite tractor brands. John Deere was always the most popular, and the most despised by everyone else. My family were "Case" people, which was strong in the area. There was a significant "IH" contingent as well, and a smattering of holdouts for Allis-Chalmers, Massey Harris and a few other brands that weren't big sellers in our part of the country. (It was a sad and embarrassing day in the life of a farm kid if his Dad departed from type and brought home a tractor of the wrong color.) Many hours on the school bus were spent speculating how much power new models would make in the Nebraska tests, and poring over results to compare our favorites to the competition.
I didn't realize there was a museum devoted to the tests, but now its on my "must do" short list. It would be great to see "where the magic happened" so to speak. Thanks for the post!

Jay

P.S. I'm currently restoring a '49 Co-op E3, like the one in the lower left of your tractor photo montage. These were re-branded Cockshutt tractors, built in Brantford, Ontario, Canada and imported to the States. They weren't significant for being especially powerful, but because they were the first tractor on which the Power Take Off could be kept running even if the clutch was depressed. This was a highly useful feature for a variety of reasons, and is included on every PTO-equipped tractor from every manufacturer sold today.

[rboe]

I was always amazed by what tractor people thought was big horsepower and what car/bike folks thought was big horse power. :D

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from robe:

I was always amazed by what tractor people thought was big horsepower and what car/bike folks thought was big horse power. :D

But don't forget the purpose and what gearing can do as long as you do not want to go fast.
GliderJohn

[Gliderjohn]

I have a 1958 IH 350. It is rated at 32.7 drawbar power. I am not sure what it is now as it has never been overhauled. I use a 5' bushhog, 5' blade and a three bottom plow (garden use) which it all handles fine. Top speed however on a good day is 18 mph.

GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

 HP is a bit meaningless with tractors since the engines run at such low RPM . The torque figures are more important .

 Dusty

[PJPR01]

Now that looks like a fun job for a student!  Cool place!!

Meanwhile in other news - an interesting dilemma for farmers and tractor repair.

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/tractor-scheme-farmers-fight-right-fix-their-own-john-deeres?ref=yfp

[oldbike54]

 Paul , the same discussion is going on with cars and bikes also . My answer is , well , inappropriate for WG 

 Dusty