Batsto Country Living Fair

[Wick]

Sunday October 20, 10am-4pm
For anybody interested in engines and old mechanical things. This is a great place to see old hit and miss motors and antique equipment. In the past, they have run the Batsto sawmill and had a steam tractor run a belt driven portable sawmill and cut shingles. One of the reasons I’m going there is to see the old train that was used to move lumber in and out of the sawmill at Double Trouble. In the early 90s, I remember seeing this train down in the bottom of the sawmill. After they restored the sawmill, I never saw the train again. I have been asking people at the park about the whereabouts of the train for quite a while. Apparently it was at Whitesbog and they got it running. I was told by a small engine club member. They’re going to have a section of track and have it going back-and-forth. Apparently it uses some type of narrow rail car that was made in Germany and is powered by a Ford model T engine. There was another one that also used a model A engine, but they don’t have possession of it.

 

[stiltzkin]

I wish they would run the sawmill again during the festival. I used to enjoy that more than the big steam engine portable saw that they bring out to cut the cedar shingles.

 

[Wick]

Here is a picture and short video of the train/narrow gauge from the sawmill at Double Trouble at the Country living fair. It was warm and super crowded. The steam tractor and portable saw mill were there and so was the steam powered boat cruising around the lake.

video link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19IkWGin9tvvP_drSHEjp5y9ek_eRjs9w/view?usp=sharing

 

[smoke_jumper]

I wish they would run the sawmill again during the festival. I used to enjoy that more than the big steam engine portable saw that they bring out to cut the cedar shingles.

The sawmill cut its first board in years. They spent weeks getting it ready for Sunday. They even made a new babbitt bearing.

 

[GermanG]

My understanding was that the engine and tracks were not used for the sawmill but rather for sanding the bogs, The tracks, which were later moved to Whitesbog, would be shifted laterally across the bogs while the engine and cars were getting more sand from the nearby pit. Upon returning, the side-dump cars would distribute the sand onto the bog where it would be spread more evenly by workers. One of the dump cars can be seen in the photo above behind the engine.

 

[stiltzkin]

The sawmill cut its first board in years. They spent weeks getting it ready for Sunday. They even made a new babbitt bearing.

Oh, they did? That's great. I must have been there too early in the day for it. I saw that they had the whole side of the mill opened up, which I haven't seen in a very long time, but while I was there the spillway was closed and it looked like the Park Service guys were showing Park Police around, I suppose to make sure things were safe before starting it up?

The steam tractor and portable saw mill were there and so was the steam powered boat cruising around the lake.

I always enjoy seeing the Catawissa. It's iconic!

 

[smoke_jumper]

Oh, they did? That's great. I must have been there too early in the day for it. I saw that they had the whole side of the mill opened up, which I haven't seen in a very long time, but while I was there the spillway was closed and it looked like the Park Service guys were showing Park Police around, I suppose to make sure things were safe before starting it up?

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I always enjoy seeing the Catawissa. It's iconic!

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Yes, we were there around noon. They ran two passes and saved the one piece of white cedar that resulted. I was watching from the exact vantage point that you took that picture from. In your pic you can see all new wood that they replaced to be able to open that door.