Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Have you ever visited a facility and thought to yourself "why don't more people visit this place?" I am at one of those hidden treasures right now. Located at the Nebraska University is a very important facility that has had an impact on every farm equipment manufacturer in the US and even overseas. The Nebraska Tractor Test Lab opened in 1919 and has been testing tractors ever since.

The Lester Larson Tractor Museum is housed in the original building where the first tests were held. Lester was the manager of the facility from 1946 to 1975. Every tractor that was tested has a file at this museum. Included in each file is the actual test, manuals and sales literature that had to be provided by the company submitting the tractor for testing. Every instrument that was used in early testing is on display at this museum as well as several tractors.

This weekend the museum held an open house to celebrate 90 years of tractor testing. There was a tractor parade, food, ice cream churned from a JD stationary engine, the test units were on display, a turbine powered pulling tractor and of course the museum was open. The weather was fantastic and the hospitality was fantastic.

I'll be spending another day doing research for upcoming stories and spending time with some of the workers and retirees. There is a treasure trove of information sitting in a block building in the middle of campus and I really have to wonder "will they let me have an office here?"

Red Power Roundup

They went that'a way!
It's been 11 years since I've been to an IH winter show but but I had better not wait that long again, and neither should you.

It was a sea of red and black in Grand Rapids, MI over the weekend. After arriving at the airport, I caught a hotel shuttle back to the Crown Plaza. The driver asked if I was in town for the IH convention and I said "yes". He leaned over and whispered to me "Don't say John Deere around them." I laughed because it was obvious he had already made that mistake.

I had a nice visit with many of the collectors whom I had never met. And it's always great to visit with Dennis and Sallie of the Red Power magazine as we share thoughts and ideas for providing the best magazines we can to the tractor enthusiasts.

Up until this past year, my literature collection has only consisted of the Meadow Green colors. However, I've had to expand my search for other colors providing a rainbow of flavor to my literature room. This show caused me to rob the ATM machine twice! When it was all said and done, I had acquired 27 pounds of literature that had to be shipped home.

The banquet is the grand finale of the event. Machinery Pete played the role of guest speaker as he talked about auction prices and where he thinks equipment values are at this time. He brought up the subject of tractors from the 60s and 70s and said the interest in that equipment was causing prices to rise and he thought that series of tractors was the wave of the future in collecting. As I sat there smiling, the man sitting next to me leaned over and asked "Did you pay him to say that?" Nope, but I'm sure glad that he validated what I've been saying for the last year. That leaves one direction for Heritage Iron.....UP!

The next issue of HI features the V8 Internationals. While I was in Grand Rapids, I interviewed the engineer who worked in the engine plant for IH. He had quite a few noteworthy comments. Check out the next issue to read all about it.