Big Twin City Power Units

[Jeff Blaney]

Anybody out there have any info on the large Twin City power units that were produced? I just recently found out those massive engines powering the Twin City 40 and 60-90 were available as power units up until the late thirties!

All I have is a little blurb/picture in a book mentioning 3 models with varying displacements (SEU, TEU and NEU). I would assume these were constructed with surplus parts when production of the tractors ceased?

[Rick Keane]

Jeff,

There was one in a Minnesota marina on the Mississippi powering a stationary crane to lift sail boats in and out of the water. They cut it up for scrap before I could get to it. It all worked too, but the guy who ran it got a different job and they didn't know how to run it. I'm guessing it was a 40-50 horse engine.

Rick Keane

[Skip Landis]

I am currently putting one together. It was run out of oil. Had to make all new bearings etc. Skip in nw montana

[Jeff Blaney]

They cut it up for scrap before I could get to it. It all worked too, but the guy who ran it got a different job and they didn't know how to run it.

Those stories really make me feel sick. Goes to show how ignorant people are. Shame....... I appreciate the story though.

I assume not a whole lot of information has survived about these power units? C'mon people, someone must have something for me!

[Tony Thompson]

I dont know much about these engines, but they were made from 20-35, 27-44 as well as the larger displacements. They were used for various stationary needs and also appeared in some old draglines.
I have been made aware of the fact that several collectors have purchased a power unit in hopes of installing it in a tractor chassis........no go......they mount differently
I had an engine manual for some of these big units but sold it to another enthusiast. A friend of mine owns the only surviving 20-35 power unit that I know of, I do have a picture of it somewhere, but that is all I got for you. If you learn more, let us know!

[TSeaberg]

I thought you guys would like to see this.
The link is to a thread on the Rollag show site showing them rebuilding a TEU twin city engine. the bore and stroke is 7 3/4"X9" (just so you know that is 1/2" bigger bore than the 60-90 tractor.) So this works out to 2546 cubic inches.

http://wmstrcommunityforum.com/showthread.php?t=587

The next link is for the buckeye trencher this engine came from.
http://wmstrcommunityforum.com/showt...hlight=buckeye

[Tony Thompson]

Mr. Seaberg,
great thread from Rollag! The big six shooter they are working on is much newer than 60-90 tractors would be.
The Twin City 60-90 wheel tractors were made from 1916-1921and that power unit was probably manufactured well into the thirties sometime
I believe these power units were made in the 40's also, as you will see some of them with later style air cleaners, mags, inclosed valvetrains and prairie gold paint (made by MM at that point).
Thanks for sharing the great info at Rollag

[Eric M.]

There was a very large Twin City power unit (larger than the Buckeye Ditcher unit I think) at the Best Show On Tracks in Woodland. I (stupidly) didn't take a picture of it. Lemme go see if I can find one somewhere.

[Wayne A Thackery]

Eric, is this the one you are thinking of?

[Tanner Remillard]

There was a 60 at Mt. Vernon this year.

[Eric M.]

Wayne,

Yep, that's it. I saw them running it a few times but never got to see it up close (running or sitting still). Thanks!

[TSeaberg]

thanks for the picture and info on that engine at the best show on tracks! I really cannot tell myself the engine size. But if it was bigger it could only be the NEU which is 8"X9" So I guess it could not be all that much bigger Only 2714 cubic inches on the NEU! Also the literature the Tom Cwach posted on the rollag site shows that with the high compression heads and 70 octane gas the NEU with the 8X9 size will make a rated 178HP and 210HP max!!!!!!!!!!! That should get the job done

[Wayne A Thackery]

TSeaberg, here is the info on the TC. Don't know why I didn't post this before.

[Phil Johnson]

While on the subject of large power units, I have a pair of VERY large Zenith updraft carbs which were supposed to be off of a large Waukesha engine used in logging operations in Oregon. This thing was apparently from the of mid '20s. The carbs have a 3 1/2" intake and a 2 5/8" throat and are 13" high. Tag numbers on each are: 57009 and 8632A. Anybody have any ideas?

[David Wilson]

I have instruction books & repair parts list for models A&B 7 1/2x9,model C or type C,4 cylinder & 6 cylinder,also model A,B & C 61/4x8 which we have one of these out of a nortwest dragline its a flat head ,the 71/4,71/2,73/4x9 are overhead valve engines. When I was at welters in mo. I saw several of these and other large Twin city & MM engine sitting in weeds.

[Jeff Blaney]

Thanks for the replies people! Those pictures are outstanding. Minneapolis Steel and Machinery certainly didn't screw around when it came to producing a product built for work!

[oilpulled]

About 25 years ago there was talk at a local engine club of a huge trencher with a 6 cylinder Twin City engine on it. It was originally used to make the deep trenches for water lines going west to the large California cities. It was later moved to Chicago to do the deep trenches for sewers. It was rebuilt but was so big that it could not be used effectively in the city and was to be disposed of. The club's board was so secretive and afraid us commoners would learn too much that the fate of it is now unknown, though they decided that the project was too much considering the fairgrounds site.

What can I do with a 60 ton 2 cylinder Nordberg steam with long range valve gear? Our club decided today to not accept it as a donation.

[Eric M.]

Give it to me All I have to do is find a Kimberlite pipe in my backyard.

What is the "long-range" valve gear?

[ronm]

And where are the water lines from Illinois to California???

[Steamrguy]

Something like this?
This one was at the BSOT show. They actually shipped it in all the way from Australia for the show. That takes some dedication!

Dean Alling