Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel

Timco

A customer showed me a book today about Mike Mulligan who owned a steam shovel. He dug the jobs that no one else could, but when he dug a big basement, his steam shovel could not be removed from the basement...so it was made into the building's steam boiler. Very touching children's book from 1939. Did any of you have this read to you? I really liked it...



Tim

CC.Rob

yup!

A classic that we have passed down through several generations.

Jean-David Beyer

Yes I read it.

Furthermore I actually saw a real steam shovel. I do not remember if they burned coal or coke in the boiler, but all the stuff that these days are run by high pressure hydraulic fluid were done by steam. Since steam condenses and is compressable, the basic design of one of thos things must be a little different from moderm machines. But I was 10 years old or less, so I did not notice the dfference. This was in the late 1940s and it was a rare item even then. It was sure an impressive thing to watch. They used it to dig foundations for buildings, but they always dug a ramp so the thing could get out.

Jamie Hall

oh yes

my parents read it to me, I read it to my kids, and... hopefully!  A lovely lovely story.

D107

read it in school in the late '50s

Never forgot it; reminds me of how this site tries to save steam heating. it's still in print i believe.

Timco

book

I just ordered a copy by itself on Amazon and a collection of Virginia Lee Burton's books. In another book she describes an engine with 160 horse power and drew 160 horses...



Tim

The Wire Nut

A classic

Still published and I've read it to my 4 year old a number of times. Since he's obsessed with "Locomotors" it's a fun read.



I remember seeing them when I was young so it would have to have been the early '60s. I remember coal deliveries too!



My brother-in-law had a smaller derilect steam shovel rusting in one of his fields in NE PA. A few years back someone paid him a few bucks for it and came and removed it...



There a a large steam crane mounted on a railroad platform at Steamtown in Scranton.

You can see it here: http://tinyurl.com/yfe8eks



Remember those black gasoline "bombs" that road crews used to use to protect their work areas?



Alex

Wet_Willy

I Remember it well

The steam shovel's name was MaryAnne If I recall, Captain Kangaroo used to read it on his show, and I remember reading the book to my kids a long time ago.