Smoke, Steam and Whistles: Hesston Steam Museum Visit Labor day Special 2023.

This museum is not your average static display and placard laissez-faire experience. There are sights, sounds, smells, rides, interesting things to see and learn all covered in fun! 4 different track gauges mean a lot of train action. Antique engines provide more visual motion be it a brightly painted 100+ year old hit-in-miss engine, a huge, heavy traction engine that shakes the earth as it plunder by. Action is everywhere. This is a museum where the participant gets to engage history.
This video attempts to showcase a sampling of all that is available with video clips from a 2019 and 2023 visit. This is a great place to visit in person!
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[@herbkeedy1335]

Austin, this video is amazing !!! If you mention "shay" 2 truck or 3 truck they don't have a clue what you are talking about. Shays were a big part of logging in the Smokey Mtns when it was being logged but relics are few and far between. This is agreat presentation, Austin, and I'm thankful I found it. I have the Hesston web site up and waiting for when I finish here.

[@richardcorcoran1151]

I would love to come to this event, thanks for calling it to my attention.

[@ronalddevine9587]

Probably the best non American Flyer video you've ever done. Very interesting, informative,, and well presented. 😊😊😊

[@AustinsAmericanFlyertrains]

Very kind of you Ron. The sound track for the entire video was from the event....a few clips from 2019 but most from this year.

[@ronalddevine9587]

@@AustinsAmericanFlyertrains
Very interesting. I love historical things. By all means, do more of this if you can.

[@michaelgmoore5708]

That was a really great show Austin. Had an exhibit of steam tractors in Escondido Cal. for years.

[@willamettevalleyAFtrains]

A very nice day. Thanks for the video. Much like Antique Power Land in Oregon.😊

[@mikesamericanflyertrains]

Wow! Such an amazing museum and experience! Thanks for bringing us along Austin.

[@matchboxcustomsandrestos]

I was raised in LaPorte county. Just south of LaPorte. Graduated there too. Bad thing for me I have only been to hesston once. I think that Was around 74-75. Been there as long as I can remember. I need to get back there.

[@user-id6eo9of6g]

Sounds like fun, I'll have to get up there some time.

[@plunkervillerr1529]

I just saw my favorite type of pick-up truck a 1960--64 Studebaker T-CAB, as you entered the parking lot. My day is made. Great video!

[@AustinsAmericanFlyertrains]

Thank you. It's a great show!

[@richardboucher6904]

Thanks for the video Austin. We have a lot of this kind of show here in New England but not all in one place it requires a lot of traveling to take it all in.
Dick B. USA

[@MarkWick]

Thanks for sharing. I never got there when I live where you do 43 years ago.

[@jims7078]

Awesome I must go

[@MygrandpasTrain]

WOOOW! That brings back so many memories! Haven't been to a show like that in ages. Last time I rode a steam train was in 2018 in Laona Wisconsin (I have a video of that by the way), but they have a lot more steam stuff there. I might have to send you an email, this might present an opportunity for next year!! And you found some Flyer projects or parts. Nice. At 24 minutes in, the steam engine departing had an odd chuff. The valve timing was off.

[@AustinsAmericanFlyertrains]

🙂 the Porter engine has that off-beat cadence but it has been this way since restored. I recall videos of other engines with a similar neat pattern.

[@TLS6723]

There is not alot of people outside of the area there (LaPorte County) that knows about Hesston. I havent been there in a long time. I was raised in LaPorte County. Little town south of LaPorte called Kingsford Heights.

[@davehunt5766]

Ironically being the old farm boy I saw this from the tractor videos, now I see it from the train side. And the day after Labor Day the Sandwich Fair starts, they have an open car home built passenger train like the middle sized one on this video with several passenger cars. Unfortunately that is the only train but many stationary antique tractors and trucks as well as hit and miss motors. Huge farm fair, 2nd oldest to the state fair ...124yrs old

[@davehunt5766]

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[@davidgerber9907]

Somewhere in a building in that museum they need and old AF set operating on a modest layout, tying they toy train history to the live steam history.

[@AustinsAmericanFlyertrains]

I've thought the same.