You're suggesting that to me because _______? It would have been more appropriate to suggest it to Farm1 if you think she is the only one from rec.gardens (other than you) participating in the thread. I have restored rec.gardens to the group list for this post as I don't know if Farm1 is currently subscribed to m.r.
More pix (full-sized) of the bridge as promised, including close-ups of the bolts/rivets for age estimation. Shot of item lying on the ground was the best I could get.
Have I mentioned there's a power substation on the opposite side of this farm, in the northeast corner? Coincidence?
Brought my cousin along. Lived on a farm in the early 1970s. She says an older tractor might fit across the bridge but not a new one and NEVER a combine. Meanwhile, the current owner of my great grandma's farm says it was indeed used for drainage and, if I understood him correctly, irrigation. Farmer to the west has/had light sandy soil and LOTS of water (from wells) AND an irrigation system. He needed to drain off the excess water. Farmer to the east agreed to allow the water to drain into the ditch which he could then use to irrigate his own land. In return, he received permission to use the adjacent, parallel (to the ditch) access road for hunting. Does that all fit/make sense? Still not sure when it all actually happened... _____________________________________ Thanks for the follow up pics. I agree with your cousin about getting a tractor across it - these days maybe one of those smaller ones like the European ones used between vineyard rows would get across it but that'd be all in modern machinery. An old Fergie might be able to do it too. I suspect that it might have always been used for irrigation but none of the pipes on there is old enough to suggest that.
It looks like loveey countryside. I wish we had grass that long.
From looking at those new pics, I'm confused to what it's original purpose was. It's a bridge but not very wide and built to hold substantial weight. Over built even. It's original intention was probably not to hold any kind of pump, etc. It almost looks like a bridge for a narrow gauge train. Something heavy. Guessing the lift, etc were added after the fact for some reason. Just my thoughts. ______________________________ But can't you just see the lust in the farmer's eye as he checks that out as a possible purchase at an auction of excess 'whatever it was used for'. :-))
"Now if I can only get that for 3 cents (or mebbe I could run up to a whole $50), I can use it to......................"
Well I can see your point out the position of this hypothetical ram, but to go along with that, I'd have to ignore what farmers do in real life which is to go with the most practiacl solution to save themselves time both in the build and in the maintenance.
If there is a perfectly good flat platform on which to put a pump why go to the trouble of rigging up a way of suspending an hydraulic ram below such a structure? A platform out the side may be a possibility but I'd say from the new pics that it's always been used the way it is shown. Probably bought cheap in some sort of clearance sale by whoever had it originally for whatever they had it for originally.
Ah! I see what you mean! My first thought was about that bridge not being a site for a ram. So, yes, I did mean "Nope" was in reference to the structure being used to hold a ram.
I don't believe that bridge held a ram and now I've seen more pics, I'm even more of that view. But as I think you're poitning out, since I don't believe that bridge held a ram, then my nope must also refer to a ram (but it was the bridge that I was thinking about).
No, you still don't have it right. If you'd spent a few minutes at groups.google.com before you dug yourself in deeper, you'd have found that the OP had never posted to misc.rural before.
If you're bored (or whatever) with the thread, kill filter it instead of hassling people in another ng; the OP was a "third party" whose "home" is Google Groups.
I am again restoring rec.gardens to the groups list. This time, so other participants will be aware that they have a self-appointed group moderator.
to make it work better (or at all)?
A platform out the side may be a possibility but I'd say from
From the new pics it looks like what I said long ago - the motor was mounted on the bridge and the pump itself placed in the water.
I'm not going to argue with that, since 5/26 I posted: "Consider the possibility that "your" bridge was repurposed from its original use/location. As those bridges were phased out, some were probably free for the taking."
OK ... I think.
Since we are discussing water, how did your summer go water-wise?
[....]
I always get a big kick out of someone making any attempt to control or recommend changes to my decisions pertaining to my cross posting.
I was just trying to bring out the "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" in you, but I see that I've hit unadulterated troll.
Yes exactly. It sure looks like a big ass electric motor on the left with a cover over the belt drive part of the pump on the right. Looks like electrical conduit going to the electric motor, although the setup looks older than conduit, it may have been upgraded at one time.
Like others said, the bridge itself was probably used and moved the this location since it's probably 10 or more times stronger than it needed to be.
Oh gee, just after I look better and comment on the first pics, here are high res ones! I doubt if anyone would deny there is a big electric motor to drive a pump, and definitly electrical conduit. The high voltage boxes look like every day transformers normally used when the power lines are underground. The question is why so many at one place? One would surely power the pump. The narrow width could be again because it is a used bridge. The trusses were used but they put it together again narrower than original. It didn't need to fit a tractor, no tractor was going to squeeze past the pump anyway.
Where are you from?
OK - not brilliant but enough although it was a bit touch and go at times. Not a lot of pasture growth but we didn't have to buy in feed and there was enough water for the cattle to drink on both farms. We were getting a bit worried about having to sell all the cattle on our other farm as we were getting low on water there and the creek dried up. Luckily the dams stayed full enough till we got decent rain.
Luckily for us and all the other farmers round here there was good Autumn rain over much of the country and especially out west where they'll have feed for the next 18 months on the strength of the Autumn rains. The annual Autumn calf sales resulted in a bumper sale all round. It's been years since we've had such good prices.
:-)) Yebbut, did it always have that motor? Can you win the kewpie and answer?
SE NSW Aus.
That's good news. It's traditionally dry here in August. Way back when, the well at my grandparent's house would usually dry up, so they'd bring water down from the better well at the barn in milk cans. Good example of keeping ones priorities straight.
I would guess the motor was added after it was moved and put together narrower than it was originally. Before being moved it was wider to handle vehicle traffic, and again, it had no motor/pump in it's first life.
Is that Australia or Austria? My Mothers parents came over here from Austria. Tony
Down Under
Australia, but then I've met Americans who didn't know there was a difference. The NSW was a clue.
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