A Quick Trip Through Nebraska

[Tom Wesenberg]

Friday at 5:15 AM I left to pick up the Delco Light Plant, located just west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. My GPS listed the trip at 840 miles, which I thought was too far, so I checked with Google Maps, and used their directions, which cut the trip to 718 miles. I headed southwest on 169 until I was to turn west on I 90. Well, as my luck goes, a semi was on my right and blocking my view of the road signs, so I missed my turnoff at I 90. I drove another 20 miles before I knew for sure that I had missed my turn, so at that point I decided it was best to continue to head south and west rather than turn back. The roads were great, and the traffic was almost nonexistent, so this was a good alternative.

Another good thing about missing my turn was this route took me through the Nebraska Sandhills, a place I'd never been before, and only heard of them about 15 years earlier. I forgot to take my camera, so you'll have to Google "Nebraska Sandhills" to see pictures of them. They were much larger than I'd ever imagined, and about 5 miles into them I saw a large sign in someone's front yard that read "SAVE OUR SANDHILLS". I wasn't sure what that was about, because the sandhills are so large I can't imaging them going away any time soon.

About 50 miles into the sandhills I saw an RV/Mobile Home Park, and I couldn't imagine that being out in the middle of nowhere. After I read about the sandhills on Google, I learned they actually have a large aquifer and deer in the area, so I imagine the trailer park was for hunting and fishing. The sandhills had several very large cattle ranches, but the homes were several miles apart because of the large area of land needed to support the cattle. I was thinking a school bus driver must have to travel a hundred miles just to pick up 10 students.

If you thought the old water windmills were a thing of the past, you'll change your mind when you drive through the sandhills. I saw hundreds of them, and they were all still working to keep the stock tanks full of water. In fact some looked brand new, so some company must still be making them.

I didn't see any interesting antique shops to stop at, and in fact there were only a few small towns along the way. I didn't realize Nebraska was so sparsely populated. The only Model A's I saw on the trip were in front of a small town bodyshop. I didn't know if they were to attract attention, for sale, or maybe they were a customer's awaiting some restoration work.

The Delco 850 Light Plant weighs 425 pounds, so I wasn't sure if I should take my small trailer, or remove my back seat cushion and stow in inside the car. My 1999 Olds 88 got just over 33 miles per gallon on the way there, and just over 34 MPG on the way home, so I'm glad I put the Delco inside the car rather than use the trailer. Even the small trailer knocks my mileage down to 24 MPG.

After getting the Delco loaded in the car I stopped at a gas station in Scottsbluff to plan my return route. When I parked and looked out the window, I saw a pink bra on the shrub, so this was my only souvenir of the whole trip. My return route took me through the Rosebud Indian Reservation and other parts of South Dakota I hadn't seen before. I like road trips and seeing new places, though I rarely get the chance to take them. I had intended to drive straight north to Murdo, South Dakota to see if the nice car museum was still there, but again I made the wrong turn and headed east too quickly, so I caught I 90 quite a bit east of Murdo.

By this time it was getting dark, so I didn't mind being back on the interstate, since there is nothing to be seen in the dark anyway. The entire trip was 1500 miles in 36 hours, and I enjoyed it, but should have got out of the car more and taken time to read each Historical Marker that I passed.

If this read was boring, you can blame Mike V. because if he hadn't posted the ebay link on this Fordbarn thread (link below) a few weeks ago, I never would have known about the Delco on ebay. Mike can blame Pat Grant for starting the thread about a 32 volt fan to use in his Model A. So, you can see how the action of one man can affect the lives of so many others. Now, where have I heard that before? Oh well, it's a wonderful life.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...o+light&page=2

[PC/SR]

I spent a night camped out in the park of one of the small Sandhill towns. I got there late afternoon and the gas station was closed, did not have enough gas to the next town, and there were no hotels. However, the local bar/diner was open so all was well. That area really surprised me too. Sand hills in Nebraska? Thought you went to the beach for that.

[Vern]

My father's family were long time residents of the sand hills. Dad left Nebraska when he joined the Marines in 1936 and only went back every couple of years to see his folks. Our family made many summer trips there; it was great fun for a kid from the left coast. We rode horses, chased cows, fished the stock ponds and carried our .22's everywhere. All of the towns were small, but there was always a post office and a small general store. I remember the ice-cold soda pop in the cooler at the store; you had to put in the coins then run the bottle by the neck thru the maze. The cousins place had a couple of what they called "blow-outs" which were where they discarded the trash. There were always old rusted out cars like T's in them, we shot lots of holes in them. It would be interesting to go back through that part of the country, but my memories would be off I'm sure.

[CarlG]

What size is the Bra?

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Friday at 5:15 AM I left to pick up the Delco Light Plant, located just west of Scottsbluff, Nebraska. My GPS listed the trip at 840 miles, which I thought was too far, so I checked with Google Maps, and used their directions, which cut the trip to 718 miles. I headed southwest on 169 until I was to turn west on I 90. Well, as my luck goes, a semi was on my right and blocking my view of the road signs, so I missed my turnoff at I 90. I drove another 20 miles before I knew for sure that I had missed my turn, so at that point I decided it was best to continue to head south and west rather than turn back. The roads were great, and the traffic was almost nonexistent, so this was a good alternative.

Another good thing about missing my turn was this route took me through the Nebraska Sandhills, a place I'd never been before, and only heard of them about 15 years earlier. I forgot to take my camera, so you'll have to Google "Nebraska Sandhills" to see pictures of them. They were much larger than I'd ever imagined, and about 5 miles into them I saw a large sign in someone's front yard that read "SAVE OUR SANDHILLS". I wasn't sure what that was about, because the sandhills are so large I can't imaging them going away any time soon.

About 50 miles into the sandhills I saw an RV/Mobile Home Park, and I couldn't imagine that being out in the middle of nowhere. After I read about the sandhills on Google, I learned they actually have a large aquifer and deer in the area, so I imagine the trailer park was for hunting and fishing. The sandhills had several very large cattle ranches, but the homes were several miles apart because of the large area of land needed to support the cattle. I was thinking a school bus driver must have to travel a hundred miles just to pick up 10 students.

If you thought the old water windmills were a thing of the past, you'll change your mind when you drive through the sandhills. I saw hundreds of them, and they were all still working to keep the stock tanks full of water. In fact some looked brand new, so some company must still be making them.

I didn't see any interesting antique shops to stop at, and in fact there were only a few small towns along the way. I didn't realize Nebraska was so sparsely populated. The only Model A's I saw on the trip were in front of a small town bodyshop. I didn't know if they were to attract attention, for sale, or maybe they were a customer's awaiting some restoration work.

The Delco 850 Light Plant weighs 425 pounds, so I wasn't sure if I should take my small trailer, or remove my back seat cushion and stow in inside the car. My 1999 Olds 88 got just over 33 miles per gallon on the way there, and just over 34 MPG on the way home, so I'm glad I put the Delco inside the car rather than use the trailer. Even the small trailer knocks my mileage down to 24 MPG.

After getting the Delco loaded in the car I stopped at a gas station in Scottsbluff to plan my return route. When I parked and looked out the window, I saw a pink bra on the shrub, so this was my only souvenir of the whole trip. My return route took me through the Rosebud Indian Reservation and other parts of South Dakota I hadn't seen before. I like road trips and seeing new places, though I rarely get the chance to take them. I had intended to drive straight north to Murdo, South Dakota to see if the nice car museum was still there, but again I made the wrong turn and headed east too quickly, so I caught I 90 quite a bit east of Murdo.

By this time it was getting dark, so I didn't mind being back on the interstate, since there is nothing to be seen in the dark anyway. The entire trip was 1500 miles in 36 hours, and I enjoyed it, but should have got out of the car more and taken time to read each Historical Marker that I passed.

If this read was boring, you can blame Mike V. because if he hadn't posted the ebay link on this Fordbarn thread (link below) a few weeks ago, I never would have known about the Delco on ebay. Mike can blame Pat Grant for starting the thread about a 32 volt fan to use in his Model A. So, you can see how the action of one man can affect the lives of so many others. Now, where have I heard that before? Oh well, it's a wonderful life.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...o+light&page=2

Looks like you need a pickup truck............

[Synchro909]

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Originally Posted by CarlG

What size is the Bra?

Why do you ask? You lost one???

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by CarlG

What size is the Bra?

Don't know, but it looks pretty big on the Delco. The cups look kind of flat though.

[wmws]

I have spent a lot of time in the Sandhills over the past 50 years. It is beautiful country, grass as far as you can see. Very hot in the summer and very cold and windy in the winter. It is called Gods own cow country.

[Mitch//pa]

That poor olds

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

That poor olds

Actually that's the same as two big guys in the back seat.

Another good thing about having the Delco inside the car is I got to smell that wonderful old aroma of the tool sheds back on the farm, where all the lubricants, parts and tools were kept. The engine still has the old oil in the crankcase, and it might have kerosene in the fuel tank. These can run on gas, or be started on gas and run on kerosene.

Once I use diesel to clean this up I'll probably loose that neat old smell.

Here's a link to the Sandhills:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhills_(Nebraska)

[Art Newland]

I don't know if it's OK to post info on restoring the light plant here on the Barn or not, but I for one would love to see your progress on it. If only the ole' light plant could talk... the bra too , for that matter!

[Mikeinnj]

How did you get that 425 pounds into the back seat and how are you going to get it out ?

[JDupuis]

I think that bra has been talking... But let's not make mountains out of mole hills.���� Jeff

[2manycars]

When I lived in Vermont, on the Canada border, my buddy used a Delco light plant to run his house. He said he got the light bulbs from a rail road supply, as the old rail road engines had the same voltage. He had some big fork lift alkaline batteries that he charged, and he had an inverter wired in to a 12 volt spot, so he could watch TV. He had to run the light plant while watching TV to get enough voltage. We used to go to his house on saturday night to watch Hee Haw. (call BR549) Our house only had 12 volts, and no TV.

[springerpete]

An outfit called Aermotor still makes windmills.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

How did you get that 425 pounds into the back seat and how are you going to get it out ?

He had a Ford tractor with a loader, and I put my nylon strap around the rear of the generator and under the flywheel. As he lowered the bucket, I pushed the Delco in as much as I could. Once it was unhooked I only had to slide it in another 2 inches to close the door.

BTW, all the cattle I saw through the Sandhills were black angus. I felt sorry for many of them having to live in small confinement pens, where they had to walk and live in their own dung.

Railroad tracks paralleled the road through the Sandhills for a ways, and I saw several mile long coal trains, with 2 engines pulling and 2 engines pushing.

[31 Model A]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

BTW, all the cattle I saw through the Sandhills were black angus. I felt sorry for many of them having to live in small confinement pens, where they had to walk and live in their own dung.

.

That's how they get fat and plump for the auction block. Too much moving around is loss in money.

Over the winter time, the herd is brought in to tight surroundings for calving season too. I'm sure it's calving season in Nebraska just like it is in Montana, all of February and half of March.

Cowboy Ed

[Drive Shaft Dave]

Tom, are you still looking for printed material for your Delco Light Plant? I googled and found some info on it. What i found is for an 850. Let me know if you want it. Dave.

[1crosscut]

Our family has been going up to the Sandhills camping every year since 1918. I do my best to go at least two times a year. It is indeed beautiful part of our world. Tom you should have made part of your return trip through the Sandhills at night. The stars are simply breath taking. It's not at all unusual to drive 20 or more miles without seeing a house. Not many places you can go and at times not hear a single sound made by man.

[SteveB31]

My family homesteaded in the Sandhills near Moulton, Nebraska, and we have a family cemetery there with all of my family buried there. Visited there many times. I had an uncle there with a large cattle ranch. So large, he had to use a small plane to check on the cattle, and the fences. Lots of nothing there. Too quiet for me, but those that live there love the wide open spaces.

Steve @ Bert's