One of the steam engines originally at Windy City is on display outside the Windy City building.  This Farrar & Trefts engine pumped oil at the lease while running on air compressed by the Blaisdells.  It was built in Buffalo, New York, in about 1880, and it operated approximately two miles from the Windy City air compressing plant.

The third photo above shows the engine with the sampson post, walking beam, and pump reassembled.

 Watch this video (6 mb MOV) to see the engine running again at the museum.

The exhaust pit for the Blaisdell occasionally fills with water if the musuem grounds are really saturated from rain.  The Blaisdell doesn't seem to mind, though.  It simply blasts the water out of the pit, creating a "fountain with sound effects" in the process.

Jim McCauley (right) visited the Windy City exhibit at the museum in June 2005 and ran the Blaisdell engine once again, giving us a few tips in the process.  Also shown is museum volunteer Jay Duke.  We are sad to say that Jim has since passed away.  We will miss him!  The legacy he left continues to educate and amaze museum visitors. 

Read more about Windy City in the May 2014 edition of The Flywheel.

Also, be sure to visit our Type X Bessemer exhibit for another example of air lease technology.