Roots of Motive Power

09/12/2026

09/04/2026

A lot of switching going on down at the yard. Getting ready for the Festival Sept 12th and 13th who’s coming?

09/02/2026

The POO 2 is getting ready!!

08/05/2026

It’s almost that time of year!!!! This year we get to show off our latest restoration project right here in Willits! September 12th and 13th is this years steam festival. We will have all the usual antique logging and steam equipment AND “The Best”! Follow us for more information!!!

07/24/2026

Greetings: I just wanted to let everyone know that the Daniel Best #185
has safely arrived in Brooks, Oregon for the Great Oregon Steam Up this
weekend, July 25-26. We loaded the Best in Willits on Tuesday afternoon.
After a wait for the proper California permits, the truck departed about
2 PM on Wednesday. The driver ran out of daylight at Yreka, CA and
parked for the night. Then it was off to Brooks, OR yesterday. The Roots
crew was able to unload, re-assemble the canopy, stack and other parts
removed for the trip by evening, as well as filling the boiler and water
tank. Today, Friday, the crew will do a test steam up to make sure that
everything is still operable after the trip.

There is a lot to see at Antique Powerland in Brooks, so if you want an
exciting destination for the weekend, head up to Brooks. Thank you to
Rick Franklin for providing the truck, Peterson Tractor for paying
expenses to move the Best, and the Roots crew that took time off of work
to make the event possible. Chris

07/23/2026

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1563229902190209/?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&fs=e&mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e

Come check our latest restoration in Oregon!!!!

07/16/2026

Greetings: I know, its only been a week since the last correspondence.
Tonight we steamed up the #185 for another test steam-up, this time with
the urgency that comes with being invited to take the Daniel Best #185
to Brooks, Oregon for the Great Oregon Steam-Up on July 25-26. Since
2026 is the 100-year birthday celebration of Caterpillar Tractor, the
result of the merger in 1925 of Holt Manufacturing and the C. L. Best
Tractor Company, Caterpillar tractors and their predecessor company's
products will be the focus of the event. The local Caterpillar Tractor
dealer, Peterson Tractor Company offered to pay the transportation cost
to move the Daniel Best #185 to Brooks, OR and return.

Roots has a crew of seven that will be making the trip with the tractor,
led by Crew Chief Joey Smith, and Assistant Crew Chief, Basil Frew.
Antique Powerland at Brooks is one of the premier events for antique
equipment on the west coast, with 62 acres of grounds for display.

At tonight's steam up, we had the pleasure of a visit from one of the
Ardenwood Daniel Best steam crew, Ken Brunskill. Ken looked at home at
the controls of the Best when he took the tractor for a tour of the
Baldo Locomotive Works yard. Ken was in Willits for an annual visit
teaching fly fishing at the Wente Boy Scout Camp east of town.

For any Roots members living north of the California border, this would
be a good chance to pay a visit to see the Daniel Best #185 at a more
local venue.

Again, thank you to all of the Roots membership that made the
restoration of the Daniel Best tractor possible. The restoration was a
labor of live by the Roots crew, but only made possible by the financial
support of the broader membership. Chris

06/25/2026

1st pic 7/9/2020 2nd pic 6/24/26.

06/02/2026

Greetings: As we have mentioned several times, some days you can make
tremendous photogenic progress on the project, and other days, you feel
like you took several steps backwards. Well yesterday, Monday, we made
both photogenic progress and real progress in a lot of areas. The most
obvious step was to install the canopy on the tractor for its final
fitting. We rebuilt some of the oak cab while we waited for the boiler
to arrive, which required that new holes be drilled and some adjustments
made. Adding the plumbing for the second injector on the fireman’s side,
also added to the complications. But now, the Best looks like a tractor.
We are too tall to get out of the building, so the canopy will have to
be removed again, and the stack folded over. When the Best leaves the
building, it will be because she is going to be steamed-up, which will
be quite the occasion. One of the things that is less visible, is that
after installing the wheels last week, we removed all the jacks and
blocks under the Best and she is now sitting on the wheels and spring
suspension.

Last night we worked on installing the rock guards for the drive wheels.
This went smoothly on the fireman’s side. The engineer’s side will need
some more adjustments. Jay Bonnet was busy finishing the copper drain
for the water glass and tri-cocks to get the water out of the firewood
storage area and away from the wood cab. Jay also completed a new oak
water tank lid, which we will install this week.

We installed the eductor plumbing last week, and Willie England has been
working on cleaning up the hard suction hose which is carried on the
front of the tractor for filling the water tank from ponds, creeks, or
any other roadside source.

Chuck Jones, our resident blacksmith, has been working on hand-forged
adjustment bolts for the steering chains, and those might be installed
this week if the planets align.