Case Steam Engines on the Incline by Christian Williams One of
the highlights of any modern farm show is watching a skilled
steam engine operator maneuver a Case steam engine up an
incline. But you may be wondering how the incline demonstration
started. It’s always been considered a stunt of sorts but in the
early days of steam, the activity served a marketing purpose for
J. I. Case Threshing Co. Under the slogan “Case engines are the
only real hill climbers,” the company hung its hat on the fact
that uneven terrain was no match for its quality line of steam
traction engines. And to prove it, they were more than happy to
demonstrate how easy it was to run it up and down an incline. By
all accounts, the first public incline demonstration took place
at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. And more than 100 years
later, the incline demonstration is still one of the most
memorable images you can take away from a farm show. Here’s a
short video of a 40 HP Case steam engine on the incline at the
Western Minnesota St