CENTAUR TRACTORS
Centaur Tractors play a significant part in the New Way registry with quite a few registered. In addition there is some centaur documentation in the library. For some tractor examples just click on these links:-
Whilst very rudimentary by today's standards these centaur machines represented quite a leap forward in capability to what was was achievable with a horse.
More photos of Centaur Tractors can be seen in the registry in the CHA grouping toward the end of the registry.
CENTRAL TRACTOR COMPANY
In c1923 the Central Tractor Company produced a catalog of their CENTAUR tractor designed for small farm or light duty use on large farms. At the time of the catalog the Centaur tractor had already been in production for 5 years.
Research indicates that New Way engines were fitted to the Centaur Model "A" through to Model "F" after which, in c1926, for the Model "G", a 2 cylinder water cooled 10 H.P. Le Roi engine was used.
While the Central Tractor Company of Greenwich Ohio, in their early years of production, produced small tractors that were powered by New Way Motor Company engines, they could also be purchased with almost a myriad of attachments. The attachments made these tractors extremely versatile and could therefore readily be promoted by the CENTRAL TRACTOR COMPANY as a reliable and efficient replacement for the horse team on the farm.
They truly represented the transition from animal power to machine on the smaller farm, yet by today's standards and design, certainly now present as dinosaurs of the Farm Tractor.
ENGINE
Powered by the New Way 2-5 H.P. throttle governed engine.
ATTACHMENTS
The Centaur could be fitted out with many attachments. Many of these are illustrated in the Centaur Tractor Catalog thereby making the farmer aware of the possibilities of the CENTAUR in it's diverse applications for the farm.
The original 32 page catalog which can be downloaded has 8 pages missing but still very ably depicts many of these attachments. These include:
Centaur Tractors play a significant part in the New Way registry with quite a few registered. In addition there is some centaur documentation in the library. For some tractor examples just click on these links:-
- Tractor 1 - older restoration
- Tractor 2 - Unrestored - note pully on front of engine likely for saw bench or grain grinder
- Tractor 3 - Unrestored - 1923 Model - Riding cultivator fitted
Whilst very rudimentary by today's standards these centaur machines represented quite a leap forward in capability to what was was achievable with a horse.
More photos of Centaur Tractors can be seen in the registry in the CHA grouping toward the end of the registry.
CENTRAL TRACTOR COMPANY
In c1923 the Central Tractor Company produced a catalog of their CENTAUR tractor designed for small farm or light duty use on large farms. At the time of the catalog the Centaur tractor had already been in production for 5 years.
Research indicates that New Way engines were fitted to the Centaur Model "A" through to Model "F" after which, in c1926, for the Model "G", a 2 cylinder water cooled 10 H.P. Le Roi engine was used.
While the Central Tractor Company of Greenwich Ohio, in their early years of production, produced small tractors that were powered by New Way Motor Company engines, they could also be purchased with almost a myriad of attachments. The attachments made these tractors extremely versatile and could therefore readily be promoted by the CENTRAL TRACTOR COMPANY as a reliable and efficient replacement for the horse team on the farm.
They truly represented the transition from animal power to machine on the smaller farm, yet by today's standards and design, certainly now present as dinosaurs of the Farm Tractor.
ENGINE
Powered by the New Way 2-5 H.P. throttle governed engine.
- New Way Series "A" Model "C" Type "H" engine
- Generally referred to as a "CH" engine
- Draw Bar Horse Power - 2.5
ATTACHMENTS
The Centaur could be fitted out with many attachments. Many of these are illustrated in the Centaur Tractor Catalog thereby making the farmer aware of the possibilities of the CENTAUR in it's diverse applications for the farm.
The original 32 page catalog which can be downloaded has 8 pages missing but still very ably depicts many of these attachments. These include:
- Riding Cultivator
- Allows operator to be seated while working
- Tractor also operates as a walk behind.
- Mower
- Wheel Lug Band Attachments
- Applicable in various soil types
- Sulky Plow
- Spike Tooth Harrow
- Disk Harrows
- eg. 8x14 inch disks
- Grape Hoe (by John Deere)
- Landscape Drag
- Landscape Leveler
- Cultivating Tool Bars up to 48 inch.
- Wagon / Truck
- 38x76 inch sided tray
- Hitch Truck
- For attaching proprietary equipment
Of course the Centaur could also be fitted out for wood sawing and potato digging, and the like.
TRACTOR SPECIFICATIONS (some)
 |
| Cover Page example |
- Speed 1-3 MPH
- Drive wheels diameter - 28 inch
- Gearing - Forward and Reverse
- Length - 70 inch
- Width - 30.5 inch
- Clutch - Multiple Disc
- Differential Drive
While the CENTAUR TRACTOR catalog in the library has the center group of pages missing it is still an excellent reference for the enthusiast of the Central Tractor Company of Ohio and the New Way Motor Company of Lansing Michigan. The document really does declare the ingenuity of a company at the forefront in the crossover from horse power to tractor power especially on the smaller scale farm. Mouse Click centaur to access this CENTAUR document.
More Documents - refer LIBRARY
On our Selection - Down on the farm
"No Horsing around - It's the New Way."
Enjoy
George
