Greg O’s Garage: Joe Tracy and the Society of Automotive Engineers
Once again, from the Helck Family Collection, more gems, this time in the form of Joe Tracy's engineering certificates, the famed Vanderbilt Cup Race driver, and personal friend of Peter Helck.
Greg O.
Accomplished Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy gained his engineering certificate for operating steam boilers at Locomobile within the boroughs of New York.
Issued to Tracy on January 18th, 1901, The certificate allowed Tracy to work on Locomobile's boilers, an important distinction since Locomobile only produced steam vehicles from their founding in 1899, through 1902. Within that time, Locomobile produced some 4,000 steam vehicles.
In 1902, Locomobile designer A.L. Riker convinced the company to start producing internal combustion vehicles and found them to be a better alternative to their steam cars.
In the early 1900's, with hundreds of engineers and auto manufacturers, there was a desire to have a "free exchange of ideas" to solve common technical design problems and develop engineering standards through a singular organization. Early advocates for such an organization came from magazine publishers Peter Heldt of The Horseless Age, and Horace Swetland of The Automobile.
Heldt wrote an editorial with his idea of such and organization in 1902. About two years later, the desire was realized and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) was formed. In 1905, Andrew L. Riker of Locomobile served as President with Henry Ford serving as Vice-President. Horace Swetland of The Automobile immediately volunteered to be on the SAE Council.
In 1909, the Society was officially incorporated. At that time the logo for the organization was created, and membership at that time had risen to around 400.
The certificate shown here is from Joe Tracy's acceptance into the S.A.E. on Sept 1st, 1911. By that time, somewhere around 1000 members were now part of the organization and growing by leaps and bounds. Joe was certainly worthy of acceptance since he was so instrumental in all things automotive by that time and his knowledge of steam and internal combustion was a welcome addition.
The SAE logo as introduced in 1909.
A long time member of the Society, in 1952, Joe was honored with over 35 years of membership (41 years to be exact in that year).
And again honored on the 50 year, Golden Anniversary of the SAE in 1955.
The Society of Automotive Engineers still exists and is just as important today as ever. It is now a global company renamed to simply SAE International and now encompasses all of global transport with an emphasis on not only automotive technology, but also includes aerospace and commercial vehicles.
Comments
The dawn of SAE. Great post Greg!
Greg, Prior to the adaption of the steam engine for automotive use, one needed a “license” to operate one. So…. some municipal jurisdictions required a license to operate a vehicle so equipped. Remember reading somewhere Willie K. got a license from Westchester County early on. It was said because the County police would wait for Willie on his trips between NYC and Newport.
My father, who was a member of SAE (he was an aeronautical engineer whose car hauling trailer design in the early 1950’s was revolutionary - the Troyler), eventually had a Master Toolmaker working for him. This gentleman had 2 hobbies - local (Scranton PA area history, and building scale model steam engines. They worked, were really working art, though he only ran them on compressed air. Apparently born in 1895, it wouldn’t surprise me if he’d worked on steam cars or locomotives. I knew him in the early to mid 1970’s - he was an amazing craftsman, whose favorite tool was a lathe. I remember him, using his favorite lathe, taking valves meant for a tractor engine, and cutting them down into the exact dimensions needed for a RR Springfield P1 (aluminum head) engine.