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View Full Version : How Mabel got its name


Ltvscout
03-25-2005, 06:52 PM
According to Vern, the first engine making machine he made was a very temperamental and ornery machine to run. The Estes' had an employee back then that made a comment one day about the machine acting just like his wife Mabel. Hence the engine making machines became known as Mabel from then on.

A Fish Named Wallyum
03-25-2005, 09:18 PM
What he said! I prefer to think of it as "How Mabel Got her Label". :D

UMRS
03-28-2005, 08:52 AM
Interesting Fact-oid , I was always curious how Mabel got her name.

Thrustline 1
03-28-2005, 10:55 PM
Where is the machine now? Are the motors still made in the U.S.?

A Fish Named Wallyum
03-28-2005, 11:12 PM
I believe that Vern & Gleda said that the original Mabel was sold for scrap while they were on vacation. Don't know where the engines are made now, but I wish they'd TONE DOWN THE EJECTION CHARGES!!!! :mad:

Initiator001
03-28-2005, 11:41 PM
Estes still makes motors at their Penrose plant.

Bob

Ltvscout
03-29-2005, 08:20 AM
Where is the machine now? Are the motors still made in the U.S.?
Bill has it correct about the original Mabel. Vern was planning on buying back the original to put in his museum. They went on vacation to Europe I believe it was, and during that time the new owner (he didn't say what time period this was so I don't know which new owner, Damon or Barry Tunick) went and sold the machine for scrap. They were extremely disappointed when they got home and found out this happened.

There are new versions of Mabel at Estes. The engines are still made there in Penrose as Bob stated. Check out the following link if you want to see one of, if not the oldest Estes employee, Ed Brown. He's the one that makes the motors.

https://www.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin/ecommerce.cgi?product,358

Royatl
04-23-2005, 11:26 AM
If you look at a satellite photo of Penrose and of the Estes plant, you can see the distinctive pattern of small buildings (each containing a motor machine) about 1000 ft. to the north of the main Estes building, a T-shaped building with the stem of the T facing the main highway that goes between Pueblo and Canon City. I think one of the documents on this site is an old map of Penrose for visitors that shows the layout of the buildings.

Ltvscout
04-23-2005, 11:37 AM
If you look at a satellite photo of Penrose and of the Estes plant, you can see the distinctive pattern of small buildings (each containing a motor machine) about 1000 ft. to the north of the main Estes building, a T-shaped building with the stem of the T facing the main highway that goes between Pueblo and Canon City. I think one of the documents on this site is an old map of Penrose for visitors that shows the layout of the buildings.
Could you maybe put a link to the image you've found in this thread? That would be cool to see.

Royatl
04-23-2005, 12:10 PM
Could you maybe put a link to the image you've found in this thread? That would be cool to see.

http://shrinkster.com/4vy


Now that I look at it again, the motor machines are much closer to the main building.

The photo was taken a few months after the March '99 fire. I can't tell if the dark areas are remnants of scorched earth or are live vegetation. Don't know how well vegetation recovers over the summer in Colorado.

Ltvscout
04-23-2005, 12:29 PM
http://shrinkster.com/4vy


Now that I look at it again, the motor machines are much closer to the main building.

The photo was taken a few months after the March '99 fire. I can't tell if the dark areas are remnants of scorched earth or are live vegetation. Don't know how well vegetation recovers over the summer in Colorado.
Thanks for posting the link. Cool picture!

dwmzmm
04-23-2005, 01:29 PM
Are you sure that's not some vintage Camroc pic?! <g>