Sentinel photo by ERIN THOMPSON
Lewistown machinist Bill Barnes poses with his dog, Izzi, in his 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Racer steam car. Barnes and Izzi recently went on a 451 mile run in the steam car from Winchester, Va., to Ohio.

LEWISTOWN — A local machine shop owner and his crew are taking their steam-powered vehicles even farther and faster.

On July 13, Bill Barnes, owner of Barnes Machine Shop, and Team Steam, established two new records on his 1906 Stanley Steamer motorcycle at the Loring Timing Association in Limestone, Maine.

With a speed of 80.648 mph, the Lewistown native broke the Loring Timing Association’s 1.5-mile Land Speed Record for a steam-powered motorcycle.

He also broke the 1.0-mile Land Speed Record at 70.478 mph and the half-mile between tracks record, which averages the two events, at about 75 mph.

The previous record for both events was 27 mph, set by Sylvester Roker in 1896, Barnes said.

The Stanley Steamer was rebuilt by Barnes and his father in 2014 — the same year it broke the oldest land speed record for a steam-powered motorcycle. That original record was also set in 1896.

The 2014 record was broken last year by Chris Wedgwood, of Isle of Man, however, Barnes reclaimed the title soon after at the East Coast Timing Association with Jordan Yohn, of Milroy.

In June, Barnes and his crew also traveled to Winchester, Va., where he would set, what they believe to be, the world distance record for a steam powered car in his 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Racer steam car with his cockapoo, Izzi.

“The dog calms me,” he said. “I take them with me all the time.”

Barnes and Izzi recorded 451 miles on U.S. Route 50, traveling to Ohio and stopping every 50 miles to refuel with water. The ride took 14 hours.

Barnes believes he has broken the previous record of 421 miles, which was set in 1886.

The distance record for a 1906 steam-powered car was previously less than 100 miles, he said.

“They were never made to run modern highways and go that far, but we use modern materials and better bearings than they made back then — I’d like to think it’s because of what we put into it,” Barnes said.

Barnes has been in possession of the car since 1998.

The car was featured on an episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage” last February, a television series that showcases unique automotives and discusses the story behind them. On the show, Barnes followed Leno up Mount Washington in New Hampshire in his steam car.

Barnes said he would not have been able to achieve any of his accomplishments without help from his team, made up of Dewey Barnes, Peg Barnes, Sylvia Zimmer, Chris Lutz, Neal Knable, Tim Yohn, Ron Kohler and Rick Romig, and his three dogs, Izzi, Emma and Mickey, who travel with him.

“It’s we. It’s never been me,” he said. “None of it would have happened without my family and friends.”

Barnes’ machines have broken a number of records over the last few years, but he doesn’t seem to want to call it quits any time soon.

He is making plans take one of his steam cars on a coast-to-coast trip, which he expects will take about three weeks.

The last known cross country trip in a steam car was accomplished in the 1960s, he said.

Barnes was also invited to participate in the Bonneville World Finals in Wendover, Utah, this fall.

Barnes, along with his uncle, and novelist, Dallas Barnes, are working on a book about events that have occurred in his personal life that brought him to where he is today.

Through his work, Barnes has become a representative to help collect donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Logos for both charities, as well as signatures from a number of family members, friends and local businesses are printed on his motorcycle.

Barnes asks that donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation be made in memory of his stepchildren, Nathan and Rachael.

Barnes will be offering rides in his steam car at 5 p.m. Aug. 2 at East End Coffee Co. in Lewistown.