In response to some of the earlier points, based on the timeline the accident at Berkeley functionally closed the Antique Mechanics club, (they have a lot of hazardous machine shop equipment out there), but the steam engine was banned long before the club closed its doors. Further, Lorry said that there are alums around who are perfectly qualified to run the engine. Hence (it appears) that if the administration asked for the steam engine back, it could probably return quickly.

Where would I put the steam engine? Up on the promenade, in the vicinity of the student section. You want everyone to see it, especially the students.

To answer the "who owns the steam engine question?", Lorry Dunning did not say the Antique Mechanics club does not own the engine, so it is reasonable to assume the engine is, indeed, under the control of the club and University. As for the club itself, again according to Lorry:

"The student Club, Antique Mechanics which I founded is no longer functioning. The collection is housed at University Airport with access by appointment. ... Students are no longer allowed due to a student accident at UC Berkeley 3 or 4 years ago."

Too bad, too bad.

I have never heard the term "division managers" before so I do not know what particular organization this refers to. However, let me make an obvious point: Competitive sports reflect directly on the reputation of the University, and therefore decisions about what can, or cannot be in the stadium during games are probably made at high levels in the Athletic Department, with possible inputs from the Chancellor's Office. Therefore without buy-in from at least the AD office, the steam engine will not be allowed back at the stadium. And since neither Kevin Blue nor Gary May have ever seen the steam engine in action, they are unlikely to be predisposed to allowing its return.

Which implies that the only way to get the steam engine back is to specifically lobby for its return. Petitions, anyone?

You have to heat water to make steam so yes, the engine has a firebox. I have strong recollections of the operators having a woodpile next to the engine.

As for safety and operation issues, I asked Bob Dunning of the Davis Enterprise about the steam engine. He in turn contacted Lorry Dunning (no relation), the founder of the Antique Mechanics Club.

Salient Points:

The "when was the steam engine banned?" question was not answered. (It would be interesting to know, but we can all live without knowing exactly when it left Toomey.)

Physically, the engine is a stand-alone device.

"It is known as a Simple Portable meaning in the old days it was pulled by a Horse Team. It can be loaded on a truck and hauled or pulled by a tractor ( rubber tires ) or pickup or any towing device. It is slow but [moving the steam engine] can be done."

There is a process to certify boilers--no need to ask the Agricultural and/or Mechanical Engineers to perform a special project.

"Boiler failure is not a problem. The boiler must be inspected every year with pressure testing and sonogram testing. The test is conducted by the insurance Company insuring the University for ALL the pressure vessels used on Campus. That report is submitted to the State of California Pressure Vessel Division. If passed a permit is issued which must be available on the boiler. Sounds complex but only requires setting a date with the Inspector. Testing usually takes about 3 hours."

Finally, opposing teams had considerable input into the decision to ban the steam engine.

"Way back when it was banned by the Division Managers due to opposing team complaints. It was speculated that the enthusiasm developed in the crowd that it brought an extra touchdown for the Aggies."

To which I can only say, "why would you give up an extra touchdown?"

A big thanks to AggieHex08 for finding a photo. While it is not absolutely clear from the image, it appears the steam engine is just that--an engine, not a tractor. (If it was a tractor there would be a seat, a steering wheel, and a steering linkage from the control station to the front wheels. I do not see any of these features in this photo.) In other words, a farmer would haul the engine into the field, fire it up, and use the rotating wheel on the side of the engine to power a piece of auxiliary equipment, using wide leather belts to transfer motion from the rotating wheel to the operating equipment.

To further comment on 69Aggie's observations, even though the steam engine appears to be made of cast iron (a pretty weak material), the fact that the boiler is riveted and that there are pressure reliefs on the system suggests that the engine would leak and depressurize before burst. So the hazards are getting too close to the rotating wheel or the flyball governor used to smooth out the engine in response to varying load, not a boiler explosion. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_governor)

If the administration thinks the steam engine is a safety hazard, they could ask the School of Engineering to evaluate the engine and determine if the engine is safe to use, or not. I suspect there is sufficient expertise in Bainer Hall to provide a definitive answer.

I really miss the steam engine, too. The Antique Mechanics Club had a great ancient steam engine (not a tractor) with a big, loud whistle that was parked near the southwest corner of Toomey. They would heat the boiler, make steam, and blow the whistle when the Aggies scored. The engine has not been seen in years. In fact, I think it disappeared when the Aggies moved up to D-1AA, presumably because the powers-that-be felt the engine anchored the Aggies a bit too firmly in their Ag School past.

If you win, people let you do almost anything. Bring back the steam engine!