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Railsplitter Crosscut Saw
Competition
[September 01, 2026]
On Saturday afternoon, the
Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Competition continued with
its Crosscut Saw Competition. The competition took place on the back
lawn of Postville Courthouse in Lincoln. Clouds were beginning to
set in, but the humidity wouldn't give up. A gentle breeze gave the
audience and participants a little relief. Many gathered around on
bales, lawn chairs, and bleachers to cheer on their favorite
railsplitter. The two-person saw was used in this competition, and
each couple set the teeth halfway down before making the first
official cut. These saws typically range from four to seven feet in
length. A large log was held in place by a small tractor, and the
goal was to cut a slice as quickly as possible.
The competition got underway a
little after 1:00 p.m. and began with the Jack and Jill category. A
total of five couples competed in this category. Cody Friedlein and
Heidi Mueller of Germantown, IL, took first place with a time of
11.76 seconds. Second place was just a fraction of a second behind
them, with Jonathaon Norin and Heidi Mueller cutting in 11.9
seconds. Bill Prater of Greenville, IL, and Nikki Wiegand of
Vandalia, IL, took third place with a time of 22.7 seconds.
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After awarding the Jack and Jill
certificates, they began the Men’s Crosscut division. Individuals
could enter the competition twice but required a different partner
for each attempt. 15 teams were competing in the Men’s division.
First place went to brothers Larry Prater of Greenville, IL, and
Bill Prater of Pocahontas, IL. Before cutting, they advised that one
brother had overcome several health challenges at the beginning of
the year. However, they made the winning cut in 8.45 seconds. The
second pair, comprised of Cody of Downs, IL, and Evan of
Bloomington, made their cut in 11.30 seconds. Third place rounded
out a solid competition with Bryce Muir of Lexington, IL and Jon
Norin of LeRoy, IL completing their cut in 12.31 seconds.
Railsplitter Crosscut Saw Competition photo slideshow
Railsplitter Crosscut Saw Competition video
[Joli Boerma Crane]
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