Crawlers I photo'd recently.

[John C.]

You can read about the origins here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holt_Manufacturing_Company

The Caterpillar story about the law suit that was on the web has been pulled as far as I can see. The big issue from what I've read came from the invention and use of track type vehicles. The companies were making similar types of equipment and had over lapping designs that sparked expensive legal battles. The depression weakened both companies and the investors apparently forced a merger.

 

[Truck Shop]

You can read about the origins here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holt_Manufacturing_Company

The Caterpillar story about the law suit that was on the web has been pulled as far as I can see. The big issue from what I've read came from the invention and use of track type vehicles. The companies were making similar types of equipment and had over lapping designs that sparked expensive legal battles. The depression weakened both companies and the investors apparently forced a merger.

I didn't find much about it. The forced merger is the interesting part. I bet that was a job
getting both to set across the bargaining table .

 

[mowingman]

The Wikipedia article is interesting. Our son works for Holt Cat down in Texas. It is still a huge operation.

 

[DMiller]

Kind of like Fabick up Here. Been HERE Forever.

 

[Truck Shop]

Like most things that happened back then, the story is wide, covers many years, encompasses
anybody building anything similar. From what I read the law suits went in many directions.
But the same thing happened in the auto industry at that time although not well documented.
That WiKi article could have been better constructed on strictly the time line of events.

 

[Truck Shop]

But Caterpillar actually started on this side of the Rockies--I like that.

 

[DMiller]

The origins of all the Crawler Tractor designs boil down to those two concerns, Best and Holt, their innovations and developments to improve farming became the end all for nearly every job needing materials moved.

 

[Truck Shop]

Funny thing is talking to a old Cat parts man {he passed away 15 years ago now} Cat sold
more D4 and D6 crawlers in the Palouse stretching from Lexington Or to Spangle Wa than
anywhere else. And not forgetting how many AC and IH crawlers mixed in the same area.

 

[John C.]

Cat has a DLMS training course that walked through the history pretty well. Unfortunately, I can't get there from here.
The Palouse is a special area for dry land wheat farming. Lots of special ag equipment for harvesting wheat on side hills.

 

[Truck Shop]

The Palouse is a special area for dry land wheat farming. Lots of special ag equipment for harvesting wheat on side hills.

The way it's farmed here and no where else, and the concept is different just 10 miles away too.

 

[Truck Shop]

Mayview Tram built in 1890 Garfield Co. 4,800 ft long 1,800 ft drop. Used to move grain
from canyon top to Snake River.

 

[DMiller]

Mayview Tram built in 1890 Garfield Co. 4,800 ft long 1,800 ft drop. Used to move grain
from canyon top to Snake River.

Wonder how much of that machinery still lays out there.

 

[Truck Shop]

Wonder how much of that machinery still lays out there.

I have never been there it's in a remote area. But a guy I talked to that fishes the river said some
of it is still there.

 

[Truck Shop]

 

[Truck Shop]

Around 2000 when I was still working for the Ag company I had to do a service call
to the old Grant farm. I saw the same Case 20-40 in photo below setting in a barn.
Probably hadn't run since the late 20's.

 

[Truck Shop]

Early rock crusher.

 

[Tyler d4c]

Early rock crusher.

View attachment 283203View attachment 283204

Somewhere a msha inspector a woke dreaming he had writers cramp

 

[Truck Shop]

Somewhere a msha inspector a woke dreaming he had writers cramp

That was a county run crusher, no body cared in those days.

 

[Tyler d4c]

I'm sure and most of them probably lived to tell the tail. Well the ones with any common sense

 

[Truck Shop]

Hair Ranch Aug 5 1955.