now we all know about these Siamese twin D8's but did anybody ever know about AC HD19 Siamese twins I didnt until just now built for the Garrison Dam project so I dunno which came first the Cat or AC

Hi, MrsMP.
Yep. Known about 'em for many years. There is a video clip of the job on Youtube entitled, "A Big Job".

In Eric Orlemann's book, "A Caterpillar Chronicle", he says that Buster Peterson built a siamesed Allis Chalmers set before he built the 3 x D8 versions. I have often wondered if Buster might have had a hand in building the Garrison dam rigs. I say 'rigs' plural 'cos 'twould appear in that video that there may have been two sets of them on the Garrison Dam.

It appears that Buster was approached by several companies at different times to build 'specials' for them to cope with 'interesting' conditions. I think it was Bechtel who approached him for a solution coming through the hills when the D8 sidebooms they were using couldn't handle the pipes on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada on the California-Texas pipeline. Buster's solution - offset the left hand track by 30" to give the sideboom more leverage over the load. He also built a double-ended compactor using 2 X 631 tractors connected by a beam and with sheepsfoot rolls in place of the wheels and tires.for the Oroville dam job.

You can see some photos of one of the offset sidebooms here:

socalearthmovers.com/forum/index.php?topic=1261.0

You can see more about the compactors here:

socalearthmovers.com/forum/index.php?topic=2051.msg17392#new

Just my 0.02.

thanks for info Deas I think your you tube link was up the creek but I found it here instead

also cant view the pics as I am a visitor to the sight so I'll shut my eyes and imagine what the pics are like LOL

6-110 leakers in the workshop would of had a good note out on the job great stuff I noticed none of the workers wore gloves like Australia I wonder when the US workers started wearing gloves all the time ????

Paul

"mrsmackpaul" wrote:

I wonder when the US workers started wearing gloves all the time ????

Paul

In 2012 It became mandatory in MN by the company I worked for.

I recently found out my Grandfather was the original diesel mechanic on this project.

Hey Gerry,

Welcome aboard!!! Can you find out more details for us? Who did he work for? What years? Who was his foreman? What was your grand father's name? History is so interesting. Let's us know if you can find more info. Pictures would be great.
Thanks
Glen

Here's pictures she put on www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=13079239...89956&type=3&theater of her grandfather

"7upuller" wrote:

Hey Gerry,

Welcome aboard!!! Can you find out more details for us? Who did he work for? What years? Who was his foreman? What was your grand father's name? History is so interesting. Let's us know if you can find more info. Pictures would be great.
Thanks
Glen

His name was Barney Hernandez at Peterson Tractor in San Leandro, Ca. I don't know anything else.He is in the picture.

Some of Barney's family would like to see the project when completed. Many in the family went on to be mechanics.
Thanks,
Gerry