"strickl" wrote:

I just saw this thread. My wife's great grandfather was the contractor at hungry horse reservoir. We have some old pictures of the twin 8 there. I will dig them out and try to scan them in. Her grampa was a mechanic there, that may of been him welding on the brush rake in that one pic. He told me that it was worthless on steep ground and would waller around and get stuck in soft ground.

I'm researching the Cat Twin D8s for a history book. Did you ever find those pictures? Would love to talk with anyone in family who knows about the Twins. <a href="This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Eileen

&quot;Deas wrote:

Hi, Eileen.
I actually e-mailed you about these tractors back in 2016 for your 80th anniversary - and received a 'deafening silence' in response.

Here is a link to an earlier discussion about the Siamesed D8s with some posts from a relation of one of the machanics who worked on one or more of them.

www.acmoc.org/bb/showthread.php?22043-Siamese-Twin-D8-s/page13

Please feel free to wander back through the whole thread for more information.

Hungry Horse Dam mention:

foresthistory.org/research-explore/us-fo...rs/hungry-horse-dam/

I also have a video with a 4-second glimpse of the Hungry Horse Dam set at work.

Eric Orlemann's Caterpillar Chronicle: (You may need to scroll UP to be able to read the text on this page.)

books.google.com/books?id=pTvLXD25AbQC&p...amesed%20D8s&f=false

Garrison Dam Siamesed Allis Chalmers HD19s:

www.allischalmers.com/forum/the-siamese-...ozer_topic79687.html

I am currently on your side of the Pacific puddle until around June 30 and would be happy to come up to San Leandro to share what information I have on any of Buster's 'toys', some of which actually came from the Peterson History pages of your web site which once featured this material but now sadly consists of only a timeline.

I also have some photos of what was probably the last surviving Cat D8 offset sideboom - sadly now also gone - in a yard in Washington State. Again, I e-mailed Duane about this machine several years ago with a view to the possibility of it being 'rescued' for the 80th anniversary - and received no answer.

Regardless of past non-responses, I am still happy to share what information and photos I have in the interests of seeing history preserved for future generations.

My e-mail is in my profile if you would like to use that.

Just my 0.02.

Thanks Deas ... you are a font of information on the Twins! Email me dates you'll be around. (And sorry for the non-response. Clueless as to what happened.) - Eileen

Hi, Egrafton.
Here is a link to the Popular Mechanics article from August, 1950. Scroll down to the 'Contents' section and click on the # 90 alongside the "Bowling Down Forests" heading. There are 2 extra bits to the article on pages 246 and 248.

books.google.com/books?id=0dgDAAAAMBAJ&p...0horse%20dam&f=false

Enjoy.

E-mail: <a href="This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Just my 0.02.

D4 pedal tractor on page 126. I like how they said "the company took two D8's and welded them together" hmm sounds pretty simple, lol.

Hey, that's cool! About the right time frame too. Mine came from the Cat dealer...

Hi, Rome K/G.
"Sounds pretty simple"???????

From what little I can piece together, Trisdale approached Buster Peterson and asked him to 'build a better mousetrap' for the clearing contract at Hungry Horse Dam. Also, from what I can gather, Buster either experimented with a pair of Allis Chalmers crawlers or had already built a set of Allis Chalmers HD19s for Kiewit - Morrison-Knudsen for the Garrison Dam. The Garrison Dam was an ALL Allis Chalmers job - Eric Orlemann mentions in his Caterpillar Chronicle that Buster tried the concept with a couple of A-C crawlers before he built the first set of Siamesed D8s. As I remember, he did not specify that this set was for the Hungry Horse job but mention of this set appears to preceed any mention of either the Lawrenceburg/Tanner Creek set of the Knig Ranch set.

Just my 0.02.

Hmmm....thats interesting.

is there any knowledge of the where abouts of the original 3 machines ended up

WOW!, is about all that can be said....just located this thread and read all 30 pages of this great, epic, historic event.
Just fascinating to see what can be accomplished when motivated people get a great thought in mind and don't give up!
I've only seen one SxS (GMC TC) working and it was thrilling, to say the least! It was at the 2005 Wetaskiwin, Alberta, ACMOC show.

Sorry, I arrived at Santa Maria too late to see "The Prize" in action".......but so v.v. glad could get to that show and enjoy it's many treats & thrills.

Many thanks and much appreciation to all who made it all possible!!

It was great to come with friends, meet old friends and make me some new friends. ACMOC is a wonderful organization and enjoy the world wide membership!!

God Bless one and all.

Hi, Orrin S.
Did it give you square eyes? LOL.

It was great to see a couple of 'old codgers' managing to make it to the show from Denver and Amarillo too. You were a little late to see the win D8s in action - - - about 12 months as they were at last year's show but didn't make it for this year. You can still see'em though. I understand they are up at Peterson Cat's Hillsboro, Oregon, facility for the forseeable future - just a weekend jaunt for a seasoned traveller like yourself. LOL. (Now just how would a puddle-jumpin' plant operator from DowNunda know where they might be, huh?)

Just my 0.02.