Balderson Big Dude

Looks like he'll need another D9 to hook on the front of the blade, plus a gigantic spoil pile : )

I know one was made for Duke Energy here in the carolinas to push coal for the power plants, not sure what they called it.

I know one was made for Duke Energy here in the carolinas to push coal for the power plants, not sure what they called it.

So was this a Balderson blade? If so I will have to ask some old timers at work if it was made in Wamego, KS. I work for Caterpillar Work Tools in wamego KS which used to be Balderson prior to around 1995.

Yes it was made by Balderson. This is The Double Dude.
https://youtu.be/wRH3o9OR21I

In the fifth video you can see a Dean Machinery decal on the back of the fuel tank on the right tractor, that would be in Kansas then. cool!

The "Big Dude" and "Double Dude" were built for spoil pile reclamation in coal mines in Kansas. They might have been used on other projects also. Those blades and at least one other called the "Uni-Flow" were all used by contractor Russell&Sons. The Russell's built the Uni-Flow themselves. That one and the "Double Dude" were used on SXS DD9's. The linkage between the two tractors was special built to stagger the tractors to get the angle blade geometry. Balderson called it the BRAP -Balderson Reclamation Angeling Plow. The Double Dude blade and OR the "Big Dude" was in Russells yard in Longview Texas for many years. Might still be around? I think the other was in a yard in Kansas for years also.

DING! there ya go Glen! get out the "mystery machine" and start looking for clues! lol

Have seen pics in the last year of it in pieces setting in Russell & Sons yard in Longview, TX yard. catskinner