Hi, Folks.
I recently received a copy of a new book written by Eileen Grafton, sister of Duane Doyle Snr and official historian of Peterson Caterpillar dealerships. The book is entitled, "Peterson - 85 Years And Going Strong", and is VERY detailed with LOTTTZA photos. As I understand it, the book is currently being distributed to Peterson employees and will later be available for order.

If you have any interest and can get 'yer lunch-hooks' onna copy of this book, I would recommend that you do so.

Now just how didda 'pore, dumm bulldozer operator from Orztraylya' come to have a copy???????????? It'z not wotchyer know but WHO you know.

Just my 0.02.

if you are paid member it is in the members area in the technical library in pdf to read

Wow, what a great read! I went to the Technical Library and suddenly it was 2 hours later! I have to get a copy of this great book ! Because I live in California and in 1974 I took my class in Quality Congtrol (I was the instructor) from Junior Collage on a tour of Peterson Caterpillar, San Leandro, California. Very infomative tour and a great way to introduce Quality Control in Practice to my class! Thank you Peterson Caterpillar!

Hi, TomTrack44.
I have been privileged to have a couple of looks into places in that facility where most people don't get to see. On 1 occasion, I was even allowed to wander around the whole yard, photographing whatever took my fancy. That was back when they were building the siamesed twin D8s for their 80th year celebration. I got to photograph them in some detail and to also have a look at the DD9G sitting out in the back yard awaiting its restoration not long after it had come down from Alaska.

On another occasion, I was helping Eileen Grafton with some research for this book and she took me to a little 'cave' out in the middle of the main workshop where a BIGGG collection of old blueprints are stashed - including the ones for the D7s that Buster set up for working on the DEW line back in the early 1950s. It was interesting to see how much of what Buster did with those D7s later made it into the stretched D8s that Cat built for Antarctica and Greenland. Things like the hydraulic swinging drawbar to make it easier to turn on the snow and ice with a sled train on behind.

I also found it interesting that those drawings were still there AND in good condition around 65 years later.

Good people too.

Just my 0.02.