Significant September 2017 Caterpillar anniversaries

Gavin,

Thanks for pointing these out. I know there are some activities in the works for the D10's 40th birthday, but those will come next year for the anniversary of the first production tractors shipping. Hard to think of a D10 as antique, but it now falls within the 40 years old and older rule-of-thumb Cat has for ACMOC on scale models. So do the 200-series excavators for that matter.

I'd be surprised if they make much ado about the HQ anniversary. Still alot of hard feelings among all but the select few on the HQ move to Chicago, so I suspect they would rather not bring that up.

Speaking of HQ, if you have ever toured Cat building CV and seen the old HQ entrance facade, or saw it when it was still on the old Admin Building in East Peoria, I believe we at very near the 100th anniversary of when construction began on that building. It's hard to pinpoint exactly since there was so much plant expansion during that period, but I believe construction started in Fall 1917 and finished in Spring 1918.

We are also a few weeks past the 80th anniversary of the D4, D6, D7 and D8 names, which were changed from their RD counterparts in mid-August 1937.

Dave

I understand the D in RD- indicated diesel-engined; what did the R indicate, if anything?

Dr. Rudolf Diesel is considered the "father" of the modern diesel engine. From what little I know - the RD was a designation recognizing his contribution to the machines.
I found this on the internet: https://books.google.com/books?id=a_HbnkbSVhoC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=RD+in+caterpillar+designation&source=bl&ots=O1IDl2Hj0v&sig=21vIUHqjwyYOIC9-OglNNxNTTGM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjy_pPoqJPWAhXhsFQKHQo4B9gQ6AEILjAB#v=onepage&q=RD%20in%20caterpillar%20designation&f=false

cts

I too have often wondered what the R was for in the RD series machines. I always just assumed the because the R2,R4,R6 were gas tractors, that when they added the diesel engine they just added the D to separate the gas tractors from the diesel tractors, since I don't think much changed other than the engine. I could be totally out to lunch on this theory as I have never really found it in writing anywhere.
I had never thought or considered the Dr. Rudolf Diesel as a possibility - however I do like the idea of Caterpillar giving his name recognition with the introduction of the Diesel engine in their machines.
I also had someone tell me once that the R had something to do with president Roosevelt, this one I have a harder time believing as I am not sure what the significance to the president and Caterpillar would have been during those years, but who knows.
I am sure that someone who is more smart than me on the topic will jump in and let us all know.

Cheers
Nathan

This was discussed on another thread, your all wrong, the "R" stood for Art Rosen a Caterpillar Engineer.

Rome K/G would you know the exact name of that thread? I would enjoy reading through it. Thanks for clearing up the meaning if the R, I knew someone would know.