Doing site work in Castro Valley, at the future site of Neighborhood Church - 1965
Double 657 Scrapers
The double and triple 657 scrapers were built in response to a competitive situation down on the San Luis Canal in the mid-60s. Contractor Guy F. Atkinson was using tandem and triple format LeTourneau electric scrapers on their phase of the project, edging out big dirt potential for Peterson and Caterpillar. "Buster put the tandem 657s together pretty quickly," recalls Vern Renwick, Peterson fieldman and equipment demonstrator at the time. "It was almost a panic." The tandem unit was driven to Castro Valley through town, by special permit, and put to the test doing site work for the future Neighborhood Church.
When all the bugs were worked out, Buster designed the triples, using the same multiple engine control assembly and steering system. In the spring of 1965, the triple 657s and two tandem units were shipped to Kiewit's contract at Reach 3 of the San Luis Canal near Colinga, CA and made a bit of earthmoving history.
Working on Kiewit's Reach 3 contract of the San Luis Canal - 1965
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