Page 421 - Peterson 85 Years and Going Strong

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BUSTER’S ORIGINAL TWIN D8S HUNTING HISTORY
For years, it was widely believed that Buster and his SEQ team had built only three originals—the Hun- gry Horse Dam Twin, the Coal Twin, and the King Ranch Hi-Clearance Twin. Subsequent research, however, has proven otherwise.
It is difficult to chronicle history when so many years have passed and much of the paper trail has grown cold. However, Peterson’s Special Equipment Services (SEQ) logbook provides positive proof for two Buster-built Twin D8s. The first went to Morrison-Knudsen for their Farmington Dam contract near Stockton, Califor- nia, in May 19501. The second was the Hi-Clearance Twin built for the King Ranch—delivered to Cat dealer, Wm. K. Holt Co. of San Antonio, Texas, in March 19512. Provenance for the rest is substantiated by various trade publications, newspaper articles, photographs, social media, oral history. And legend. A proof-of-con- cept known as the Siamese Twins was built first (circa 1948) using two Allis-Chalmers HD-19s, and proved quite successful during testing. However, it too is substantiated only by oral history and a few pictures—so far.
One of the earliest published articles on Buster’s Twin design came out in the April 1950 issue of Construction Equipment. It details the specs and merits of Buster’s newest innovation. “Teaming up two conventional D8 tractors into one giant unit, Peterson Tractor & Equipment Co., San Leandro, Calif., has developed a machine that should prove a time-and-money saver on all large earthworks projects. R.A. Peterson, vice president of the company, and Fred Stevens, chief engineer, have conducted extensive tests that show the Twin D8, testing at more than 270 drawbar hp, has over double the working power of a single D8 tractor. . . . In operation, one man is in complete control of both engines from the conventional driving position on the right-hand tractor.
1 Morrison-Knudsen Twin: S/N 2U9800 & 2U10438
2 King Ranch Twin: S/N 2U12911 & 2U12912
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