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Hello all,
Getting close to winding up my latest project and thought someone might be interested.
Thanks
Rick Marty
For several years I have been keeping my eye out for some early Caterpillar tractors for my South Fork Timber Co. logging railroad. What has been available is either in 1:24 scale (very limited) or custom made pieces in the several hundred dollar range. I was undecided on what to do so just let it ride.
In August last year, Aaron Loyet (trainbuffjr) of My Large Scale posted a series on how he converted a die cast crawler into a Cat 60.
See here;
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/postid/42423/view/topic/Default.aspx
This tipped me over the edge of indecision; I started researching and collecting information, pictures, and parts.
In September last year we attended the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, OR. And there in the modeling contest room, sat a 1:20 scale Caterpillar 60. This really got me going and I ordered 2 die cast John Deere 430 crawlers by Ertle, the same type Aaron started his bash with
![]()
Model credit: Richard Schmitt. National narrow Gauge Convention, Portland,OR Sept. 2008
SOME CATERPILLAR HISTORY
In 1925 C. L. Best Tractor Company and Holt Tractor Company joined forces and formed Caterpillar Tractor Company. Each of these brought some of their existing lines to the new effort. Best, who had built it’s first tracklayers in 1913, contributed the model 30 and model 60. Holt, who had been building track layers since 1904, brought their 2 Ton, 5 Ton, and 10 Ton to the new company.
The Best 60 had been introduced in 1919 and was rated at 60 belt and 35 drawbar horsepower. The Best 4 cylinder gas engine had a 6.5 X 8.5 bore and stroke and operated at 650 rpm. A two speed transmission offerd operating speeds of 1.875 and 2.625 mph. The maximum drawbar pull was rated at 11,000 pounds. In 1921 improvements to the carburator and ignition as well as a 3 speed transmission greatly improved the performance, by 1924 they had the 60 developing 72.51 brake horsepower with a 12,360 lb drawbar pull.
The 60’s greatest asset was its ability to function effectively in soil conditions that wheel tractors could not handle. The track laying 60 was widely used in agriculture, logging, mining, earthmoving, road building, and other construction.
The model 60 changed little after the Caterpillar merger and stayed in production until 1931. It was built at both the San Leandro, California and the Peoria, Illinois factories. Including the earlier Best models a total of 18, 929 Model 60’s were produced between 1919 and 1931.
In 1931 Caterpillar introduced its first Diesel engine in a tracklayer. This was a 4 cylinder 6.125 X 9.25 bore and stroke. These were introduced on the 60 chassis and were known as the Diesel 60. The performance of these were very impressive, 77.08 brake horsepower and 11, 991 lbs drawbar pull with a fuel efficiency ratio of 13.87 horsepower hours per gallon of fuel.
The new diesel tracklayer was a huge success, outselling all the competitors even though it was introduced at the start of the great depression.
In the course of my research I found that Caterpillars were not always yellow. From June 1925 until December 1931 Caterpillar Tractor Company painted all their tractors gray. The gray color for the base machine was Federal Standard # 595B-26134, the red color for trim was Federal Standard 595B-11120, and the Trademark decals were red letters with silver boarders. In January of 1932 they changed to “HI-Way Yellow” for the base machine and that lasted until June 1979. The decals during this era were black. The yellow paint was produced by Lilly Company and had various part numbers.
(Paint information was obtained from the ANTIQUE CATERPILLAR MACHINERY OWNERS CLUB web site)
Believe it or not I was able to trace the Federal Standard numbers and find a paint swatch. Even more unbelievable I was able to find a cross reference table on the Testors/ModelMasters model paint web site that listed that color (actually a gray-green color) with their stock number.
What put the whole experience in the Twilight Zone was being able to go to the local hobby shop and pick the paint right off the shelf. The Model Masters paint is a flat and the necessary color is a semi-gloss but with a Model Masters overcoat of semi-gloss transparent it should work fine.
Here are a couple of pictures of the Caterpillar 60 of that era. The first is a “Logging Cruiser” edition with the wrap around bumper and the radiator brush guard. This style will be one of my build attempts. The second picture is a builder’s view of the Diesel Sixty, about the only changers from the gas version are the engine itself and fuel tank location.
![]()
I want to Credit Iconografix Photo Archive Series for their book “CATERPILLAR SIXTY Photo Archive” edited by P. A. Letourneau, where these two pictures came from. I have several of the Iconografix “Photo Archive” books on different trucks and machinery and find them invaluable in a project like this not to mention very interesting to just thumb through.
The “humpy” Caterpillar logo was beautifully reproduced for me by Stan Cedarleaf, though not yet installed, I expect them to work perfectly like always. Notice the raised, cast in place, SIXTY lettering on the side of the radiator shell. I had these letters made in vinyl stick on by a local sign shop. They doubled the thickness so they will stand out well once I have them applied.
![]()
Finding plans and drawings for a specific tractor proved to be beyond my ability and/or patience. What I have ended up building is sort of a hybrid of the many generations of the gas powered Caterpillar 60. I did locate a restored gas Cat 60, circa 1927, as well as a restored Diesel 60 circa 1931, along with many other Cat models at the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, California.
You can check their web site here. http://www.aghistory.org/cgi-bin/default.asp
If you like old trucks and tractors this place is a must see.
I took lots of pictures of their Gas 60 for reference, even though it was the agriculture model with canopy, there is very little base difference between it and the Logging Cruiser. I did however learn that whoever restored this one did not use the correct color of gray, much to light.
![]()
My best resource for this build was/is the Phillips Steam Sawmill who has a 1925 Caterpillar model 60 that they have owned and used in logging service since 1938. I took many photos of the old girl with a yard stick in the pictures to give me the size and proportion to build the models from. Here is a rear shot of her in the tractor shed; you can see the yard stick standing on the hitch tray.
![]()
The winches that I needed on the back of the tractors to run the blade and log arches were a problem because all I could find pictures of, mounted on the 60’s, were the big Willamette drum type which I didn’t like the looks of. After much searching I located a picture showing a winch on the back of a 60 that was perfect. This was a small two drum winch that was very mechanical looking and besides they had one exactly like it mounted on the back of an old RD 40 Cat at the Phillips Mill.
The internet file photo showing the Cat 60 with a 2 drum winch and double Fairlead, just exactly what I was looking for.
![]()
Best of all, here is the old RD 40 at Phillips Mill with the exact same winch mounted on the back so getting pictures and measurements was an easy task. Note that one drum, on the far side, runs a cable up to the pulley in the top Fairlead and then down to the pulley on the bottom Fairlead, you can see the hook dangling. The other drum runs up to the pulley in the “cable dozer” carriage.
This brings me to the next step.
![]()
The home made “Cable Dozer” carriage, again on Phillips Mill’s old RD 40, was just too good to pass up. It just begged to be modeled so that is the prototype for the cable dozer on one of my Cat 60’s.
![]()
One last piece of background information, I finally found a picture on the internet that showed the true Gray-green color that was used on these machines. Is this a beautiful machine or what?
![]()
So that’s it for background information. Hopefully the preceding lets you know what I was/am trying to accomplish with this project. My goal was not to achieve exact scale models but reasonable facsimiles of the prototype based on availability of information, materials at hand and my skill level to combine them.
So if you have the need for some crawler tractors on your logging line and this style appeals to you maybe you will follow along and see how I come out. That way you can avoid the same mistakes that I make.
Now on to the actual build.
Getting close to winding up my latest project and thought someone might be interested.
Thanks
Rick Marty
For several years I have been keeping my eye out for some early Caterpillar tractors for my South Fork Timber Co. logging railroad. What has been available is either in 1:24 scale (very limited) or custom made pieces in the several hundred dollar range. I was undecided on what to do so just let it ride.
In August last year, Aaron Loyet (trainbuffjr) of My Large Scale posted a series on how he converted a die cast crawler into a Cat 60.
See here;
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/8/postid/42423/view/topic/Default.aspx
This tipped me over the edge of indecision; I started researching and collecting information, pictures, and parts.
In September last year we attended the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, OR. And there in the modeling contest room, sat a 1:20 scale Caterpillar 60. This really got me going and I ordered 2 die cast John Deere 430 crawlers by Ertle, the same type Aaron started his bash with
Model credit: Richard Schmitt. National narrow Gauge Convention, Portland,OR Sept. 2008
SOME CATERPILLAR HISTORY
In 1925 C. L. Best Tractor Company and Holt Tractor Company joined forces and formed Caterpillar Tractor Company. Each of these brought some of their existing lines to the new effort. Best, who had built it’s first tracklayers in 1913, contributed the model 30 and model 60. Holt, who had been building track layers since 1904, brought their 2 Ton, 5 Ton, and 10 Ton to the new company.
The Best 60 had been introduced in 1919 and was rated at 60 belt and 35 drawbar horsepower. The Best 4 cylinder gas engine had a 6.5 X 8.5 bore and stroke and operated at 650 rpm. A two speed transmission offerd operating speeds of 1.875 and 2.625 mph. The maximum drawbar pull was rated at 11,000 pounds. In 1921 improvements to the carburator and ignition as well as a 3 speed transmission greatly improved the performance, by 1924 they had the 60 developing 72.51 brake horsepower with a 12,360 lb drawbar pull.
The 60’s greatest asset was its ability to function effectively in soil conditions that wheel tractors could not handle. The track laying 60 was widely used in agriculture, logging, mining, earthmoving, road building, and other construction.
The model 60 changed little after the Caterpillar merger and stayed in production until 1931. It was built at both the San Leandro, California and the Peoria, Illinois factories. Including the earlier Best models a total of 18, 929 Model 60’s were produced between 1919 and 1931.
In 1931 Caterpillar introduced its first Diesel engine in a tracklayer. This was a 4 cylinder 6.125 X 9.25 bore and stroke. These were introduced on the 60 chassis and were known as the Diesel 60. The performance of these were very impressive, 77.08 brake horsepower and 11, 991 lbs drawbar pull with a fuel efficiency ratio of 13.87 horsepower hours per gallon of fuel.
The new diesel tracklayer was a huge success, outselling all the competitors even though it was introduced at the start of the great depression.
In the course of my research I found that Caterpillars were not always yellow. From June 1925 until December 1931 Caterpillar Tractor Company painted all their tractors gray. The gray color for the base machine was Federal Standard # 595B-26134, the red color for trim was Federal Standard 595B-11120, and the Trademark decals were red letters with silver boarders. In January of 1932 they changed to “HI-Way Yellow” for the base machine and that lasted until June 1979. The decals during this era were black. The yellow paint was produced by Lilly Company and had various part numbers.
(Paint information was obtained from the ANTIQUE CATERPILLAR MACHINERY OWNERS CLUB web site)
Believe it or not I was able to trace the Federal Standard numbers and find a paint swatch. Even more unbelievable I was able to find a cross reference table on the Testors/ModelMasters model paint web site that listed that color (actually a gray-green color) with their stock number.
What put the whole experience in the Twilight Zone was being able to go to the local hobby shop and pick the paint right off the shelf. The Model Masters paint is a flat and the necessary color is a semi-gloss but with a Model Masters overcoat of semi-gloss transparent it should work fine.
Here are a couple of pictures of the Caterpillar 60 of that era. The first is a “Logging Cruiser” edition with the wrap around bumper and the radiator brush guard. This style will be one of my build attempts. The second picture is a builder’s view of the Diesel Sixty, about the only changers from the gas version are the engine itself and fuel tank location.
I want to Credit Iconografix Photo Archive Series for their book “CATERPILLAR SIXTY Photo Archive” edited by P. A. Letourneau, where these two pictures came from. I have several of the Iconografix “Photo Archive” books on different trucks and machinery and find them invaluable in a project like this not to mention very interesting to just thumb through.
The “humpy” Caterpillar logo was beautifully reproduced for me by Stan Cedarleaf, though not yet installed, I expect them to work perfectly like always. Notice the raised, cast in place, SIXTY lettering on the side of the radiator shell. I had these letters made in vinyl stick on by a local sign shop. They doubled the thickness so they will stand out well once I have them applied.
Finding plans and drawings for a specific tractor proved to be beyond my ability and/or patience. What I have ended up building is sort of a hybrid of the many generations of the gas powered Caterpillar 60. I did locate a restored gas Cat 60, circa 1927, as well as a restored Diesel 60 circa 1931, along with many other Cat models at the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, California.
You can check their web site here. http://www.aghistory.org/cgi-bin/default.asp
If you like old trucks and tractors this place is a must see.
I took lots of pictures of their Gas 60 for reference, even though it was the agriculture model with canopy, there is very little base difference between it and the Logging Cruiser. I did however learn that whoever restored this one did not use the correct color of gray, much to light.
My best resource for this build was/is the Phillips Steam Sawmill who has a 1925 Caterpillar model 60 that they have owned and used in logging service since 1938. I took many photos of the old girl with a yard stick in the pictures to give me the size and proportion to build the models from. Here is a rear shot of her in the tractor shed; you can see the yard stick standing on the hitch tray.
The winches that I needed on the back of the tractors to run the blade and log arches were a problem because all I could find pictures of, mounted on the 60’s, were the big Willamette drum type which I didn’t like the looks of. After much searching I located a picture showing a winch on the back of a 60 that was perfect. This was a small two drum winch that was very mechanical looking and besides they had one exactly like it mounted on the back of an old RD 40 Cat at the Phillips Mill.
The internet file photo showing the Cat 60 with a 2 drum winch and double Fairlead, just exactly what I was looking for.
Best of all, here is the old RD 40 at Phillips Mill with the exact same winch mounted on the back so getting pictures and measurements was an easy task. Note that one drum, on the far side, runs a cable up to the pulley in the top Fairlead and then down to the pulley on the bottom Fairlead, you can see the hook dangling. The other drum runs up to the pulley in the “cable dozer” carriage.
This brings me to the next step.
The home made “Cable Dozer” carriage, again on Phillips Mill’s old RD 40, was just too good to pass up. It just begged to be modeled so that is the prototype for the cable dozer on one of my Cat 60’s.
One last piece of background information, I finally found a picture on the internet that showed the true Gray-green color that was used on these machines. Is this a beautiful machine or what?
So that’s it for background information. Hopefully the preceding lets you know what I was/am trying to accomplish with this project. My goal was not to achieve exact scale models but reasonable facsimiles of the prototype based on availability of information, materials at hand and my skill level to combine them.
So if you have the need for some crawler tractors on your logging line and this style appeals to you maybe you will follow along and see how I come out. That way you can avoid the same mistakes that I make.
Now on to the actual build.
