Still in Mapleton...Today Brandyn was able to schedule a VIP tour for Deb and me through the Caterpillar Plant Building SS. This is the building where D8 through D11 tractors are assembled. It is one of three in the world where the big cats are built... this is the only one in the US. The other two are in Brazil and (I can't remember)...
Deb and I got to sit in a brand new D10 just on it's way out by rail to a customer somewhere in the world. It was pretty amazing to sit at the helm of a 120,000 pound piece of machinery, even if it was not moving. Deb said she would have been more comfortable with a steering wheel instead of the dual joysticks that control it... I told her it is Caterpillar capitalizing on the current generation of operators... pretty cool.
We could not take pictures while on the tour (bummer) but I did get to take some photos of the very first D10 built in this plant in 1977 (which was later returned for permanent display after it's honorable service).
Here is a photo of Deb and Brando standing next to the D10 (not even near the size of the D11 which we saw in production)... but it is still a monster.
Somehow it looks even bigger when I stand next to it!
Brandyn is explaining the parts that he is responsible for as the Senior Manufacturing Engineer in Building HH...Inside the drive wheel are all kinds of gears (Sun and Planetary) that allow the 850hp engine to move the 50-ton tractor and push tons of earth at the same time... Brandyn's plant builds the gears.
Brandyn and Deb are standing in front of the blade of the D10 and the plaque that explains the history of the cat.(I am sorry for the quality and graininess of the photos today... I had the camera set up for low light and forgot to change it).
On the way to the plant, we passed this giant plastic woman in a red bikini... it was in front of a Uniroyal tire... I have no idea what the connection is but it was one of the stranger things we have seen thus far... right up there with the giant frypan and the giant steer and many other giant things we have seen along the way... there is a message here somewhere and we are not even in Texas yet.
Tonight, Grandpa and Grandma are spending date night with the grandsons while mom and dad went to church for some hoedown that they were supposed to teach square dancing at... That should be interesting as I don't think Brandyn knows a thing about square dancing...More news at eleven.
Scotty
3 comments:
Scotty, the reason the CAT looked so tall is the contrast between short and tall!:) Just teasing. It never ceases to amaze me what man can engineer and manufacture. Looks like you enjoyed the tour.
Question? Do you read these comments?
Deb, you look right at home with three boys sitting in your lap. Those little guys are sure growing.
Scott, if you are going to Texas, you should stop and see Richard and Gloria.. They have a huge house and would be glad to see you and entertain you. They are about 60 miles South and West of San Antonio. I don't know where you intended on going in Texas but if it is Victoria then you won't be that far from San Antonio and Kerrville.
Big fire in the gorge yesterday and today, across the river from Hood River where all those houses sit upon the to top of the hill along the the river. Burned four houses to the ground. Strong winds and super steep hill made it difficult to attack. Helicopters and air drops used. 40% contained today. Train may have started fire. Today, an abandoned plywood mill in the same vicinty burned to the ground. Cause? Suspicious. Hadn't operated since late '90s.
Another beautiful day. About 70 degrees. Got some more gutter cleaned and moss removed from the roof. Still one side to go. Took Dorothy to dinner at Shari's in Oregon City. Used our two-for-one gift card from Speedy Glass. Good shrimp and steak. Had a scrumptious dessert, a chocolate brownie sundae -uuummm! good. We split one as we were both near to the full level.
Keep those blogs coming! What a neat way to follow you on your trip. I keep going back and looking at the wedding photos you took and enjoying them.
Tell everyone hello for us. Love ya!
Dad and Mom
Of course we read the comments.
I am not sure where we are going in Texas yet... we take one day at a time. It all depends on the weather, etc.
How do you know they would be happy to entertain us? Have you communicated with them?
I saw the news coverage of the fires on the Western Fire Chiefs daily dispatch... the plywood mill was pretty spectacular... looks like it may be an easy way to clear an old building complex???
Goodnight... got to get to bed... soccer game in the morning.
In order to get a true perspective on how big the Cat was you should have driven the Mini Cooper up next to it. Then we would have a good idea.
John R.
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