Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Decatur, IL: Caterpillar makes Mining Trucks and other Big Equipment

(3D Satellite)

Jeffrey Jable, Aug 2016
 
Before I found Jeffrey's photo, I looked for the display truck using street view. I'm keeping these photos because they show that Caterpillar is continuing to rearrange (invest in) the factory.
Street View, Oct 2019

This location for the truck is rather new. Back in Oct 2015, the truck was further north where it is in this satellite image. And the storage lot in the satellite image is now a parking lot.
Satellite

Actually, they now have two trucks parked by the building. The one on the satellite image still exists.
Street View, Oct 2019

They also make big road graders here for maintaining the haul roads in mines..
Big Red, Dec 2015

Lauro Lopez, May 2019, cropped


Jeffrey Jable, Aug 2017

Gore Earthmoving PTY LTD posted two photos with the comment:
In September Mick, Greg (Baldy), Ali & Mel scored an awesome opportunity to take a tour of Decatur, Illinois, Caterpillar. 
As one of America’s oldest manufacturers, Caterpillar is proud to be an American company serving the U.S. and the world since 1925.
CAT manufacture in every region in the world to support their global customers, but there’s no country where they employ more people than the United States. With more than 60+ primary locations in 25 states and dealers from coast to coast, Caterpillar is a part of the United States infrastructure. And that’s an infrastructure that they are proud to have had a hand in building over the last century.
As a leading U.S. exporter, Caterpillar employed workers in the U.S. build products that are shipped around the world. Several of their U.S. facilities are single source manufacturing locations for all global sales, including:
Large track-type tractors (East Peoria, Illinois)
Large mining trucks (Decatur, Illinois)
Large motor graders (North Little Rock, Arkansas)
Gas turbines (San Diego, California)
Smallest track-type tractors (Athens, Georgia)
A massive thank-you to Tony, Hastings Deering (Australia).
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2

They used to make scrappers here. The above photo implies that they still do. Or are they just displaying their product line?
Mid-Century Decatur posted
Caterpillar equipment built in Decatur passes through Champaign on the Illinois Central enroute to its destination during the summer of 1959.
Photo: J. Parker Lamb, Center for Railroad Photography & Art
David Scrivner
: I got to see the world's largest scraper being loaded up - it took seven train cars to ship it!!!

Jeff Fishpool posted via Dennis DeBruler
Myself and 660B, River Diversion job in Victoria. We had 8x 660s on this project. Thiess, 1985 .
Carl Faith: One of first 660’s built in Decatur, Illinois in mid 60’s.

NZ Contractor magazine posted
Classic Machine pictures from our archives- this photo accompanied the Caterpillar DW21 scraper profile that ran in our March 2017 edition.
Caption: McFarland Construction DW21 getting a push from a Caterpillar D8-2U in sandy load. Points of note are the single aircleaner in front of the operator, narrow exhaust stack and the clean, rounded front of the machine, all spotting features of an early 8W series DW21
Griff Bell: We had the high hp units with twin stacks and pushed with a 14A D8. Good times just can't hear anything. [And that is why OSHA is keen on ear protection.]
 
Iram Scanchez commented on the above post, cropped
[I'm not sure this was Cat built.]

Willie Bell commented on the above post, cropped

Willie Bell commented on the above post, cropped
Dave V Schmidt: Willie Bell 86E
NZ Contractor magazine: Dave V Schmidt - DW21G

Proof that Cat still makes scrapers at this plant.
Owen Kingsland posted
Largest load I saw in Decatur IL yesterday.
[A comment called it a 657. Several comments said it is a 637.]
Kevin Lively: That on a set of beams or a full deck?
David Keown: Kevin Lively looks like beams
Kevin Lively: David Keown that's what I thought I was seeing.
Brad Wilkins: Must need the extra axles for that sleeper. Just messin, calm down Karen.
Nice setup! Since Cat Montgomery closed I don't see any equipment moving too often.
Keith White: It’s a 637. I have hauled them in WY on 9 axels w permit on interstate system! Legal.
 
Shane Marzoff commented on Owen's post, cropped
 
Owen Kingsland commented on Owen's post, cropped

Max Samrick commented on Owen's post, cropped
The 657's come out in 2 pieces from Decatur.

Steven Laugh commented on Max's comment
correct

Len Glaubitz commented on Owen's post
Cole Decker not a 57. It’s so expensive to haul them in one piece. And u just about can’t get permits to do it. I help my brother move them sometimes and we break them in half. If u move them on the west coast u can move them in one piece but Midwest to the east we split them.

Justin Manke commented on Owen's post, cropped
I was parked next to him in Effingham he was 204k gross

Here is a 657B being hauled in one piece.
Big Machine posted
Looks great! CAT
Jeff Gore: Can't tell what size but it's a monster
Dennis DeBruler: I can see 657B on the side. 550+400hp

Jason Baron posted
New work toy [637E rebuild]
Ryan Walsh: Last of the triple sticks
Chester Stafford: The E series is IMHO the best scraper cat ever built.
Michael Jaska: Chester Stafford the series 2 was better than the 657 G by a long way.
Jeff Fishpool: The "E" were a good series, looks great and no plastic !
 
Mike Chrisman commented on Jason's post

Today's plant was an expansion. Caterpillar started out on 22nd Street. Judging by satellite and street views, this building has been torn down.
Mid-Century Decatur posted four images with the comment:
This sprawling brick complex on North 22nd Street covers more than 2 million square feet and employed over 1500 people during its peak in the mid-century period.
But the origins of the building pre-date the mid-century era.  The building was constructed during WW2 for Caterpillar to build turbine-style aircraft engines adapted for use in tanks.  By the time the building was ready, however, the Army cancelled the tank engine program and diverted the plant to build badly needed bulldozer tractors.  This was the origin of "earthmover" production in Decatur.
The Decatur plant was hugely successful and in 1945 won the "Army-Navy E" war production award.  Only 5% of the nation's war production plants earned that recognition.
The plant would be repurposed twice after the war for completely different uses.  This will be the subject of future posts.

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3, cropped

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I thought road graders were moved to this plant when Caterpillar shut down its Montgomery, IL, plant to keep this plant running after the mining industry collapsed around 2012. But it looks like it was a matter of moving road graders back to this plant.
Mid-Century Decatur posted
Caterpillar Road Grader assembly in 1966.
(H&R photo)

wandtv
They started making the D24 road grader in 1997. It is the largest they make and it is used by mining companies to make and groom the wide haul roads that are needed by the mining trucks.

cat_D24
"At 535 HP and with a 24 foot moldboard, this grader will keep your mining machines productive, safe and operators comfortable."
 
Dangerous Machines posted

cat_797F, cropped
797F CROWNED CHAMPION OF “MAKERS MADNESS” CONTEST
"Made in Decatur, Illinois, USA, the 797F is the world’s largest mechanical-drive truck. It weighs 1,375,000 pounds (623 690 kilograms) and standing over 23 feet (7-meters) tall on six 13-foot (4-meter) tires. The 797F is the industry benchmark for delivering the lowest cost per ton in its size class."
 
Dangerous Machines posted
Merlin Barbara Satrom: Looks like this is the Cat Visitor Center in Peoria and the box of that truck is actually a theatre that you sit in! A great tour!
Glen Glover: It’s a diesel engine powering a generator that powers two electric wheel motors, much like a locomotive

They must make all of the big mining equipment here because a Facebook comment implied that this 994H was also made in Decatur.
I wonder how much of that load is going to fall into the truck at that angle.
Caloto posted
 
Dangerous Machines posted
Thomas Mcbreen: What it costs for those four tires I would love to have in my bank account lol.
Jason Frydenger: Thomas Mcbreen I build these and the 797 for cat, we send tires directly to site but can tell you 797 tires are about $60,000 a pop.
Clifford Nixon: I operated a 950 966 980 988 and 992 but never had the opportunity to operate a 994.

Comments on post

Arvid Inge Johnsen commented on the above post

Cat has competition from Letorneaux.
Ken Needham commented on the above post

In Oct 2022, they opened their first new building, a 180,000 sq ft warehouse, since 1997. [wandtv]

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