It’s a feeling that all collectors recognize: Slightly sweaty palms, shallow breathing and great mental churning as the brain tries to align the senses and make a final determination as to whether what is being held in hand is “treasure” or “trash.”

When the first UNIT 357 Mobile Crane rolled out of the Milwaukee factory in 1946 it was heralded as being “Fast, Powerful and Rugged.” With its remarkably modern looking design – including the unique UNIT “full vision cab” – and the capability to work as a shovel, hoe, dragline or crane, the UNIT 357 was an ideal machine for the expanding post-war construction market.

With a heritage that started in Detroit when William Ford, Henry Ford’s brother, founded the Wilford Shovel Company in the early 1900’s, the design of the UNIT 357 Mobile Crane was based on the company philosophy of building machines that could be quickly and easily converted to suit the task at hand. Whether digging, lifting or material handling, the UNIT 357 was found to be more than capable of its advertised “One Thousand and One Uses.”

As the first of the production UNIT 357 machines were rolling out of the factory in 1946, Julian Kutz, the head of engineering at the UNIT Crane and Shovel Corporation redrew the plans for the “357” at 1:16 scale. Using these plans, Kutz took it upon himself to produce 3 hand built models of the UNIT 357 Mobile Crane to be used for sales presentations and trade show displays.

One of three UNIT 357 Mobile Crane sales models made at the UNIT Crane & Shovel factory – the prototype for the Doepke UNIT Crane toy.

Sales model showing full vision operator cab and hand built boom.

Although the details were never recorded, it is safe to assume that Kutz made use of the facilities at the UNIT factory to create the brass masters and sand cast aluminum parts for the major components of these functioning scale models. Again, there is no written record, but it’s easy to imagine Kutz using a small factory lathe to turn the solid aluminum wheels, brass hoist drums and sheaves to complete his miniature machine. With hand soldered open lattice booms, opening cab doors, working rigging, functional steering and a coat of UNIT factory orange paint, these models played a key role in the sales and marketing program for the cranes.    

When they had completed their usefulness for “show and tell”, the three models went home with Kutz where they were stored in the basement. It wasn’t until many years later that these models would come back to light when they were found by a construction collector looking for information about people who had worked at the UNIT factory.

Opening cab door, gantry and draw works on factory sales model.

Remarkably, all 3 of the Kutz models, along with some spare parts and pieces, the brass masters and his reworked scale drawings, were found intact. Imagine if they had never been discovered – sitting on the shelf gathering dust – due to their striking resemblance to the well known and relatively easy to find toy version of the same machine.

That toy, first manufactured by Doepke in 1949, was one of the most popular pressed steel construction toys ever made. Rugged enough to survive the rigors of outdoor use and having realistic details like rubber Goodyear tires that mom would allow inside the house, the $14.95 investment for a Doepke UNIT Crane toy was money well spent. Operating this toy with its two functional hand crank hoists, accurate rigging, stamped steel open lattice boom and a working clamshell bucket (perfect for excavating the sandbox or a cereal bowl) lead hundreds – if not thousands – of crane operators to their career paths.

Doepke UNIT mobile crane pressed steel toy.

Doepke toy showing gantry hand crank hoists and stamped steel open lattice boom.

Although the Doepke UNIT Crane is a toy, the detailing and proportions are so close to the three original Kutz factory models that there will never be an end to the speculation of exactly how the Doepke brothers and Kutz collaborated in its creation. Whether they have been kept in the attic since childhood, picked up at collector events or purchased on eBay, the Doepke UNIT Crane has remained a “must have” piece for construction collectors.

Doepke pressed steel toy on the left. UNIT factory model on the right.

In the early 1990’s, Classic Construction Models (CCM) created a number of accessory items for the Doepke UNIT Crane toy including a pressed steel track assembly and pressed steel boom inserts to extend the reach of the crane. Drawn from original crane information and inspired by Doepke toy construction details, these custom accessories were quickly snapped up by collectors who wanted to add to the value of their original toy cranes.

Doepke UNIT crane with CCM pressed steel crawler assembly and boom insert.

Scratch built UNIT 514 cable hoe pressed steel toy with CCM crawlers.

The track mounted equivalent to the UNIT 357, whether used as a crane, hoe, or shovel, was designated as a UNIT 514. With the release of the CCM track assemblies, collectors were inspired to create toy machines of their own, like this scratch built UNIT cable hoe built from an original Doepke crane cab with a solid steel boom, equalizer and custom paint job with UNIT factory striping.

Perhaps the rarest of the rare UNIT Crane toys is a Doepke factory prototype of the truck mounted UNIT 1014. No one knows when the decision was made to develop this toy and then not put it into production, but as all construction collectors – with the sole exception of the one who owns this piece – would agree, it is a shame it did not happen.

Doepke UNIT 1014 truck mount pressed steel toy prototype.

Given all of its positive attributes, the Doepke toy still presents one insurmountable challenge to many construction and railroad collectors. At more than 13 inches long and over 23 inches high at the boom tip, this toy is out of scale for railroaders and too big for construction display cabinets that are more suited for models a third its size.

The answer, which was recently introduced by CCM, is a hand built, limited edition all brass scale model of the original toy. Proportioned to fit with typical die cast construction models and on “O gauge” layouts, this model is an exact reproduction of the Doepke UNIT 357 Crane toy, modeled at 1:48 proportions from the original machine.

CCM’s all brass 1:48 scale model of the Doepke UNIT Crane toy.

From the rubber tires and boom tip sheaves to the cable drum brakes and working outriggers, this model is so true to the original toy that it is easy to imagine all of the employees at the Doepke factory collectively scratching their heads and wondering, “Who shrank our toy?”

The UNIT 357 crane has left an enduring legacy as a machine, a sales model, a toy and once again a scale model. Regardless of what direction your interest in construction collectibles takes you, it would be a mistake not to make room for these legendary machine replicas in your collection.

The post From the Archives: The UNIT 357 Mobile Crane appeared first on Classic Construction Models.

Day in the Dirt Moves earth and hearts in Tucson
by Cameron MacMullin

Do you remember pushing dirt around your back yard with your old toy tractor and dreaming of doing the same on a real machine? Remember how that dream faded, but the desire to get in a tractor and move some dirt never did? For forty-two Caterpillar enthusiasts the dream and desire were realized on September 30th, 2005, as they came from far & wide to gather under the Arizona sun and make their fantasies a reality at the first ever “Day in the Dirt”.

David Hull of Oregon puts a D6R through its paces.

The event was orchestrated by Classic Construction Models (CCM) of Beaverton, Oregon, a small company that has built an international reputation for producing museum-quality scale models of construction equipment. Their unique products have created a diverse global customer base comprised of heavy construction equipment fanatics who are devoted most notably to the industry’s leading innovator, Caterpillar Inc. CCM teamed up with the worldwide enterprise to give a small number of “wannabe” operators an unprecedented first hand opportunity to experience the machines that move the earth at the Caterpillar Tinaja Hills Demonstration & Application Center in Green Valley, Arizona. It was a notable first time experience for the enthusiasts and their hosts from Caterpillar as never before had a group of individuals without direct affiliation to Caterpillar been allowed such an intimate look at this exceptional facility.

The adventure began Thursday, September 29th as the crew from Classic Construction Models welcomed the group to Tucson with an evening of food, drink and an opportunity to get to know each other. Also present were the equipment trainer/operators from the Tinaja Hills center that would spend the next day training the group for what was arguably the most alluring aspect of the trip: hands-on “stick time” running Cat equipment. Perhaps it was the anticipation of what was to come or perhaps it was a common thread of admiration for the models and the equipment, but whatever the reason, there was a pervading sense of comradery that night which carried seamlessly over to the next day.

Linda Jaquemet of Switzerland gets the hang of a 320 excavator.

Bright and early Friday morning, the group assembled again for a full buffet breakfast. Included were an orthopedic surgeon from Texas, a retired professor from Pennsylvania, a former John Deere associate from California, a dentist from Canada, two construction collectors from Japan, a husband and wife from Switzerland and an electrical engineer from Ireland! Not to be forgotten were a couple celebrating their wedding anniversary. No question this eclectic crew was as impressive as the machinery that brought them together!

At 7:30 am the bus departed the hotel, turned south on Interstate 19, and Tucson was quickly left behind. The scenic 45 minute trip delivered the group to the Tinaja Hills Training Center – a true oasis in the 6134 acre desert spread utilized by Caterpillar but shared with an unexpectedly large variety of plants and wildlife.

Meeting and orientation at the training center meeting room.

The Cat Demonstration & Application Center does justice to the prestigious company it represents. The modern facility blended comfortably with the natural beauty of the surrounding area and strategically placed machinery cloaked in that familiar yellow stood guard, giving the campus a fortress-like air. The friendly and accommodating Cat staff, however, quickly made it clear that although this was a tightly run operation, the attitude was anything but military.

After an opportunity to explore the central facility (and familiarize themselves with the generous pastry and refreshment table), the party was treated to an informative presentation by Ric McDaniel, Caterpillar Trademark Merchandise Licensing Program Manager. Ric detailed the history and current state of the Fortune 50 Company. After Ric advised the group they were the first individuals not affiliated with Caterpillar to be given this opportunity.

Following a short safety video and the umpteenth reminder to keep drinking water, a short bus ride took everyone from the cool air of the state-of-the-art meeting room to the open desert terrain at the equipment demonstration site.

An up close and personal review of a 163H Grader.

Soon seated in the grandstands overlooking an impressive dirt playground were 42 of the happiest Cat enthusiasts that ever lived. With a Mexican mountain range looming in the background, Mike Berry – Supervisor of Tinaja Hills Demonstration & Application Center – described the capabilities of more than 40 machines that rolled and rumbled by as the Tinaja operators executed eye-popping choreographed machine demonstrations. From 908 wheel loaders to 420 backhoes, the team of six flawlessly operated every piece of equipment. Just moments after a 777 Klein water truck with 20,000 gallons of very welcome dust suppressing water rolled by, a 785 mining truck with a 120 ton payload stopped from full speed within the length of the truck itself. More than one participant said this demonstration was impressive enough to be deemed the highlight of the action-packed day.
  
As soon as the machines were parked and the operators thanked for their show with a long round of applause, the crowd headed down to “stage level” for a photo-op with the cast. Fortunately all the machines were gracious enough to pose for the camera, but no autographs were given.

The “Top Gun” operators from the training center.

Climbing up, down, and round this jungle of giants in the intensifying sun stimulated an appetite that the Tinaja Hills staff cured with a large lunch including all the trimmings. Knowing what came next, the group made quick work of the meal.
  
The group then flocked back to the demo grounds like children to the tree on Christmas morning. Awaiting them sat six of the biggest toys Santa ever squeezed down the chimney. Arranged in working groups were two excavators (a 320C and a 321C), two tractors (a D6R and a D6N) and two wheel loaders (a 924G & 930G). The carefully constructed schedule, another first for the Tinaja facility, ensured all participants ten minutes of stick time on each type of machine. Somehow, order prevailed over chaos despite the eagerness of everyone involved to have their turn. People took their places and four hours of pushing, digging and piling dirt ran its course without a hitch.

Kenichiro Tsuchida of Japan operating a 320 excavator.

Climbing up, down, and round this jungle of giants in the intensifying sun stimulated an appetite that the Tinaja Hills staff cured with a large lunch including all the trimmings. Knowing what came next, the group made quick work of the meal.
  
The group then flocked back to the demo grounds like children to the tree on Christmas morning. Awaiting them sat six of the biggest toys Santa ever squeezed down the chimney. Arranged in working groups were two excavators (a 320C and a 321C), two tractors (a D6R and a D6N) and two wheel loaders (a 924G & 930G). The carefully constructed schedule, another first for the Tinaja facility, ensured all participants ten minutes of stick time on each type of machine. Somehow, order prevailed over chaos despite the eagerness of everyone involved to have their turn. People took their places and four hours of pushing, digging and piling dirt ran its course without a hitch.

A 924 Loader and 320 Excavator hard at work.

Talk about fun! Engines roared, dirt flew, and emotions soared. Smiles were abundant as long held dreams came true. Although most everyone there was an inexperienced operator, their lack of skill was overshadowed by adrenaline and nervous energy. Excitement and dust filled the air as the group enjoyed over four hours putting the machines they admired to the test. Occasionally an individual was understandably reluctant to give up the controls, but fortunately the instructors never once had to pull anyone forcefully from a machine. Everyone got the time they came for and the time they deserved.

David Lebovitz of Illinois enjoys the view from atop a 994D Wheel Loader.

Timely refueling kept the show running smoothly.

As the day came to end, these new Cat operators headed back to the central facility for the grand finale: A feast fit for a king! The Tinaja team presented a delicious meal replete with a mariachi band! There was a consensus among the exhausted group that the day had exceeded even the highest expectations. David Becker noted that “The hospitality and presentation were phenomenal.” Peter Duggan – who came all the way from Ireland for the day – called it “The fulfillment of a childhood dream.” Stephen Smith gave the food and overall experience an “A+”, although he admitted he really wanted to operate a D11R or 797. Lofty goals, but as everyone there would agree, well worth pursuing. Every participant surveyed expressed an unequivocal interest in returning if given the opportunity.

Great food, music and company. Amy and David Becker of Illinois enjoying the veranda at the training center.

After a day more successful than either CCM or Cat hoped for, it became clear that this first time event had laid the foundation to become much more. In the eyes of this writer, it could be the beginning of a tradition for both companies; a rite of passage, so to speak, for equipment & model enthusiasts everywhere. The only problem might be getting those who’ve been there to surrender a spot for those who are still dreaming.

Graduating class of 2005 Day in the Dirt.

The post From the Archives: Day in the Dirt 2005 appeared first on Classic Construction Models.

This article was previously posted on Construction Collector, but we enjoyed it so much it seemed time to share it with a wider audience.

Classic Construction Models builds a big bulldozer

Review and Photos by Bill Cawthon
Published in Model Railroad News, March 2006

MODERN earthmoving operations demand big machines. Not only to mine the volumes of ore and coal necessary for modern society, but to restore the land for other uses. All with an eye to cost-efficiency. The more earth that can be moved in each pass, the more productive the operator and equipment can be.

While we often think of the giant draglines and hydraulic excavators filling a continuous stream of huge dump trucks, there are a number of other earthmovers that also perform important functions, especially when the job calls for mobility or the ability to maneuver in a space too small for the big diggers. That’s the time the smaller wheeled and crawler tractors really shine.

Of course, smaller is a relative term. Some of these machines weigh in at over 100 tons and are more than two stories tall.

One of these is the Caterpillar D11R Carrydozer, the top bulldozer in the Caterpillar line and second only to the Komatsu D-575A3 as the world’s largest crawler dozer. Now Classic Construction Models has produced a limited-edition brass model of this magnificent machine and loaned MRN one for a close-up examination.

The Prototype
The Caterpillar D11R CD crawler dozer was designed for high-volume earthmoving applications such as mining and quarry operations and large land reclamation projects. Everything about the D11R CD is big, from its operating weight of nearly a quarter-million pounds to its 425-gallon fuel tank. With a 63-gallon capacity, the cooling system alone holds more fluid than three typical passenger-car gas tanks.

A couple of construction workers check out Classic Construction Models’ D11R Carrydozer while giving you an idea of the true size of the prototype. Note the see-through engine covers and the delicate hydraulic control lines.

 The D11R CD stretches thirty-five feet six-inches from the leading edge of the blade to the back of the ripper. It stands fifteen-feet six-inches tall from the base of its three-foot wide treads to the top of its rollover protection system, called a ROPS in the trade.

It takes a big engine to move such a massive tractor. The D11R CD is powered by a twin-turbocharged, 2,105 cubic-inch Caterpillar 3508B diesel engine that cranks out 850 horsepower. That much horsepower doesn’t translate into speed; the D11R CD can’t quite hit twelve miles per hour in its top gear and when it’s in first gear, it can’t keep up with a brisk walk. On the other hand, just about anything you’d care to hook up to the D11R CD will find itself moving. This includes most houses and your choice of North American locomotives.

As you would expect, such a big machine can do some mighty big jobs. The blade can dig a maximum of just over thirty inches and, depending on configuration, can move up to fifty-seven cubic yards of material at a time. To give you an idea of how much that is, it’s enough to fill four typical dump trucks and start on a fifth. The rear-mounted hydraulic ripper, used to break up earth and rock to facilitate their removal or to prepare former mine sites for reforestation, has a seven-foot blade with maximum pryout force of 142,390 pounds.

The Model
Based in Beaverton, Oregon, about 240 miles north of MRN’s offices, Classic Construction Models is entering its sixteenth year as a manufacturer of museum-quality brass replicas of construction and earthmoving equipment. In that time, CCM has become one of the most respected names in the field.

The D11R CD can move fifty-seven cubic yards of material with each pass making it the perfect machine for major land reclamation projects. The CCM model captures each detail including the holes drilled in the blade.

As those of you with a brass locomotive or railcar know, it’s the ultimate medium for creating a prototypically accurate replica and allows detail unobtainable in any other material. Considering the number of brass models I have been privileged to review in recent months, I was expecting a top-flight model. The CCM Caterpillar exceeded my expectations. World-class, museum-grade – call it what you will – this is an incredible model.

As CCM works very closely with the manufacturer, it comes as no surprise that the model scales out very well compared to manufacturer specifications. Most of the measurements I was able to take were within a few tenths of a scale inch of precise 1:87 scale. The major variations I found were mostly easily explained by differences in the equipment shown in the base D11R specifications and that fitted to the machine that served as the prototype for the CCM model. For example, the specs for a D11R were based on a dozer with twenty-eight-inch-wide shoes, the term for the individual links in the crawler track. The CCM model is fitted with the D11R CD’s wider extreme-duty shoes, which add sixteen inches to the track width.

The only major variation I couldn’t explain was the blade. The one on the model is a scale fourteen inches wider than the blades listed for the D11R CD in the Caterpillar specifications. However, as close as the model is in every other measurement, I feel sure the explanation is that, as with the shoes, the model is based on a different prototype. (Please see Author’s Postscript at the end of this article.)

Marvelous details are found everywhere you look. You start with the free-rolling tracks, functioning tensioners and positionable blade, and ripper with an adjustable shank, and then you look more closely. The hydraulic pistons work smoothly, replicating the movements of the prototype and major hydraulic lines are reproduced including the flexible control lines leading to the blade and ripper.

The super-size ripper can dig into hard-packed soil and rock to break it up for removal or to allow for replanting after mining has ended.

As you can see from the pictures, the side engine covers are perforated, allowing you to look in at the engine and radiator fan detail. What I couldn’t get in a photograph is the see-through grille. Of course, the various rails and grab irons are properly sized for the hand of a scale figure, and the cab looks ready for a miniature operator to climb in and fire up the engine.

One minor detail I like is the way Classic Construction Models does the headlights. As you can see in the picture, they look like real headlights. Realistic headlights are a difficult effect to create, requiring a parabolic surface and a mirror-like finish. It would seem to me that any model priced north of four hundred dollars should have them, but a surprising number have painted lights that don’t live up to the quality of the rest of the model. That’s definitely not the case here.

While this isn’t a toy to toss to your four-year-old on his way to the sandbox, I was pleased to see how sturdy the CCM model really is. The joints are strong and you can position the various moveable components without fear the whole thing will come apart in your hands. As this model was on loan to us, I didn’t put it through its paces, but I would think you could actually lower the blade and move some earth or break up some packed dirt with the ripper.

As is the case with most brass models, CCM’s Caterpillar D11R CD is a limited edition. The run was limited to a total of four hundred pieces, divided into one hundred-fifty each of Caterpillar yellow, and a special anti-glare paint scheme, and a hundred in mine white. The base Cat yellow model retails at $409.95; the others are each ten dollars more. Our loaner was number 364 in the series, supplied in the Caterpillar yellow and flat black anti-glare paint.

If you’re a fan of the big machinery of the modern era, the Classic Construction Models Caterpillar D11R Carrydozer is definitely a worthwhile investment. Whether it’s parked on the shelf with your most prized locomotives or working on your layout and dwarfing everything around it (it’s three scale inches taller than an AC6000CW), you will be one of a very small group of people who get to enjoy one of the most detailed heavy equipment models in HO scale.

Author’s Postscript:
When I wrote the above review, I mentioned that I didn’t have sufficient information to check the scale accuracy of the blade. After this review first appeared in print, Classic Construction Models was kind enough to let me know the prototype for the blade on their replica is a special high-capacity model Caterpillar offers only on the D11R Dozer. I hope no one takes my comments as a criticism of this outstanding model. -Bill Cawthon

The post From the Archives: 1:87 scale Cat D11R Carrydozer review from 2006 appeared first on Classic Construction Models.

The “old timers” at Classic Construction Models have always had a love for antique toys.  In many ways it was this love that started us on the road to making our own collectibles almost twenty-five years ago.

In 1996, after a long discussion as to why a toy version has never been built of it,  we decided to create our own “tin toy” version of the Marmon Wasp – the car that won the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Driven by company engineer Ray Harroun the Wasp finished the race in 6 hours, 42 minutes and 8 seconds after using almost as much oil as gasoline.  Built by the Marmon Motor Car Company, it was powered by a six-cylinder engine constructed from three stock Marmon two-cylinder blocks. The Wasp also featured the black and yellow paint scheme that earned its name and a rear-view mirror, which was new to automobiles at the time and designed by Harroun to eliminate the need for a mechanic to ride in the car with him. In 1961 the car got an anniversary lap at the 50th Indy 500 – driven by a very proud Harroun himself.

Our version of the Wasp was conceived as a toy that could have existed so the design and manufacturing was purposefully kept in line with a turn of the century approach. Constructed of pressed steel, cast brass and molded rubber it attained that vintage original look when completed. Painted a bright yellow with the black and red striping of the original car it featured working steering,  cast wheels,  Firestone tires and full suspension. The scale was approximately 1:12 and came in at over 18 inches long.

Only 200 of these hand-built cars were ever built, each sold with an oak and acrylic display case and numbered certificate of authenticity. As was originally anticipated the CCM Marmon Wasp has become a collectible toy in its own right and a worthy tribute to those who inspired its creation.

A full-page ad that ran for the Wasp in Antique Toy World magazine.

The post Memorable Model: The Marmon Wasp Steel Toy appeared first on Classic Construction Models.

Though it may be hard for our younger readers to believe, there were days before the internet when most long distance activities were still done through the mail. So it was with collecting construction memorabilia.

One such collector was Bob Peterson, the founder of Classic Construction Models. When Bob wanted to connect with like-minded enjoyers of his hobby, he decided to put together a small newsletter that would allow readers to post ads for items they had for sale or wanted to buy. This was the birth of Construction Collector almost twenty years ago.

Many unique and one-of-a-kind items would be printed in its pages. But as the world moved online to the web, Construction Collector would do the same, allowing it to reach a much wider audience while avoiding the costly and time-intensive production of the printed version.

These days Construction Collector can still be found here, as a marketplace for some of the better construction related collectibles.

The post From the Archives: The Beginning of Construction Collector appeared first on Classic Construction Models.

Looking through our files, we came across this twenty-year-old clipping from the Portland Oregonian. The article does have some inaccuracies. For instance, the Dresser TD 40B in the photo was our first diecast effort. However, it’s still a piece of history we’re quite proud of. It’s amazing to think that when CCM started we were having our models crafted from paper blueprints. Enjoy!

The post From the Archives: CCM in the Oregonian 1993 appeared first on Classic Construction Models.