I bet many of you have one of those, “ahhhh I wish I hadn’t missed out on that,” moments. That’s exactly how I feel about not getting the chance to see this tow tractor that Allis-Chalmers had at the proving grounds. These units were towed, several at a time, behind behind tractors to… Continue reading AC Proving Grounds Tow Tractor
Tag: AC
Bring on the Snow!
Okay, so it's officially winter in Wisconsin with our first significant snowfall of the year. Yeah, we got a little snow last weekend, but it was barely enough to cover the ground and melted the next day. We are getting a good dose of snow this weekend--6 to 8 inches by the time it's all… Continue reading Bring on the Snow!
Allis-Chalmers Betatron Lab
Every now and then I learn something new about Allis-Chalmers. One of those new tidbits I have recently discovered is the betatron lab the company had at the West Allis Works. Last year I had the opportunity to step inside this old testing lab and see some of the equipment left behind. The machine was essentially… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Betatron Lab
Allis-Chalmers Fuel Cell Tractor
Farm technology is a constant evolving industry. I think about how much the farm has evolved in one hundred years. In 1915 fields were plowed and planted with teams of horses; grains were brought from the field to be threshed on the dooryard; milking a small herd of cows was done by hand. Today, farming… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Fuel Cell Tractor
AC Drafting Table
About 6 years ago I had the opportunity to acquire an awesome piece of AC history that I couldn't pass up. We restored a Farmall M for an implement dealership, and the gentleman who set up the restoration said he had a piece of Allis-Chalmers history I might be interested in. He showed me these… Continue reading AC Drafting Table
WAW Infographic
West Allis Works Building Directory
I've assembled a list of the buildings at the WAW that I was able to find. A big thanks to the West Allis Historical Society! If you have not been to the West Allis Historical Society, I highly recommend you pay them a visit to see more of their AC collection.
Speaking Event
I have a big talk coming up in 2 weeks! The West Allis Historical Society contacted me about a month ago about giving a talk about Allis-Chalmers tractors at the fall banquet. How could I turn it down?! What an honor to go to the city named after the company that was its center and… Continue reading Speaking Event
Pioneer Power- Chapter 1
I recently acquired a book published by Allis-Chalmers in 1942. This book covers the history of the firm and products since 1847. Instead of scanning this book, which could damage it, I will transcribe each chapter in a series of blog posts. Forward: The following pages tell a story about this company's growth that covers… Continue reading Pioneer Power- Chapter 1
AC Biographies
I am in contact with a gentleman from Milwaukee who is going to help me gather the stories of former Allis-Chalmers employees. He takes his father, a former AC employee, to a monthly gathering of these AC retirees. He said that a lot of these guys are getting up there in age, and I would… Continue reading AC Biographies
Austin M. Frederick 