Online Catalogue last updated 13th of February 2019
This photo essay details the construction of the original Interstate Highway System in Vermont's picturesque and largely rural mountainous region through the late 1950s to late 1970s. During this short time, contractor driven construction equipment innovation was remarkable: 2 1/2 cubic yard shovels were replaced with 4-8 yard shovels and then by massive wheel loaders up to 17 cubic yards; 15-22 ton rock trucks were upped to 50 tons; rudimentary spreading methods with dump trucks using tailgate chains were replaced with CMI Autogrades; and many contractors devised and built ingenious contraptions to increase production. The work attracted many large established road building firms from other States - Lane, Perini, Palazzi, L. G. Defelice, Green Construction from Des Moines, Iowa, as well as Cartier Construction, a division of McNamara from Montreal seen here clearing and grubbing, pioneering, rock drilling, mucking peat bogs, and excavation sequences including trucks and shovels, loaders, pan scrapers, and a wheel excavator. The manufacturers of construction equipment constitute a virtual directory of the period; Caterpillar, Euclid, Allis-Chalmers, International, Dart, P&H, Bucyrus-Erie, Northwest, Lorain, Lima, Gradall, Barber-Greene, Blaw Knox, CMI, and more.
Edgar A. Browning was always fascinated with road building and construction equipment. He wrote his first story at the age of 14 for Northwest Engineering, a manufacturer of shovels and cranes. In addition to being a retired Homicide Detective and Supervisor, U.S. Army Engineer, and in the U.S. Navy Seabee Reserves, he's also owner of a small contracting firm engaged in excavating and concrete work, an avid member of the HCEA and the Shesapeake Clamdiggers and Rockbusters Chapters, newsletter editor for the Clamshell (Chesapeake Clamdiggers), owner of several restored pieces of construction equipment (1949 Cat D2 bulldozer, 1941 Cletrac BG bulldozer, and a 1963 Mack M-15X off highway rock hauler), as well as a memorabilia collector of construction equipment photos, trade journals, brochure, and models.
Code No. 015267, 128 pages, ISBN 9781583882771, $58.00