1920s Film at Caterpillar Tractors
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Caterpillar Tractor Company demonstrating how diesel tractors can be used to plow through snow and ice in the most extreme temperatures in rural landscapes, mountain roads, and in cities. Silent with title cards, film begins abruptly.
Credits
Caterpillar Tractor Company (contributor)
Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Charles E. Krosse Collection
Sponsor: Caterpillar Tractor Company
Subjects: Machinery; Maintenance and repair
Places: North America > United States
Language: English
Shot log: 00:00 - film begins abruptly, title cards read about how heavy snow can stop a community, MLS children walking to school fighting wind in snow storm, LS, HA firefighters extinguishing fire in snow-covered house, MS worried mother in room w/ a crib looking out window, MLS FA men pushing car stuck in snow; 00:41 - Caterpillar Tractor plows through deep snow, RA tractor plowing through high snow, FA cars follow tractor on cleared path, in summer tractors build and maintain roads, in winter they clear them, MLS tractor clearing dirt for roads, MLS FA tractor plowing through deep snow; 02:10 - stats on fuel efficiency and preventing ice damage, VS HA tractor plowing snow into air, FA man jumping on snow to demonstrate tractor plowing hard-packed ice, MLS tractor lifts blades like wings and turns in place, MS men kicking ice chunks; 04:09 - types of plows, FA “V” Type pushing snow to left and right, VS One Way Blade Type used on mountain roads, MLS Rotary Type moving snow into air with rotors, LS Rotary Type tractor plowing 10’ of snow, men picking with shovels, lifting dog over wall of snow; 06:30 - VS tractors demonstrating power to buck drifts, grip frozen surfaces, short turning, working at high altitude and extreme cold in deep snow; 07:47 - snow plowing city streets, RA MLS small tractor blowing snow into flatbed trailer, MLS small snow plows moving snow loads, MLS SA tractor pulling 3 full loads of snow like a train, FA LS small sidewalk plow in front of industrial landscape, MLS small plow moving light snow with city buildings and cars in background, MS V-plow on small tractor; 09:25-10:16 - MLS tractor plowing airport, MLS PAN plane taking off runway, title cards- investing in plows saves tax payers money keeping roads in good condition and allows “business as usual” in winter, LS cars and trucks riding on plowed roads in rural landscape, THE END
Cfa elements: Print, 375 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/4389
Sponsor: Caterpillar Tractor Company
Subjects: Machinery; Maintenance and repair
Places: North America > United States
Language: English
Shot log: 00:00 - film begins abruptly, title cards read about how heavy snow can stop a community, MLS children walking to school fighting wind in snow storm, LS, HA firefighters extinguishing fire in snow-covered house, MS worried mother in room w/ a crib looking out window, MLS FA men pushing car stuck in snow; 00:41 - Caterpillar Tractor plows through deep snow, RA tractor plowing through high snow, FA cars follow tractor on cleared path, in summer tractors build and maintain roads, in winter they clear them, MLS tractor clearing dirt for roads, MLS FA tractor plowing through deep snow; 02:10 - stats on fuel efficiency and preventing ice damage, VS HA tractor plowing snow into air, FA man jumping on snow to demonstrate tractor plowing hard-packed ice, MLS tractor lifts blades like wings and turns in place, MS men kicking ice chunks; 04:09 - types of plows, FA “V” Type pushing snow to left and right, VS One Way Blade Type used on mountain roads, MLS Rotary Type moving snow into air with rotors, LS Rotary Type tractor plowing 10’ of snow, men picking with shovels, lifting dog over wall of snow; 06:30 - VS tractors demonstrating power to buck drifts, grip frozen surfaces, short turning, working at high altitude and extreme cold in deep snow; 07:47 - snow plowing city streets, RA MLS small tractor blowing snow into flatbed trailer, MLS small snow plows moving snow loads, MLS SA tractor pulling 3 full loads of snow like a train, FA LS small sidewalk plow in front of industrial landscape, MLS small plow moving light snow with city buildings and cars in background, MS V-plow on small tractor; 09:25-10:16 - MLS tractor plowing airport, MLS PAN plane taking off runway, title cards- investing in plows saves tax payers money keeping roads in good condition and allows “business as usual” in winter, LS cars and trucks riding on plowed roads in rural landscape, THE END
Cfa elements: Print, 375 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/4389
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video
Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:09