Just went to a local steam fest at Maitland NSW Australia. Great lineup of traction & stationary engines, model engines and steam train locomotives on display. Bought a book on early Caterpillars which had lots of info on Bests & Best and Holt steam & diesel tractors before they went to track drive.

Why is it, learned list, that these early American tractors used a three wheeled tricycle chasis compared to what seems to be the more common four wheeled chasis used on most other traction and stationary engines?? Was it to do with the spread of weight over ground for the softer soils???

Was it really James Hill from the Buckeye Traction Ditcher co that invented the caterpillar track, or was he the one to get to the patent office first??

D4Bob