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November 1942. "Columbia Steel Company at Geneva, Utah. Bulldozer handling gravel for concrete during the construction of a new steel mill which will make important additions to the vast amount of steel needed for the war effort." Photo by Andreas Feininger for the Office of War Information. View full size.
The canvas "heat houser" on this D8 directs radiator air back to the operator, making the otherwise wide open deck almost toasty. The firewall on these early D8's is narrow at the bottom, providing plenty of open area for the heat to pass thru.
Here is a restored D8 of similar vintage, albeit with an adjustable angle blade.
Columbia Steel was built by the government in WWII to provide a source of steel to the shipyards on the west coast that was not vulnerable to Japanese attack. It was cobbled together from used equipment from all over the country and opened in 1944.
Development included coal and iron mines in Utah to supply it.
During and just after the war it was operated by U S Steel for the government.
After the war it was sold to U S Steel who operated it until 1987. It was then purchased by local interests and operated as Geneva Steel until it closed in 2002.
The facility is currently being parted out.
The bulldozer is a Caterpillar, probably a D6, maybe a smaller model.
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