It's impossible to overstate the extent to which Allis Chalmers' identity was intertwined with that of the City of West Allis. My grandmother worked there (as did other family members) and A-C's mighty forges could be heard and felt inside her house day and night. Probably close to half my high school graduating class went to work at Allis Chalmers, which had promised generations of their families lifelong careers. They would be the first to be betrayed by that promise. A-C built World War II military high-speed tractors (tracked transports, not agricultural machines), and scores of other products involving everything from munitions to mechanical components. Though they didn't know it at the time, A-C's workers produced a large number of components for the Manhattan Project. Even as a child, I remember plant windows still painted over from the security-conscious days of WWII. It's so tragic to drive through the footprint of the plant campus and see that strip malls have supplanted foundries and fast-food workers standing in the footprints of skilled machinists. I can only hope that our nationwide shortsightedness and mismanagement will someday be replaced by an appreciation for experience, skill and hard work. I'm not holding my breath.
My Dad was an engineer in Allis's Steam Turbine department. He passed away in1966 before the collapse and bankruptcy. We lived just a few blocks away from the main office building on 70th street in West Allis. My Dad walked to work and back home every day.
My father Douglas Rose served his apprentice ship here. He was a Inspector 3rd shift for over 30 years. He got MS & had to retire in 1970 & passed away from MS in 1981. Loved Allis Chalmers.
I have a 1950 Allis WD tractor. It spent its life in apple orchards, and now with me on my property handling trees that fall and keeping my long gravel driveway smooth. Still runs on 6 volt electrics, and is amazingly easy to work on.
I used to design and build equipment for AC, also while working at the company i worked for i found out that AC also made Ship engines these are Giant engines with doors in the blocks that you can walk through to do inspection (engine not running of course) they were a marvelous Company. one of my favorite tractors was the WD45 we had on the farm. Used to ride that thing all over the country, we used it about every year to pull the hayride wagon. Great memories. My uncle and little brother both worked for AC at one time in Springfield Illinois. That plant is completely gone now.
Allis Chalmers also made steering gear for ships. I was exploring a decommissioned railroad carferry in Michigan. Diesel-electric, it had A-C steering gear.
Spent much of my life running Allis Chalmers tractors starting with two WD45 tractors used on our family farm. Later replaced by D series Allis Chalmers D17 and D19s. The WD45s are gone as well as the crawler we had but still have a collection left, B, C, D17, D19s both gas and turbo diesel and a newly aquired 210 turbo diesel. All still being used although for smaller work.
Very interesting indeed! Concerning the WWII chapter, the Fat Man bomb used at Nagasaki did not use enriched uranium. It used plutonium 238 from the B reactor at Hanford (which was made on site by DuPont) and natural uranium for the tamper section. Many Liberty ships used turbines made by Allis Chalmers for propulsion. Two turbines per ship, in fact. One for forward and a smaller turbine for reverse (e.g., SS Lane Victory harbored in Los Angeles and built in 1945). The electrical generators in the Lane Victory are Allis Chalmers too. Concerning electrification and AC power generation, Allis Chalmers had a huge business making electrical transformers. Such as the round ones often seen on electrical poles. Many Allis Chalmers AC transformers are still in service throughout America. Now, a political question of a different topic: It seems that America, as a whole, did not care too much when either Allis Chalmers or International Harvester went bankrupt (IH was also an industrial giant after WWII). Why should we now care if Boeing goes bankrupt?
@tincupnickleboythe1st700 My friends in Iowa call the company Juan Deere. I'm trying to act like an adult and think that it's not funny. Unfortunately, for those who lost their jobs, it isn't!
Through my grandfather's eyes, I saw farming transition from horses to tractors. His first tractor was a C, followed by a WD and then WD 45. I used that WD 45 for 5 years when I rented the farm in 1977. Naturally, always had a soft spot for AC. Was sad to witness the decline.
I grew up on Allis-Chalmers. Granddad bought the first WD45 in about 54. In about 55 Dad bought a WD45 diesel. Then we moved on to D17s. Dad got his in the fall and we used it to grind ear corn for cattle all winter and Granddad got his in the spring. Turned out that the two tractors were one serial number apart, tho. We passed on the D19 and Dad waited for the 190 and it had a serial number ending in 0003. Then in about 69 I bought a 190XT. Later I owned a 200 and then a 210. Like I said I spent a lotta years with Allis-Chalmers. Never owned a Gleaner, tho. Their idea of a combine and mine never lined up. Funny that they don’t mention the extremely innovative Allis-Chalmers fuel cell tractor in the piece.
Yes, fascinating history of great men & women in the era of productivity , innovation and the rise of prosperity for the working middle class . As teen, I went to AC in West Allis several times. I saw the great huge machines and work areas. We all knew families whose mother or father worked at Allis Chalmers. I owned a AC farm tractor. WAY more power for its size than my IHC or JD. The AC tractor lacked systems the other tractors had , but OH, I wish I still had that square radiator AC. Hand crank, no battery, mag ignition, started with one 1/4 up lift turn almost every time. I’ve studied WWII local history and conclude the labor strikes at AC were organized by communist labor agitators to slow down & stop production of marine turbine engines. These were critical for the 1000’s of Navy ships needed to produce as fast as possible. All war goods, ALL, moved by sea to Arch Angel, Britain, India, all over to defeat the Axis tyrants. Little known fact; USSR was NOT friend of the western allies. USSR barely would have overcome the Nazi invasion, even though we shipped millions of TONS of war goods to them. The labor strikes at coal mines, steel mills and AC were without a doubt timed by communists leaders to hinder our ability, as THE PRIMARY war goods manufacturer in WWII to delay our winning against the Tri Partade axis powers attacking the rest of the world.
It might be an urban legend but I heard that when Kubota was planning to enter the US market, they chose to paint their tractors orange to capitalize on A-C’s success. Seeing a new Kubota today makes me think a little of A-C’s spirit is still around.
We've had many Allis Chalmers forklifts, the latest, an alleged 2002, purchased just 2 weeks ago. Runs great. We had some equipment in the old Allis Chalmers Montreal plant in Lachine, Quebec. Still has twin 50 ton overhead cranes on one runway. We used one to load a 63,000 lb. Heyligenstaedt lathe bound for Germany
You might like to look into the Joshua Hendy Machine Works originally of San Francisco and then relocated to Sunnyvale, CA after the earthquake and fire of 1906. The Sunnyvale plant remains active to this day after acquisition by Westinghouse after WWII and then one of our defense contractors to continue to manufacture propulsion systems for nuclear submarines.
Dad rebuilt one from the ground up, minus the decals. For the engine he put in longer connecting rods increasing torque to a point it would out pull the WD45.
I live about two miles west of the old Allis Chalmers plant in West Allis, Wi. The city of West Allis got it's name from the company's plant, which was one of two plants for Allis Manufacturing, this was the "west" plant. I have seen two of your videos, and loved them both. But your audio is unintelligible with my desktop computer speakers, too much bass and no treble.
Also, no mention of Deutz-Allis. Another thing, it was funny when the AI voice was talking about the Civil War while showing images of the Revolutionary War
Actually they are independent again. Deutz bought at least the ag division. Later it was sold back to American corporate officers who renamed it the Allis Gleanor Co (Agco). They still are operational making Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Gleanor, GSI and much more
Nice documentary, but hard to take seriously, when you have so much wrong. Edward Phelps Allis had 0 interest in farming or farm equipment. He was into sawmill equipment, steam engines, grain milling equipment , and industrial pumps. Edward died, long before Allis Chalmers was formed, and got into the agriculture market. The labor strikes they were plagued with were actual orchasteated by the communist part who were trying to destroy Allis Chalmers from within, because the plants were too far inland to be bombed, and the enemies of the US wanted them out of business. Allis Chalmers was also burdened with trying to fend off corporate raiders in the late 60s going into the 70's who were trying hostile takeovers in order to break the company off and sell its many divisions, this took the Cash that was needed to upgrade plants and products. The picture you keep showing was the powerhouse, where Allis Chalmers generated enough electricity to power a city of 60,000. That just powered the enormous plant in West Allis Allis Chalmers fell into bankruptcy because the economy crashed in the US, interest rates went sky high, and all the industries that Allis Chalmers served were effected. Allis Chalmers was working on government contracts for hydroelectric installations and the government cancelled the project, letting Allis Chalmers hang with products being built for the contracts, with 0 buyers. John Deere and Cat did not buy any of Allis Chalmers. The farm equipment went to Deutz, the electrical equipment went to Siemens, the construction to Fiat, etc
😊😊 there was a time ⏲️ 😊 in the 194OS 195OS tractor 🚜 😊 factorys 🏭 😊 would have factory tours the people worked there and the public could see 👀 😊 see them and they have a weekend time ⏲️ 😊 3 days Friday Saturday Sunday U could stay there all day everyday they had breakfast lunch and dinner 🍽 😊 and ice cream 🍦 😊 and sweets 😋 😊 cakes 🎂 😊 pies 🥧 😊 cookies 🍪 😊 and other sweets 😋 2,eat and they had field equipment shows demos the tractors 🚜 😊 and the equipment that was made 4 it 😊😊 OMG 11 9 2O24
Not Milwaukee, "Honey Creek, Wi" Which became West Allis, Wi, the former honey creek, or "the village west of the Allis factory... I live in West Allis. Edit: how the hell do you go from generally Speaking "milwaukee" to citing West Allis? Youre a hack using Wikipedia. I call plagerism.
An American tragedy . F£&k the employees, screw the banks , and still the management remained the same . AHH , the American way of doing business . Trump would have been right at home on the board .
@@kellymcclendon6601 …terribly misinformed…my father grew up during the depression on a small farm n drove Farmall tractors n later was an engineer tech at John Deere in Dubuque, IA. He regularly noted that AC built great tractors that differed from JD in their rugged simplicity. JD Corp recognized AC’s tractor prowess n regular annual successes at the famous Nebraska Testing grounds that was essentially the industries stamp of approval since no tractor nor implement could NOT be sold in Nebraska if it did NOT pass their rigorous standards! If a tractor company failed the Nebraska Test, it was back to the drawing boards! All tractor companies built competitive machines…White, AC, Oliver, IH, MM, JD, Cockschutt, Case, Massey Ferguson, Ford, et al…they all introduced innovative tractor designs n features! To say AC sucked is a myopic viewpoint!
@@RJ1999x it is a fact and no BS that the metering rolls who takes care of the grain distribution to the sieves are the biggest problem on those combines and i know alot of farmers who got rid of the combines because of that.
It's impossible to overstate the extent to which Allis Chalmers' identity was intertwined with that of the City of West Allis. My grandmother worked there (as did other family members) and A-C's mighty forges could be heard and felt inside her house day and night. Probably close to half my high school graduating class went to work at Allis Chalmers, which had promised generations of their families lifelong careers. They would be the first to be betrayed by that promise.
A-C built World War II military high-speed tractors (tracked transports, not agricultural machines), and scores of other products involving everything from munitions to mechanical components. Though they didn't know it at the time, A-C's workers produced a large number of components for the Manhattan Project. Even as a child, I remember plant windows still painted over from the security-conscious days of WWII.
It's so tragic to drive through the footprint of the plant campus and see that strip malls have supplanted foundries and fast-food workers standing in the footprints of skilled machinists. I can only hope that our nationwide shortsightedness and mismanagement will someday be replaced by an appreciation for experience, skill and hard work.
I'm not holding my breath.
My Dad was an engineer in Allis's Steam Turbine department. He passed away in1966 before the collapse and bankruptcy. We lived just a few blocks away from the main office building on 70th street in West Allis. My Dad walked to work and back home every day.
My father Douglas Rose served his apprentice ship here. He was a Inspector 3rd shift for over 30 years. He got MS & had to retire in 1970 & passed away from MS in 1981. Loved Allis Chalmers.
I have a 1950 Allis WD tractor. It spent its life in apple orchards, and now with me on my property handling trees that fall and keeping my long gravel driveway smooth. Still runs on 6 volt electrics, and is amazingly easy to work on.
Both of my grandpas loved Allis Chalmer. One was a farmer, and the other was a heavy equipment operator.
I had a 190xt, ran very strong and very dependable. Pulled a 4 bottom plow, and a 7 shank chisel plow through a lot of ground. Loved that tractor.
I used to design and build equipment for AC, also while working at the company i worked for i found out that AC also made Ship engines these are Giant engines with doors in the blocks that you can walk through to do inspection (engine not running of course) they were a marvelous Company. one of my favorite tractors was the WD45 we had on the farm. Used to ride that thing all over the country, we used it about every year to pull the hayride wagon. Great memories. My uncle and little brother both worked for AC at one time in Springfield Illinois. That plant is completely gone now.
Really enjoying your documentaries! Great writing, engaging visuals, and fascinating history. Thanks for your hard work!
Many thanks! Glad you enjoy them! 🙌
Allis Chalmers also made steering gear for ships. I was exploring a decommissioned railroad carferry in Michigan. Diesel-electric, it had A-C steering gear.
Spent much of my life running Allis Chalmers tractors starting with two WD45 tractors used on our family farm. Later replaced by D series Allis Chalmers D17 and D19s. The WD45s are gone as well as the crawler we had but still have a collection left, B, C, D17, D19s both gas and turbo diesel and a newly aquired 210 turbo diesel. All still being used although for smaller work.
Very interesting indeed!
Concerning the WWII chapter, the Fat Man bomb used at Nagasaki did not use enriched uranium. It used plutonium 238 from the B reactor at Hanford (which was made on site by DuPont) and natural uranium for the tamper section. Many Liberty ships used turbines made by Allis Chalmers for propulsion. Two turbines per ship, in fact. One for forward and a smaller turbine for reverse (e.g., SS Lane Victory harbored in Los Angeles and built in 1945). The electrical generators in the Lane Victory are Allis Chalmers too.
Concerning electrification and AC power generation, Allis Chalmers had a huge business making electrical transformers. Such as the round ones often seen on electrical poles. Many Allis Chalmers AC transformers are still in service throughout America.
Now, a political question of a different topic: It seems that America, as a whole, did not care too much when either Allis Chalmers or International Harvester went bankrupt (IH was also an industrial giant after WWII). Why should we now care if Boeing goes bankrupt?
Or what now happens the J Deere
@tincupnickleboythe1st700 My friends in Iowa call the company Juan Deere. I'm trying to act like an adult and think that it's not funny. Unfortunately, for those who lost their jobs, it isn't!
My elderly Uncle used AC on his farm and still loves them. He has several still
I spent the last 20 yrs restoring Old Allis-Chalmers tractors, Dam I love those things
Through my grandfather's eyes, I saw farming transition from horses to tractors. His first tractor was a C, followed by a WD and then WD 45. I used that WD 45 for 5 years when I rented the farm in 1977. Naturally, always had a soft spot for AC. Was sad to witness the decline.
I grew up on Allis-Chalmers. Granddad bought the first WD45 in about 54. In about 55 Dad bought a WD45 diesel. Then we moved on to D17s. Dad got his in the fall and we used it to grind ear corn for cattle all winter and Granddad got his in the spring. Turned out that the two tractors were one serial number apart, tho. We passed on the D19 and Dad waited for the 190 and it had a serial number ending in 0003. Then in about 69 I bought a 190XT. Later I owned a 200 and then a 210. Like I said I spent a lotta years with Allis-Chalmers. Never owned a Gleaner, tho. Their idea of a combine and mine never lined up.
Funny that they don’t mention the extremely innovative Allis-Chalmers fuel cell tractor in the piece.
Fantastic documentary
Thank you!
Cool story. Still love seeing them ol orange tractors in the field.💪
My grandfather worked for AC and received recognition from the government for his work on the atomic bomb project.
Yes, fascinating history of great men & women in the era of productivity , innovation and the rise of prosperity for the working middle class . As teen, I went to AC in West Allis several times. I saw the great huge machines and work areas. We all knew families whose mother or father worked at Allis Chalmers. I owned a AC farm tractor. WAY more power for its size than my IHC or JD. The AC tractor lacked systems the other tractors had , but OH, I wish I still had that square radiator AC. Hand crank, no battery, mag ignition, started with one 1/4 up lift turn almost every time. I’ve studied WWII local history and conclude the labor strikes at AC were organized by communist labor agitators to slow down & stop production of marine turbine engines. These were critical for the 1000’s of Navy ships needed to produce as fast as possible. All war goods, ALL, moved by sea to Arch Angel, Britain, India, all over to defeat the Axis tyrants. Little known fact; USSR was NOT friend of the western allies. USSR barely would have overcome the Nazi invasion, even though we shipped millions of TONS of war goods to them. The labor strikes at coal mines, steel mills and AC were without a doubt timed by communists leaders to hinder our ability, as THE PRIMARY war goods manufacturer in WWII to delay our winning against the Tri Partade axis powers attacking the rest of the world.
It might be an urban legend but I heard that when Kubota was planning to enter the US market, they chose to paint their tractors orange to capitalize on A-C’s success. Seeing a new Kubota today makes me think a little of A-C’s spirit is still around.
We've had many Allis Chalmers forklifts, the latest, an alleged 2002, purchased just 2 weeks ago. Runs great.
We had some equipment in the old Allis Chalmers Montreal plant in Lachine, Quebec. Still has twin 50 ton overhead cranes on one runway. We used one to load a 63,000 lb. Heyligenstaedt lathe bound for Germany
You are the best of the best when it comes to these videos. Hope you consider do one about fendt and new holland. Fendt really need one 🙏
In the 80's there was Deutz Allis and Fiat Allis. Lots of mergers were going on during a sluggish economy .
Im glad i got to work in the West Allis Plant it was my first big job in the early 80's the history ive gotten to see working there
Did you help to create the bomb?
@sadsffe1170 not quite that old lol
We had WD45s and D17s. growing up. GREAT TRACTORS
excellent content 🎉!👍
Thank you for the fascinating history. Please do CAT next. (Deere doesn't deserve any more fame since it became infamous.)
Interesting story. I subscribed to see what else you have.
Welcome aboard!
You might like to look into the Joshua Hendy Machine Works originally of San Francisco and then relocated to Sunnyvale, CA after the earthquake and fire of 1906. The Sunnyvale plant remains active to this day after acquisition by Westinghouse after WWII and then one of our defense contractors to continue to manufacture propulsion systems for nuclear submarines.
Absolutely great production value.
I have a 1950 Allis Chalmers CA
Dad rebuilt one from the ground up, minus the decals. For the engine he put in longer connecting rods increasing torque to a point it would out pull the WD45.
The giant dc motors that powered tge cold rolling mills at Alcoa Davenport works were allis chalmers motors
I live about two miles west of the old Allis Chalmers plant in West Allis, Wi. The city of West Allis got it's name from the company's plant, which was one of two plants for Allis Manufacturing, this was the "west" plant. I have seen two of your videos, and loved them both. But your audio is unintelligible with my desktop computer speakers, too much bass and no treble.
We still have Allis roller mills in our mill, some of them over 100 years old
We had an all crop 60 we ran red clover. Ten years ago bought my uncles all crop but time goes by sold it to a farmer and he used it last year
I had no idea A/C went back that far
Raked a lot of hay with a WD-45 as a kid.
The wd 45 is the best small tractor the g is good too
Nothing about component parts of Allis Chalmers being purchased by Siemens and AGCO?
Also, no mention of Deutz-Allis. Another thing, it was funny when the AI voice was talking about the Civil War while showing images of the Revolutionary War
Actually they are independent again. Deutz bought at least the ag division. Later it was sold back to American corporate officers who renamed it the Allis Gleanor Co (Agco). They still are operational making Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Gleanor, GSI and much more
Nice documentary, but hard to take seriously, when you have so much wrong.
Edward Phelps Allis had 0 interest in farming or farm equipment. He was into sawmill equipment, steam engines, grain milling equipment , and industrial pumps. Edward died, long before Allis Chalmers was formed, and got into the agriculture market.
The labor strikes they were plagued with were actual orchasteated by the communist part who were trying to destroy Allis Chalmers from within, because the plants were too far inland to be bombed, and the enemies of the US wanted them out of business.
Allis Chalmers was also burdened with trying to fend off corporate raiders in the late 60s going into the 70's who were trying hostile takeovers in order to break the company off and sell its many divisions, this took the Cash that was needed to upgrade plants and products.
The picture you keep showing was the powerhouse, where Allis Chalmers generated enough electricity to power a city of 60,000. That just powered the enormous plant in West Allis
Allis Chalmers fell into bankruptcy because the economy crashed in the US, interest rates went sky high, and all the industries that Allis Chalmers served were effected.
Allis Chalmers was working on government contracts for hydroelectric installations and the government cancelled the project, letting Allis Chalmers hang with products being built for the contracts, with 0 buyers.
John Deere and Cat did not buy any of Allis Chalmers. The farm equipment went to Deutz, the electrical equipment went to Siemens, the construction to Fiat, etc
Did you work for them? 🤔
@sadsffe1170 No unfortunately, just an Allis Chalmers historian
Wow! This is so much condensed info.
You deserve to be their ambassador. 😁
@alexclement1933 thanks, that was just the hi lites
This guy knows the story!
Dont Forget The LaPorte Plant That Was Rumley Before Chalmers Bought Them
Sad nothing left of the plant
you forgat about when FIAT became part of it
02:21 Funny how when you are talking about the civil war, you show revolutionary war soldiers.....
I went back and looked. Sure enough…”redcoats”
Yeah I'm thinking this is an AI video. Thinking about ignoring this channel. There are too many good content creators...
Showing the British Red Coats while citing the Civil War is not at all accurate.
How about the employees? A company is nothing more than what it's employees make it.
Photo looks like Stephen Spielburg
Did he then turn his Attention to Gourment Microwave Popping Corn? He could of!
Icy roads in the Pacific?
😊😊 there was a time ⏲️ 😊 in the 194OS 195OS tractor 🚜 😊 factorys 🏭 😊 would have factory tours the people worked there and the public could see 👀 😊 see them and they have a weekend time ⏲️ 😊 3 days Friday Saturday Sunday U could stay there all day everyday they had breakfast lunch and dinner 🍽 😊 and ice cream 🍦 😊 and sweets 😋 😊 cakes 🎂 😊 pies 🥧 😊 cookies 🍪 😊 and other sweets 😋 2,eat and they had field equipment shows demos the tractors 🚜 😊 and the equipment that was made 4 it 😊😊 OMG 11 9 2O24
Not Milwaukee, "Honey Creek, Wi"
Which became West Allis, Wi, the former honey creek, or "the village west of the Allis factory...
I live in West Allis.
Edit: how the hell do you go from generally Speaking "milwaukee" to citing West Allis?
Youre a hack using Wikipedia.
I call plagerism.
On the 8th day, God created A/C
This video feels to AI
Where did the money come from to buy a whole foundry from his poor background, detail dude.
An American tragedy . F£&k the employees, screw the banks , and still the management remained the same . AHH , the American way of doing business . Trump would have been right at home on the board .
Wrong. Again your love for a workers revolution and demonizing private businesses shows.
AC products were junk in the 1970's.
@@kellymcclendon6601 …terribly misinformed…my father grew up during the depression on a small farm n drove Farmall tractors n later was an engineer tech at John Deere in Dubuque, IA. He regularly noted that AC built great tractors that differed from JD in their rugged simplicity. JD Corp recognized AC’s tractor prowess n regular annual successes at the famous Nebraska Testing grounds that was essentially the industries stamp of approval since no tractor nor implement could NOT be sold in Nebraska if it did NOT pass their rigorous standards! If a tractor company failed the Nebraska Test, it was back to the drawing boards! All tractor companies built competitive machines…White, AC, Oliver, IH, MM, JD, Cockschutt, Case, Massey Ferguson, Ford, et al…they all introduced innovative tractor designs n features! To say AC sucked is a myopic viewpoint!
There tractors were under powered junk in the 1970s. Farmers hated Gleaner combines for there poor quality work.
Lol, seriously bud, your meds aren't working
Funny. I still run gleaner
you are right the gleaner combine is called a silver seeder because the grain loss is huge.
@bsc196 more BS, no matter the brand grain loss is from the operator.
@@RJ1999x it is a fact and no BS that the metering rolls who takes care of the grain distribution to the sieves are the biggest problem on those combines and i know alot of farmers who got rid of the combines because of that.
On yhe 7th day, God created orange iron
Dam junk motors sound like hell no good