International TD 35 crawler tractor

TD 35

Pictured here in the winter of 1937 is an International TD 35 crawler tractor hauling pulpwood in the Rainy River District of Northwestern Ontario.

As early as 1912, a pulp and paper mill had been built in nearby Fort Frances producing newsprint to supply the United States market, given its location adjacent to International Falls, Minnesota.

By the 1920s, daily production from the mill had reached 150 tons of high quality newsprint.

Although similar to the gas-powered International T 35, the TD 35 crawlers were powered by a 4-cylinder diesel engine rated at 40 hp. 

Some 5,000 units were built over a two-year period ending in 1939. Favoured by loggers and contractors alike, these crawlers sold for around $3,000 at the time.

These were hardy operators with no amenities such as cabs or heaters in the winters of old.

To see more than 60 restored pieces of vintage construction equipment in action, be sure to attend Historical Construction Equipment Association (HCEA) Canada’s two events coming up in 2020.

The June 2-day show, ‘Wheels & Tracks in Motion’ along with the October event, ‘Last Blast’, are both held at the Simcoe County Museum near Barrie, Ont.

HCEA Canada is a Proud Community Heritage Partner of the Simcoe County Museum.