Though I don't like to admit it, and definately don't list it on my Resume, I worked for Bernie Karl, the Karl Brothers, and K & K Recycling. I was also good friends with "Old Pete", which put me in a dicy position between 2 "arch rivals". I'd visit with Old Pete and loved to listen to his geat "war stories" as well as his antics with his fellow scrappers. Pete actually worked on building the famed "ALCAN", better known as the Alaska Highway. He even had an operational Cat Dozer that was actually used in the construction of the ALCAN. Of the 14 Karl's, only Bernie was at odds with Old Pete. The other Karl's were in good stead with him. Tony Karl was actually good friends with Old Pete, they palled around at auctions together and were always betting on how much something would sell for, the looser generally buying coffee.
As of last week Tony was unaware of K & K owning Old Pete's place. I'll be there this summer and make some pictures, as well as look for that famed serial number one Thiokol(Frandie Sea Wolf Serial #ONE) for those interested.
I've been following the history of the LeTourneau Overland Train now since roughly 1968 when I procured (2) sales announcements for the last one built, from the Department of Defense. A close and lifelong associate of mine was an engineering student at LeTourneau's engineering school in Longview Texas and worked on building a full size plywood mock-up prior to the construction of the first machine(the one the locomotive is sitting at Old Pete's junk yard). Years later(1994), when I first started working on the Trans Alaska Pipeline I spotted the cars and locomotive and that's how I came to be frineds with Old Pete. He had the original service manuals at his place there and I poured thru them in an attempt to get the electrical steering stuff to work.
The Army once hired Old Pete, along with his Letourneau Locomotive, to go up and drag another later model Overland Train home that had broken down. Kind of a tow Truck/Rescue.
Old Pete's junk yard was originally a part of Ft. Wainwright where they refirbished trucks, tanks and heavy equipment. The millitary used some form of toxic cleaning agent that poluted the water table for miles around. I believe it was Toluline, anyway water from nearby wells was leathelly toxic and would take your skin off. Many houses had to be condemed and the government made the entire area a Superfund Hazardous waste clean-up-site. Then when Old Pete was away on vacation in Washington one time they came in and fenced-off the whole site and fenced him out of his house. This resulted in a long running leagle battle between Old Pete and the State. Old Pete was a sharp man and won various of the leagle battles and the state basically 'gave-up' figguring that he would die off soon and that that would be the end of it. But Pete defied them by living another 20 years! Pete moved into a little out-house of a shack, maybe 10 by 15 feet, heated by a wood stove. It had a phone, and one outlet, no sink, no water, no closets, just about nothing. He managed to survive there for another 14 years. It was a real testament to how tough he was. North Pole Alaska, the town next to Fairbanks regularly goes to 50 below, and has particularly brutal winters. If you want to see the real Arctic Stuff just try hanging out in North Pole or Fairbanks in the winter.
I was once the liaison for a materials purchase between Bernie and Old Pete. so this summer when I'm there I'll see what I can find out about the status of the Overland Train.
I know a dozen other great stories about Old Pete Peterson, but frankly I'm getting tired of typing and I need to get back to work.
The Guiness book of worlds records list the Overland Train as the worlds longest vehicle.
Various magazines like Popular Mechanics ran detailed articles which would be a collectors item today.
It had a "Quarter Mile Turning Radius".
or you forgot your camera...thanks for the heads up bill
