I would like to bring to your attention a recently published book devoted to the long and prestigious history of the Northwest Engineering Company. Just released this past January, The Story of Northwest Engineering Company: Manufactured at Green Bay, Wisconsin can be purchase directly through Amazon. It is the definitive work when it comes to the history,the products, and the people of Northwest Engineering. Inside the book you will find over 346 pages of photos, diagrams and personal accounts assembled by authors Matthew E. Folsom and Mario J. Torres.

The book jacket reads as follows..

Manufactured at Green Bay, Wisconsin” is an account of Northwest Engineering Company from its early days as a builder of tugboats for the World War 1 effort to the role the company played as one of the premier manufacturers of excavators in the world.The team of Folsom and Torres trace Northwest’s rise and eventual demise in vivid clarity giving an account of the company’s key personnel and products. Contained within, on over 300 pages, is informative text and over 400 b/w and color images plus drawings from the authors’, past employees’, and other contributors’ personal collections. Enthusiasts of heavy equipment and the heavy construction machinery industry, and devotees of local interest, will find new insight into this past enterprise of Titletown, USA.

If you head over to Amazon you can browse a few select pages of the book. I suggest you do. Most likely you will be hooked and want to read more. I know I was. Click here for the listing. Reading the introductions of both authors I could immediately understand their passion for Northwest and construction equipment in general. As children, both were fasinated by the jobsites of the neighborhods. I can relate to that! Torres shares with us a wonderful account of watching fully loaded Mack B-81s and DM-800 being loaded in the 50 foot deep pits that would eventually become the foundations of the modern NYC skyline. Once again I ask where is my time traveling Deloran?

Once you finish with this fine book don’t despair as there are more Northwest books in the pipeline. If all goes according to plan this summer should see the first release in a three volume photography collection. Each book will take a detailed look at a specific point of time in the history of Northwest.

• Volume One – First and second generation machines (1920-1940)
• Volume Two – The classic generation (1940-1965) including coverage of Murphy Diesels
• Volume Three – The final Generations; The Series II machines along with the Hydraulic, &  Experimental models

By the way, Matt Folsom has contributed to this site in the past. Click here to view his Euclid C 6-5 dozer in action.

Update 10/30/15

New information from author M.E. Folsom regarding volumes II and III

Volume II went to the publisher back in June (2015) and after a few delays I am told will be delivered from the printers next week.  It will be available from the publisher: Buffalo Road Imports on their site and from the HCEA on their site. I also believe it will be available on Amazon too.

The upcoming Volume II has a lot in the back regarding the engines of choice for Northwest during the “classic years” especially Murphy.

Volume III is all set to be delivered to the publisher right now, I was just waiting to take delivery of Volume II first.

Volume III:  Which I am most proud of, this last one in the series it is going to be 95% color and the longest at 216 pages.  With a large section in the back on the very last Model 190-D made and its recent rebuild at Gerhart Machinery. This big dragline is now working in the Cape May area of New Jersey powered by a big Cummins KT 1150 with a Twin-Disc torque converter coupled to it.

I am hoping for a release date for Volume III this coming summer (2016).

Keep your eyes peeled!