On this week’s CAT Scale Rig of the Week, we’re showcasing a true antique — a 1925 Kenworth KS 3-ton truck. It’s a piece of trucking history and has been beautifully preserved by the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum in Walcott, Iowa.
The Kenworth KS was first introduced in 1924 as a reliable and efficient workhorse for hauling goods and materials over long distances. It was a breakthrough for the industry, as it was one of the first heavy-duty trucks that could withstand rugged terrain, rough weather and long hours of operation.
This truck has a Timken worm drive rear end, which was a unique feature in those days. It also has hard rubber tires on the rear and pneumatics on the front. This combination made the truck capable of traveling on both paved and unpaved roads, which was a big advantage over other trucks of the time.
This particular truck was used by a construction company to haul dynamite for site blasting.
The Kenworth logo on this truck looks very different from the current one. It is a reminder of how much the trucking industry has evolved over the years, from the basic mechanical designs of early trucks to the advanced technology and sophisticated features found in modern ones.
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A former military public affairs specialist, Cody Graves has a journalism career that has spanned radio, television and print. For the last ten years, he produced special sections for Arkansas’ only statewide newspaper. During his time in the U.S. Army Reserves, Cody served tours in El Salvador, Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In his spare time, he plays guitar in a local band and spends time with his dogs, Lucy and Daisy.