WheelhorseBob 1,549 #1 Posted October 12, 2021 13 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,486 #2 Posted October 12, 2021 That's purrtttyyy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496 #3 Posted October 12, 2021 A W-4 is the standard tractor version of the Farmall H. IH made the Farmalls for row crop duty, and the McCormick's for standard duty. A W-6 is the standard version of the Farmall M, for instance. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WheelhorseBob 1,549 #4 Posted October 12, 2021 The W stands for Wheatland. These are more common out west and in Canada I’m told and we’re used for tillage. They also made a O-4 for orchard duty that had shrouds all around to prevent catching limbs. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,739 #5 Posted October 12, 2021 They also had Riceland versions Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClassicTractorProfessor 5,314 #6 Posted October 13, 2021 Beautiful machine, would love to have a W6 parked beside my M Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496 #7 Posted October 13, 2021 21 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said: The W stands for Wheatland. These are more common out west and in Canada I’m told and we’re used for tillage. They also made a O-4 for orchard duty that had shrouds all around to prevent catching limbs. My 1949 IH catalog has the W series tractors listed as "Standard Farm Tractors". I don't believe the term "Wheatland" was being used by IH until later, at least, it wasn't in their product catalogs in that time period. My 1935 and 1940 catalogs also used the term "Standard Farm Tractors" for the older W series, i.e. W-12, W-14, etc. And yes, there was an orchard version of these, O-12, O-14, O-6, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,486 #8 Posted October 13, 2021 27 minutes ago, T-Mo said: orchard Having been in New England my whole life the far and away most popular thing that grows in an orchard around here is apples. I've gone and picked my own apples more times than I could possibly count over the years. I've been in and out of quite a good many orchards for that reason. I can honestly say I don't know of any apple orchards at all that use and orchard tractor. Am I correct in my understanding that the full Shields and body work was to prevent the plants and fruits from getting caught up in the wheels or other mechanisms? Were orchard tractors intended for something other than Apple harvesting? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WheelhorseBob 1,549 #9 Posted October 13, 2021 Eric, head over to Smith’s Red Apple Farm in Acton ME. I’ve been getting my fall apples there for years, they are super friendly folks. This year they had their tractor collection parked all around the orchard. Wonderful display and really fun to get to sit on them all. Lots of little kids like me getting pictures...... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,486 #10 Posted October 13, 2021 2 minutes ago, WheelhorseBob said: Eric, head over to Smith’s Red Apple Farm in Acton ME. I’ve been getting my fall apples there for years, they are super friendly folks. This year they had their tractor collection parked all around the orchard. Wonderful display and really fun to get to sit on them all. Lots of little kids like me getting pictures...... Yeah buddy! I drive by there on a regular basis for work. Right there on Route 109 if I remember right. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wh500special 2,179 #11 Posted October 14, 2021 (edited) For the first couple of years of the Wheel Horse show in PA there was a IH OS-6 living in the orchard near the Round Barn. It was the first orchard tractor I ever saw in the wild. The OS-6 was kind of halfway between the regular W-6 and the full-fendered O6. I remember that first trip to PA over 20 years ago. I saw the sparse corn and bean fields around Gettysburg and couldn’t help but think “why do they even bother trying to farm these hills and rocks?” But the orchards sure looked idyllic. Not many standard tread tractors around here. This was row crop country. The WD-9 was far and away my favorite styled IH. No orchard version of that behemoth was available. I got to drive one at a show once and am still smitten. good looking machines. steve Edited October 14, 2021 by wh500special 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites