Post by Southern on Jan 31, 2011 19:01:53 GMT -5
The Woods & Copeland Story:
J.D. Woods was wanting a tractor to work his rice fields and all kinds of terrain including swamps. He wanted a tractor that could handle over 200 hours a year in swampy rice fields.
In 1969 J.D. Woods, built his first four wheel drive tractor on a farm near Katy, Texas.
In 1971 he teamed up with an engineer named Jones Copeland. Jones Copeland had 15 years experience in designing and construction of off-road articulated vehicles. They joined forces and built the first three Model 301C tractors for use on his farm. These rugged tractors were used for water leveling the rice fields. One of the tractors racked up 9,000 hours with very few problems under extremely harsh mud and water conditions.
In 1973 eight more tractors were produced on the Woods farm. All eight were sold and the Woods & Copeland became well known for it’s durability.
In 1974 the company moved to Wharton, Texas, and built 28 tractors.
The next year, 44 units were built and in 1976 peaked at 75 tractors. The most commonly produced models were the 320C and the 450C. The model number describes the horsepower of the tractor.
They used the best available parts both to the manufacture and end user alike. Engines was either Cummins or Caterpillar. Allison provided the transmission. Caterpillar axles was also used. They could reach speeds of 25 MPH on the highways. And weighed in around 33,000 lbs.
In late 1976 Woods & Copeland was purchased by Rome Plow Company.
The Rome Story:
In 1976 Rome Plow Company purchased Woods and Copeland and moved the tractor production facility from Wharton, Texas, to Cedartown, Georgia. The first Rome tractors used the Woods & Copeland design and each model had both Rome and Woods & Copeland decals. Later the tractor was redesigned sporting a new hood and cab as well as other modifications.
Rome produced three hard working models, a 375C equipped with a six cylinder 3406 Caterpillar engine, a 450C powered by a Cummins KT1150 engine, and a 475C with a Caterpillar 3408 V-8 engine. These models were dependable and widely known for their reliability. One Rome tractor accumulated more than 30,000 hours of strenuous work. Some were exported to Brazil and other foreign countries. Rome produced nearly 200 tractors from 1976-1986.
The company was sold and the new owner discontinued tractor production. The business continues today to manufacture other types
of equipment.
Rome and the Farmer:
Rome offered a powerful tractor and tillage equipment to match. They a complete process to matching tractors to implements. Using their own tractors and implements. Using their testing and methods. They was sure the farmer could use the tractor to it’s maximum efficiency, to increase profits.
“In professional farming a tractor represents units of horsepower. Management calculations are based upon matching horsepower required to prepare a seedbed in a specified period of time with tractor power and implements available. Until now, another factor has not been figured into this calculation, the match of the implements with tractors.
Every farmer knows the consequences of having an implement that too big for the tractor or having a high horsepower tractor that pulls an implement at ground speeds beyond its capabilities. Such inefficient matching means less profits.” Rome
Here is a video showing a Rome 475 hard at work.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-HeAnJcJvQ
Tractor data info on the models:
Woods & Copeland:
www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/tractor-brands/woods-copeland/woods-copeland-tractors.html
Rome:
www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/tractor-brands/rome/rome-tractors.html
J.D. Woods was wanting a tractor to work his rice fields and all kinds of terrain including swamps. He wanted a tractor that could handle over 200 hours a year in swampy rice fields.
In 1969 J.D. Woods, built his first four wheel drive tractor on a farm near Katy, Texas.
In 1971 he teamed up with an engineer named Jones Copeland. Jones Copeland had 15 years experience in designing and construction of off-road articulated vehicles. They joined forces and built the first three Model 301C tractors for use on his farm. These rugged tractors were used for water leveling the rice fields. One of the tractors racked up 9,000 hours with very few problems under extremely harsh mud and water conditions.
In 1973 eight more tractors were produced on the Woods farm. All eight were sold and the Woods & Copeland became well known for it’s durability.
In 1974 the company moved to Wharton, Texas, and built 28 tractors.
The next year, 44 units were built and in 1976 peaked at 75 tractors. The most commonly produced models were the 320C and the 450C. The model number describes the horsepower of the tractor.
They used the best available parts both to the manufacture and end user alike. Engines was either Cummins or Caterpillar. Allison provided the transmission. Caterpillar axles was also used. They could reach speeds of 25 MPH on the highways. And weighed in around 33,000 lbs.
In late 1976 Woods & Copeland was purchased by Rome Plow Company.
The Rome Story:
In 1976 Rome Plow Company purchased Woods and Copeland and moved the tractor production facility from Wharton, Texas, to Cedartown, Georgia. The first Rome tractors used the Woods & Copeland design and each model had both Rome and Woods & Copeland decals. Later the tractor was redesigned sporting a new hood and cab as well as other modifications.
Rome produced three hard working models, a 375C equipped with a six cylinder 3406 Caterpillar engine, a 450C powered by a Cummins KT1150 engine, and a 475C with a Caterpillar 3408 V-8 engine. These models were dependable and widely known for their reliability. One Rome tractor accumulated more than 30,000 hours of strenuous work. Some were exported to Brazil and other foreign countries. Rome produced nearly 200 tractors from 1976-1986.
The company was sold and the new owner discontinued tractor production. The business continues today to manufacture other types
of equipment.
Rome and the Farmer:
Rome offered a powerful tractor and tillage equipment to match. They a complete process to matching tractors to implements. Using their own tractors and implements. Using their testing and methods. They was sure the farmer could use the tractor to it’s maximum efficiency, to increase profits.
“In professional farming a tractor represents units of horsepower. Management calculations are based upon matching horsepower required to prepare a seedbed in a specified period of time with tractor power and implements available. Until now, another factor has not been figured into this calculation, the match of the implements with tractors.
Every farmer knows the consequences of having an implement that too big for the tractor or having a high horsepower tractor that pulls an implement at ground speeds beyond its capabilities. Such inefficient matching means less profits.” Rome
Here is a video showing a Rome 475 hard at work.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-HeAnJcJvQ
Tractor data info on the models:
Woods & Copeland:
www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/tractor-brands/woods-copeland/woods-copeland-tractors.html
Rome:
www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/tractor-brands/rome/rome-tractors.html
