Thunderbird Yarders, Loaders, and Etc from the Murray's in Eugene Oregon

[Rusty Grapple]

Thunderbird TY90 S/N Y-9067 at work near Cathlamet, Washington in 1991. Setting was in the Cat Creek area on the Elochoman River.
Loading is a new Koehring 6644- a very popular machine with DeBraie and other loggers of that period; DeBraie had several of these.

 

[Rusty Grapple]

Here's a couple more old pictures of Thunderbird TY-90 S/N Y-9035 seen working on the upper Elochoman River in 1990.
This was the first TY-90 built and sold new to Jerry DeBriae in early 1984. Again, a Koehring 6644 on loading duty.

 

[furpo]

Rusty grapple, I am unsure as to when the brake changes occured. I remember Brett Henderson (the hauler guru down here) telling me about a 355 that had been converted because something went wrong with the reversing mechanism. I assume it was this machine so it was done down here. I have possibly seen this machine from a distance before. There was a 355 sitting at an engineers at Taupo earlier this year. This could have been when the new CAT was put in her. Lew has been logging for a long time so my guess is that he is a long time owner of this machine. I understand his son is running the crew.

 

[Scott S]

Modern Machinery has stripped a TSY 255 for a rebuild,


Scott S

 

[JeremyM70]

Heard about that from Facebook, Is that yours Scott? I haven't had a chance to cross the river and stop by Modern yet.

Modern Machinery has stripped a TSY 255 for a rebuild,
View attachment 96694

Scott S

 

[Scott S]

Not mine, this one is in Rochester.

Scott

 

[JeremyM70]

Not mine, this one is in Rochester.

Scott

Ok someone told me there was a tsy255 at Portland Modern as well.

 

[Scott S]

Ok someone told me there was a tsy255 at Portland Modern as well.

That one was most likely mine, we were having the swing bearing replaced a couple of weeks ago. It turned in to a bigger project with some cracks in the frame, a bad idler bearing, cracking swing pinion teeth, $$$$$$...


Back to work with it now.

Scott S

 

[JeremyM70]

Got it, guess it's the time of year for T-Birds to get worked on. Found at TY80 all torn apart in Longview the other day.

 

[johnson]

Does anyone know the S/N of this yarder?The owner is Nielsen Bros. Logging of Sedro Woolley Wa.

 

[Rusty Grapple]

Does anyone know the S/N of this yarder?The owner is Nielsen Bros. Logging of Sedro Woolley Wa.
View attachment 97063

That would be Y-9045. Sold new in 8/85' to Bob Hild (Pacific Logging at Marysville, Wa). The machine was shipped to Alaska to Hild's 'Alaska Pacific Logging' operations at Craig/Klawock where it stayed until they closed the Alaska operation. Alaska Pacific had several other big yarders in the arsenal up here including another TY-90 or 2 and some Skagit 739's, along with smaller yarders of various shapes and sizes. Bob owned 'Diamond Yarder Manufacturing' (with a couple other people) at the time, and the 2 larger Diamonds (DT-425 and DT-8000) were put to work in Alaska initially as well. Bob also had a couple of partners in Alaska Pacific. Lots of great history and could go on forever! The Alaska Pacific name can still be found around Craig/Klawock and the big beautiful Alaska Pacific Lodge they built at Port Saint Nicholas outside of Craig still shines; I actually enjoyed a short stay there only a month ago on a trip to the Island.

When Alaska Pacific retired the operation, that yarder was sold to Aaron Weaver, and later Dave Nielsen bought it but I think there was an owner between Weaver and Nielsen. I'm almost certain there was but I can't remember who right now.

As you'll notice the tower still reads 'Alaska Pacific' today. I have pics of that machine going back to new, somewhere.
The hoist was purchased new but the Skagit T-100SP was already owned by APL and was rebuilt and painted to match the hoist.
I believe a BU-94 was pulled off that T-100SP to make room for the new TY-90, but can't remember for sure.
The mating and painting operation took place at Coastal Machinery in Marysville which was another Hild-owned enterprise.

 

[Redwood Climber]

I Spy

with my little eye.....

 

[Redwood Climber]

Could that be a Washington or Allied Feller Buncher?

Nice looking T-Bird TSY-6255SLR

Howdy Mr JeremyM70, I must have gone completely through this Thunderbird thread for at least the 15th time. I always find something new. Any way, on post #52 you have several pictures of a nice looking T'Bird TSY-6255 SLR.........but what is REALLY interesting to me is the fellerbuncher next to it. I can see two sets of tracks.....on the same side of the machine, I believe it is either a Washington feller buncher (they only built two), or the outfit that bought the rights to build it after Washington Iron Works went broke. Allied built a dozen or so of these feller bunchers according to Mr. Grapple. Did you happen to take pictures of it while you were getting pics of the 6255? I would love to see them if you do. I don't know where they'd go, I suppose in the feller buncher thread.......Mr. Grapple did say he would start a new thread dedicated to this feller buncher.....he must be soo busy....I sure would like to see'em if you have any. Thank you Sir.

 

[boardbysled]

Redwood Climber, I'm interested in those machines as well.

Looks like Komatsu/Valmet have developed and tested similar technologies, though it appears these machines are not in current production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFyPMuTOhDM

 

[TorkelH]

Komatsu 911.5 X3M

I have seen several of these machines working in Germany, maybe they are also used in GB? Link to the present version: http://www.komatsuforest.de/default.aspx?id=74496
The tracks are a bolt on on the final drives/instead of boggies.

 

[johnson]

I found this article about Pacific Logging some time ago:
http://www.forestnet.com/timberwest/archives/Feb_01/ready.htm
And also this article about Madill acquiringn Ross:
http://www.exvere.com/transactions/ross_corp.htm

I also got some pictures of the shops and a TMY-70 being built but I CANT' UPLOAD THEM!!!!!!
:bash:Banghead
I vould have posted this stuff earlier but my internet conection failed on sunday afternoon shortly after my post about the TY-90.

 

[johnson]

Also the TY-90 records are coming along great,but I'm missing pictures and informations on 10 rigs :
Y-9036
Y-9042
Y-9052
Y-9053
Y-9054
Y-9056
Y-9057
Y-9058
Y-9060
Y-9062

 

[johnson]

I found pictures of 2 mistery TY-90 working at Weyco PeEll???

I suspect this one is Y-9057???




I don't know or eaven have an idea about the S/N of this yarder

 

[John C.]

I think I've seen the John Deere shovel in the second photo. I think that might be either Willapa logging or Colburn logging. I've heard they are both doing a lot of contracting for the lazy W and Hancock Resources.

 

[LOGDODGER]

View attachment 96402View attachment 96401Not sure but has issues . Was being leased by some fools who where trying to log what should have been a good block. Owner repossed his gear after not getting paid. Fools never came back . Left a horrendous mess ,hundreds of tonnes of unpulled wood , rubbish & rope everywhere . Left a loader buried to its counterweight on the landing . Fools got some more iron from somewhere and moved to another job . We have been hired to clean up the mess & finish the block." Leave the S_ _ t we will do it " has been our saying for years.

What are you on about? Looks like cream!