Washington Iron Works and thier machines

[Contract Logger]

Contract Logger,
Interesting on the Castle Lake blast zone. I didn't realize that there were more equipment in the canyon that is now a lake. The lake is at a level that should never get any higher so the above water equiptment will aways be there for the energetic to view. Thanks for the rundown. Fred

This is Camp Baker yarder #223 in 1970, night logging. It is a Skagit GT5C and weighs around 215,000 lbs. She is, as I type this in 2010, laying on her side in Castle Canyon, just above waterline. I last hiked down to it from the 3000 line with a friend in 1995. I'll round up some pics and post them in a month or so.

 

[SPMiller]

Love the look of these yarders. Night logging would of been one hell of a ride.

 

[Contract Logger]

Trakloader magazine ad fom 1954.

 

[Contract Logger]

Found some old magazine clippings from Alaska Loggers in 1962, pretty cool. Tanks were cheap and used for everything in those days.

 

[Contract Logger]

Balloon Logging Yarder. Washington designed and built several machines over the years for the purpose of logging with balloons. It never really 'took off', and the idea faded as helicopters became more efficient and available.

 

[Contract Logger]

Neat old 1964 Loggers World scan regarding the Washington yarder.

 

[Humptulips]

On the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State there is alot of old rusting iron, hidden from sight, mostly behind gates or locked away otherwise. This Washington 208 yarder is owned by a gentleman who ran a ceder shake mill, just off Hwy 101, at an undisclosed location between Hoquiam and Forks. When his mill operation shut down in the mid 1980's, he didnt have the heart to sell the iron off. In one of the outbuildings that used to house part of the mill, this 208 rests dry and at peace from the elements some 20 years later. When I am in the neighborhood, I like to stop in and see her, but its been several years now. He bought her brand new in 71' and says this is where she will stay, right here, safe from the scrappers torches.

Larry Peterson owned this yarder but sold it a couple years ago when scrap prices were high. I think it fell to the torch. What a shame. It was located just north of Amanda Park. Gone now so you missed it.
I'm not sure when he bought it but I don't believe it was in 71. I was logging on Raft River ridge in the early 80s. They moved into a unit just about the time we left and they had a two donkey slackline at the time so I think he bought it after that.

 

[Contract Logger]

Boy, I sure hope you are wrong about the torch. Sounds like I'm wrong about everything else, lol. Used to be alot of gear right there at Amanda Park. I had a chser one time whose uncle was from there- Dan Metcalf I think was the name. Hell of a worker he was.
Stanley Metcalf maybe? was his unce.....

Anyway, either Peterson ran more thanone side or I'm all confused on this. Probably the latter......I remember a 30-B there too but wasnt smart enough to take a picture.
I swear some days I must be getting alzheimers........

 

[Humptulips]

Boy, I sure hope you are wrong about the torch. Sounds like I'm wrong about everything else, lol. Used to be alot of gear right there at Amanda Park. I had a chser one time whose uncle was from there- Dan Metcalf I think was the name. Hell of a worker he was.
Stanley Metcalf maybe? was his unce.....

Anyway, either Peterson ran more thanone side or I'm all confused on this. Probably the latter......I remember a 30-B there too but wasnt smart enough to take a picture.
I swear some days I must be getting alzheimers........

I was talking to a guy today that seems to know everything that happens around here and he said the hoist went for a gravel dredge but they cut the tube up. It might be the one in a Roglin pit south of the freeway between Montesano and Elma. I put a longslpice in the mainline for them and didn't make the connection where it had come from .
They mounted a set of tracks crosswise so it could walk parrallel to the pit and it has a goofy looking A-frame on it.
If I get down that way I'll try to take a picture.

 

[Contract Logger]

Hey- I have seen that machine. I think it has Cat 245 tracks, counterweight, etc. on it also. I think I took pics of it, but wouldnt even have connected the dots either.

 

[Contract Logger]

Washington 137W Slackline Self-Propelled

This is one of my favorite Washinton yarders- only a couple were built. The hoist is a standard 137W slackline- great yarder with water brakes and 1 3/8" skyline. Most had both tag and straw drums- awesome for rig-ups. This one has 2 planetary drive axles in the rear and hydraulic steer axles up front fo running around in the woods. Tower is 90' and has 8 guylines.

 

[Contract Logger]

Moving Made Easy!

To move this rig, the front axles were un-pinned and un-bolted ant the hydraulic lines were uncoupled. The axles were pulled out and a king-pin was exposed, welded right there in place. Just back your lowbed tractor under and head down the highway.

 

[Contract Logger]

Washington 137W Trailer Mounted

Here's a standard run-of the-mill 137W on the regular common trailer mount. This one was purchased brand new by PLS at Randle, Wash, but was eventuallysold and when I took these pics in 1991 it was owned by Bill Bremmeyer out of Ravensdale, Wash. The air pusher axle was added new for PLS (at rear without tires on it).

 

[Contract Logger]

Here's a Washington 137W belonging to Fred B. Moe Logging of Chehalis, Wa.
In the one pic we can also see a 127W. Pics taken at Chehalis in 1990.

Moe ran a large yarder fleet, mostly Skagit machines.

 

[Contract Logger]

Washington 137W on a Skagit T-100 Trlr Mount

Just for kicks I thought I would throw this pic of a 137W hoist bolted to a Skagit T-100 Trailer/Tower with 7 guylines. Pic taken in 1994 at Chehalis at the Ramsey yard.

A decent mechanic can always mate two different machines together like this.

 

[Humptulips]

I worked for four different companies on the same 127. I could never decide if it was following me around or I was following it around. I was only around one 137 ever but I can't say I thought to highly of the fairlead set up they had designed. Needed a bit more seperation between the mainline and skidding fairleads. Almost had to run a dutchman on a guyline to keep the lines from wrapping up.

 

[JeremyM70]

Hey Iron Art-- Ramsey has a couple of 217 Slackline Washington's there on Hamilton Rd.
It would sure be neat if you could take some pics and post them. You must live there in Chehalis?

Awesome pictures Contract Logger!

I have visited the Ramsey's a few times over the last couple of years and taken a bunch of pictures. If you go to flickr and search for either my user name JeremyM70 or JeremyM70's Chehalis, WA logging equipment you should find them. They are great folks to talk to.

 

[Murk100]

Don't have a clue what model this is??? on the cab it says Miller Shingle Granite Falls this pic was taken at Squamish BC

I think this is a 108 pic taken at Kimsqit

 

[Contract Logger]

That Miller Shingle machine is a Washington Model 88. It was one of the first 4 built- and maybe the first one even- I only know that because it was featured in all of Washingtons ads and Model 88 brochures for a couple of years. I'll round one up and post it.

Miller traded that rig in on a new Thunderbird TSY-255 in the 90's and I always wondered where the 88 went. Mystery solved thanks to Murk100 now.

I have seen a thousand 108's or more and never ever get tired of looking at them!

Thanks for the post. Now get back to work on your Terex rock truck restoration there. It looks like you wont have it done for the truck show next month if you stay distracted here on the HEF, lol. What is that truck anyway? Some were used to haul logs even.

 

[Murk100]

That Miller Shingle machine is a Washington Model 88. It was one of the first 4 built- and maybe the first one even- I only know that because it was featured in all of Washingtons ads and Model 88 brochures for a couple of years. I'll round one up and post it.

Miller traded that rig in on a new Thunderbird TSY-255 in the 90's and I always wondered where the 88 went. Mystery solved thanks to Murk100 now.

I have seen a thousand 108's or more and never ever get tired of looking at them!

Thanks for the post. Now get back to work on your Terex rock truck restoration there. It looks like you wont have it done for the truck show next month if you stay distracted here on the HEF, lol. What is that truck anyway? Some were used to haul logs even.

I took that pic about 15 yrs ago the Wash 88 was owned by Tripple C Logging Squamish they must have bought it from Ross?? they logged with it around Nelson BC and then moved it to Squamish I don't know if they worked it in that area. I ran their 7280 for a couple of yrs and never saw it move.
I would think it has been scrapped along with the Terex:beatsme

The 108 was owned by Unicon Logging they also had a TL-6 and a Sparmatic 120Ft. all working at Kimsquit the head of Dean Channel in the central coast BC 1988 again I was running a 7280 owned by Malibu Logging.