Weyerhaeuser Company Logging Operations

[Contract Logger]

Tailhold Cat 536

Weyerhaeuser always had lots and lots of tailhold cats around for the yarder crews to hang off of. Here's a shot of Longview Cat #536 in the woods before a paint-job, and at the Longview truck-shop after one. 1988 or so.

A little paint goes a long ways.....

 

[Contract Logger]

Tailhold Cat #552

These pics are a little better, taken on the North Toutle River, of Cat #552, a D8K, with good view of the mast this time.

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #220 in 1985, a Skagit BU-737 Highlead

During my years at Longview I witnessed 3 different yarders using the #220 designation. 1st one was a 108 Washington (pics earlier in this thread), 2nd one was a Skagit GT-4 on tracks (with night lights, a Camp Kalama machine), then finally this Skagit BU-737 on a Self-Propelled T-100 carrier. This yarder used the #220 designation from 1984 until it was sold off about 1990.

In the 1st pic it was working in the Abernathy Creek area (with several other yarders) and the 2 second pics were taken in 1990 at the Headquarters Camp shops. (Notice the 'Yarder 220' painted on the tube where 'Skagit' can be seen in the 1st pic).

Also- yarder #235- a Washington 127W is parked along side it. Longview had several of these 127's for awhile right after the mountain blew

 

[Contract Logger]

Washington 118, Link-Belt LS5800

I saw this yarder around the Longview (Ostrander) area while on many hunting trips, but never did know the number on it (no stickers or numbers). It was around there until the Madill 123 (Yarder 210) took over about 1990. It was gone one day and I have no idea where it went. They logged with it right there for about 7 years between Ostrander and Headquarters Camp through the 80's. Yarder #207, seen previously in this thread, was a different machine.

The last time I saw this yarder it had been painted 'Terex Green'- wish I had a pic!

Tailhold Cat #536, seen previously, always stayed with this yarder.

Also-- Through the 80's the big early LS5800 Link-Belts took over most of the log loading duties at Longview. There were a few exceptions, not too many.

 

[Murk100]

I saw this yarder around the Longview (Ostrander) area while on many hunting trips, but never did know the number on it (no stickers or numbers). It was around there until the Madill 123 (Yarder 210) took over about 1990. It was gone one day and I have no idea where it went. They logged with it right there for about 7 years between Ostrander and Headquarters Camp through the 80's. Yarder #207, seen previously in this thread, was a different machine.

The last time I saw this yarder it had been painted 'Terex Green'- wish I had a pic!

Tailhold Cat #536, seen previously, always stayed with this yarder.

Also-- Through the 80's the big early LS5800 Link-Belts took over most of the log loading duties at Longview. There were a few exceptions, not too many.

Great stuff as usual Contract Logger:drinkup I like the left hand cab, what make and model? I can sure see where Madill and Cypress got some of their Ideas

 

[Contract Logger]

Great stuff as usual Contract Logger:drinkup I like the left hand cab, what make and model? I can sure see where Madill and Cypress got some of their Ideas

Its a Washington 118, Weyco had quite a few of them (all on rubber)-- 2 at Springfield Ore, 2 at Longview WA, at least 1 at Snoqualmie WA, and I saw 3 others at the Weyerhaeuser liquidation yard at Maytown Washington around 1986- but they had been painted (no stickers or numbers) and I dont know which camps they came out of:beatsme

 

[Contract Logger]

Skagit GT-5's at Weyerhauser

Weyerhaeuser Longview Yarder #223 shown here was a Skagit GT-5.

Weyco had a bunch of these machines- several at Longview (Baker and Kalama Camps each had 2 or 3) but also at Grays River and Cosmopolis, maybe elsewhere.

I included both before and after shots. This machine is still there, above Castle Lake in the canyon.

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #227 and Shovel #129

Longview Yarder #227 was/is a Madill 009 on 4-axle rubber, and still rests on Coldwater Ridge near Mt St Helens. I have no pics of these machines before the mountain blew, so these will have to do.

 

[Murk100]

Its a Washington 118, Weyco had quite a few of them (all on rubber)-- 2 at Springfield Ore, 2 at Longview WA, at least 1 at Snoqualmie WA, and I saw 3 others at the Weyerhaeuser liquidation yard at Maytown Washington around 1986- but they had been painted (no stickers or numbers) and I dont know which camps they came out of:beatsme

Looking at your St.Hellens disaster pics, man alive there was sure alot of huge beautiful Fir logs and trees distroyed up there what % was salvaged or did most of it rot away? (guess all the infastructure was washed or blown away)

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #226, a Madill 046 Tank Mount

Yarder 226 was a big Madill 046 on tank, one of several 046's owned by Weyerhaeuser at Longview.

Here's a scanned pic of it before the mountain blew, and another after the blast.

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #228, a Madill 009 on Rubber

Yarder #228 (twin-sister to the #227, still on the Mountain) is seen here in 1992 near 19 Mile Camp. As you can see she was yellow at one point, but re-painted orange and white. Also- like #227 it has the 7-guyline option.

 

[JeremyM70]

Weyerhaeuser Longview Yarder #223 shown here was a Skagit GT-5.

Weyco had a bunch of these machines- several at Longview (Baker and Kalama Camps each had 2 or 3) but also at Grays River and Cosmopolis, maybe elsewhere.

I included both before and after shots. This machine is still there, above Castle Lake in the canyon.

CL do you know if the GT-5 is off one of the trails? I'd like to find it this summer and also catch the 009 by Coldwater.

 

[Contract Logger]

CL do you know if the GT-5 is off one of the trails? I'd like to find it this summer and also catch the 009 by Coldwater.

I hiked in there last in 1995. The tailhold Cat D8H is there as well as a fire truck.

To get there you need to get up high on the 3000 road- which runs the ridgetop between the North and South Forks of the Toutle. Take the 4100 to the 4250 and all the way up to the 3000 (on Signal Peak). Once you get above Castle Lake you can see the yarder in the canyon, its about 2000 feet below- Really Really Rough Going! No trail, just down and cross-country. My frien brought his wife along and I wasnt sure if she was going to make it. She did, and was a real trooper. It will take all day and you would not be able to do it and Coldwater the same day. I cannot see the yarder on Google Earth- frustrating because I know right where it lays!! As you get closer PM me and I'll get you in there (verbally, lol)- if you really want to go:drinkup

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #229, Madill 009 on Tank Mount

Here is another one of the 'Green Machines' as we used to call them. Around 86' or 87' somebody at Longview decided to re-paint some of the equipment. Terex green must have been on sale, because a bunch of gear got painted this way, no apparent discrimination between brands either!

Cat #509 is also clearly seen here, I didnt see the shovel number. Pic was taken on the 1600 line about 5 miles out of Headquarters Camp.

Anyway Yarder #229 got caught in the blast zone on the Green River (19-Mile Camp Territory) and was factory yellow at that time. The green 2 pics here were taken in 1988 and are aging terribly, as you can see. I wish I'd had them scanned 10 years ago

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #229, 1980

Here's a pic of the same machine coming off of the mountain in 1980.

The lower tube section had 'Skookum' left painted on it.

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #230 was a mixed-breed.

It was a Madill 009 hoist, mounted on a Berger trailer with 100' telescoping tower. It originally was a Camp Kalama machine and in the early 80's the top tube section was painted red and white striped like a barber-pole or a candy-cane. I have no pics of this. Later, the machine was repainted orange and white and 'Berger King' was painted down the front of the tube, lower section this time. in 1987 the whole works was painted green like #229. It was pulled/tipped over shortly after, and got cut up at Headquarters Camp around 1992.

 

[Contract Logger]

Yarder #231 in 1987.

Here's a 1987 shot of Longview Yarder #231, a Madill 009 on rubber, along with a Link-Belt LS5800TL whose number I dont know:beatsme

in about 1990 the number 231 designation was given to a Washington 208, I have a pic or 2 someplace, and the Madill disappeared, probably sold or cut up. The new #231 (Washington 208) was working at Vail when it was tipped over and it was cut up for scrap in the Vail yard around 1993.

 

[trakloader]

Great stuff as usual Contract Logger:drinkup I like the left hand cab, what make and model? I can sure see where Madill and Cypress got some of their Ideas

I think them pics might be backwards. But you're right, Madill shamelessly copied many of Washington's ideas. Their rubber mounts in particular show a strong Washington influence.

 

[JeremyM70]

Sorry for the delay Jeremy, had trouble getting on HEF again tonight. Here is a rundown on the Camps, as they were after 1960 anyway, from south to north:

Camp Kalama: Up Kalama River Road and off the end of the blacktop. You'll know when you get there, the asphalt pad (sort yard) is huge on your right hand side. I just looked on Google Earth and it is clearly visible. Kalama was a truck camp, while Weyco owned right-of-way for a railroad in there, it was never built. Off-road trucks hauled from around 12 yarder sides to the sort yard, then wood was sorted and went on to Longview on highway trucks.

Headquarters Camp: At the top of Headquarters Road, just 5 or so miles east of I-5. This was the Railroad Headquarters for many years (since 1928 actually) and all of the locomotive shops were here until the late 70's when things moved in to Longview. Wood was re-loaded here from off-road trucks to the rail cars. Also lots of offices, equipment shops, and other buildings.

12 Mile, or Road 12: Named for its location- 12 miles east of I-5. Right out South Toutle Road, rather than go left under the trestle, go right on the 4100 rd. This was a big camp, large sort yard, ran 40+ trucks from 15 or 16 yarder sides. Still very visible easily on Google Earth also, at the 4100/4200 junction there. Railroad ran right into the yard. Big shops, office buildings, etc.

19 Mile Camp: Just north of Kid Valley, 19 miles east of I-5 at the confluence of the Green River and North Fork Toutle. Big camp, sort yard, full shop facilities, etc. Railroad ran right through yard, camp (headed toward Baker). Logs came off the Green River/Winston drainages by truck into the yard, then to town on the rail.

Camp Baker. Grand-daddy of all the Longview camps. I was told at one point there were 20 company yarder/tower sides working out of the Baker operation- and I believe it. A huge fleet of Weyco off-road trucks. The railroad ended at Baker, and the sort yard area there was just plain huge. I'll post pics later. Camp/yard was built in the 50's but exploded in the 60's in sized. All the big name contractors had trucks/equipment and offices there -Roy Filla, Ben Thomas, Jensen&Grove, Gould's, etc. You get the idea. In 1980 it was outside the blast zone, but was completely wiped out by the flooding. From the Hoffstadt Bluffs Visitor Center parking lot you are looking down in the valley right into it. The dam above Kid Valley is flooding that whole plain and Baker will be under water completely soon- alot of it is now.

Hope that helps. It's getting late, I'll post a few more pics and hit the rack!

CL this is awesome! I can see more road trips in my future, even if there's nothing there I'd still like to see. I started a public Google map with locations of past and current SW Washington Weyco camps, yards, eruption damaged equipment, etc. Feel free to take a look, make comments, changes, or additions. I guess I am sort of a visual map sort of guy that likes to see the whole layout, especially with Google Maps. Let me know if this link works.
<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?sour...41094556430124012.0004865fa03fa52f8265c&z=10>

 

[JeremyM70]

I hiked in there last in 1995. The tailhold Cat D8H is there as well as a fire truck.

To get there you need to get up high on the 3000 road- which runs the ridgetop between the North and South Forks of the Toutle. Take the 4100 to the 4250 and all the way up to the 3000 (on Signal Peak). Once you get above Castle Lake you can see the yarder in the canyon, its about 2000 feet below- Really Really Rough Going! No trail, just down and cross-country. My frien brought his wife along and I wasnt sure if she was going to make it. She did, and was a real trooper. It will take all day and you would not be able to do it and Coldwater the same day. I cannot see the yarder on Google Earth- frustrating because I know right where it lays!! As you get closer PM me and I'll get you in there (verbally, lol)- if you really want to go:drinkup

OK you might have just talked me out of it Aren't most of those Weyco roads gated now anyway? I had a key years ago to get up to Elk Mt, but it's long expired.
I'll just stick with #227 after Memorial Day when I get rid of my electronic leash and can wander the countryside again. I plan on adding more to my map this weekend.