Berger Manufacturing- Logging Equipment Built in Seattle

The C23 brochure that I have states that the c23 tower is a one piece 92 foot 6inch pole from bottom of the tower to top of the haulback fairlead,it is powered by a 553 horsepower detroit 12V71T engine, And the guyropes were standard inch and a quarter, unsure why the others are double purchased, perhaps they did this once the pole got over 100 foot in height, just guessing there though.I will put the Brochure up that I have at some stage.I don't know to much about this yarder and it's history, apparently at one point someone tried shifting the yarder with the tower up or partially up and dropped the tower denting it, which was why Brightwater cut that piece out and converted it to a telescoping tower.I don't know how true the story is but it seems to add up anyway.
Also yes sp23 is self propelled, I helped them shift it when they moved in near us, it got stuck in the river for awhile on it's way, rescued it with our bulldozer though, I will also post some more pics of the sp23 torn down shifting at some point.
C23 is crawler base and T23 is trailer based.
Essentially they are all the same machine as in the winch sets as far as I am aware, just with a few minor difference e.g this sp23 has a sliding cab.

I'm sure someone out there will have a whole heap of knowledge out there on these machines,maybe even how many were built etc.You can't find anything on them on the net,well I haven't anyway apart from on here and the rustygrapple website perhaps contract logger/rusty grapple can help out with some more info?

you just need to learn to pull some decent tallies breva

Big Son of a Berger...

Well, Mr. Grapple, I understand you are quite the busy fellow right now, but I happen to be a very curious fellow, especially when it comes to BIG yarders........... I know you've got them used vintage timber trucks you are making into beautiful show trucks. (By the way, we haven't seen any progress pictures of them either!) July 4th is a long ways for a feller to wait for more pictures of Ernies GIGANTIC yarder. So if you could take a few minutes and just throw this here dog a little bone........just to help me make it until JULY 4.......it would be so appreciated...Thank You Sir!

M2A

I found this lonely soul that has a new owner...

Scott S

The machine in post 81 of this thread is the one my company recently bought. I am currently restoring it and should have it back together in a couple of weeks. The machine is a M3E. I will try to post some picks when it's done. Its going to live its next life digging gravel. If anyone has some spare parts for this thing laying around that they would part with, let me know.

BCC Tyee said:

The machine in post 81 of this thread is the one my company recently bought. I am currently restoring it and should have it back together in a couple of weeks. The machine is a M3E. I will try to post some picks when it's done. Its going to live its next life digging gravel. If anyone has some spare parts for this thing laying around that they would part with, let me know.

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With a handle like that, I have to ask, are you from the PNW?

Nope. Lol. I'm from Illinois. We yard gravel with a highly modified 114 tyee, soon the M3 Berger, and 2 German built machines. The deadpan for the Berger is a D9Gdon with a D98a hyster winch on it.

Berger Tube & Triple Drum

Here's an old square Berger tube with six guy line drums on it. It's about 70' tall.... or long as it's laying down.....

Pic 4 shows the machine it came off... an old TD 25 or 30 with a triple drum....help me here someone. It sat near highway 101 south of Fortuna, Ca. I believe it has been scrapped.

Red. I went by there Saturday and it is definitely gone.that did belong to 3 star out of crescent city, and it ran when he parked it.and it was complete all the pieces were there.too bad it gone was fun to look at.

Contract Logger said:

Lots of Berger machines around left over from the heyday. Anyone have any pics or info to share? Here are some Berger pics from 1960's/70's advertising.

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Great pics! Thanks!

Contract Logger said:

This was from a Caterpillar ad but through the fog behind that Cat 245 with the Spruce is one hell of a Berger yarder. One-of-a-kind, built custom for Ernie Nielsen, but huge. She spooled 6,000' feet of 2" skyline and they hung a winch cat on it for a carriage.

I have lots of pics of this rig at my Washington residence, but here this old Caterpillar ad will have to do. Ernie ran a fleet of 245 log loaders under his yarders.

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Nice!!! Thanks!!1

RAD Logging said:

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Last pic is of a mates SP23 working down the road from us.

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Mr. RAD is this your mates SP-23?

That is Eastside loggings SP23. (Just down the road from RAD logging) Originally it was brought in to NZ in the early 90's by Sunrise logging "Doug Peacock" It has no ID plate on it , I think it was one of the last ones built. Would one in the USA, know any history on this machine. i.e. Who had it in the USA? I have lots of photos of this machine, the picture of the machine going under the bridge... It is going into a block called "the Island" Big wood, no lift. Hard logging. The other shot of SP23 is in Kawakawa Rd "The RIP Forest" That was quite a good block, good lift...

2 shots of the square Berger tower in Nimpkish 1975

My M3 digging.

To bad I have no idea how to rotate the pic. Lol

The sad end to a Berger tube, no idea where the rest of it went or when. This is out at Bremmeyer's.

I would love to have the sheaves out of that thing! I'm trying to collect spare parts for mine.