BC logging equipment left to rust

Redwood Climber · Jul 17, 2013

A Most Unusual Carriage

SPMiller said:
Man operated sky car..

I would strongly urge someone to check out the possibilities of getting this unusual carriage into a logging museum.....oh Mr. Trackloader.....you must know about this....yes???
This has to be a very rare piece of logging equipment. I wonder what his rate of pay was? Was he paid by the ton, or by scale? Scary thoughts....

Any more pics of it in action? Who logged with them? Interesting bit of history to be learned here.

skadill · Jul 18, 2013

Cat D7F

field sitter

spitzair · Jul 18, 2013

Redwood Climber said:
I would strongly urge someone to check out the possibilities of getting this unusual carriage into a logging museum.....oh Mr. Trackloader.....you must know about this....yes???
This has to be a very rare piece of logging equipment. I wonder what his rate of pay was? Was he paid by the ton, or by scale? Scary thoughts....

Any more pics of it in action? Who logged with them? Interesting bit of history to be learned here.

I stood in front of that very thing and wondered what the heck it was a few years ago! Now I know, thanks Simon! Here's a few pictures I took of it... Redwood Climber, I'm sure it's safe where it is, there are quite a few other neat and wonderful items sitting around with it...

TorkelH · Jul 19, 2013

Thank you SPMiller, 525isx and Spitzair for all the pictures. I fully agree with Redwood Climber that this historical and very uniqe item should have been on display in a museum (and this is not meant to be disadvantageous for all the other historical and very unique logging items that also should have been on display in a museum...), they where used around the BC coast in the 50's according to what I have read. Maybe they already have one in Duncan?

dunwurken · Jul 20, 2013

This machine is in a collection of old logging artifacts on private property. The man was a collector but is now gone but was a very interesting character. His wife still lives there as well as their daughter who is also well known in the area. Any time I drop by there I always remember him and admire his imagination, creativity and sense of humour. Although the area is getting grown over now,and is slowly brushing in more and more it is still part of their family history. In two years time it will be hard to find. The family is one of the original families that settled in the area and on the wife's side may have been the first. I think the best place would be the Forest Museum but only if it is restored and rigged up as it was working and dedicated to the owner and his family for saving it for this long. It is a good thought to preserve it. She may want to see it go to a good home before she passes on in memory of her husband. Anyone here have good connections with the family. I know them but not that well. I doubt if the wife remembers me now as she is getting on and has had a few health setbacks. The daughter would probably be the best person to approach this with. You would either get a yes or no answer real quick. Anyone?

ap40rocktruck · Jul 20, 2013

Fascinating piece of logging history. Too bad i live on the other end of the continent, other wise I would "volunteer" to save it......

Ap40

skadill · Jul 23, 2013

Kw

One corner of a logging boneyard.

skadill · Jul 31, 2013

Classic Coastal Chapman

1800 or 1825? Chapman,mid coast BC.Shared photo

DerelictTexture · Jul 31, 2013

That'll buff right out...

I guess if the counterweight gets a clean spot..you will know that you got too close to something

Caterpillar941b · Jul 31, 2013

just left to rust or does it still move once every decade?

bccat · Aug 1, 2013

D7f

skadill said:
field sitter

Hi skadill, Correct me if I am wrong, but I think its an D7e, Ken

skadill · Aug 23, 2013

1985 Pacific P510

lost logger.shared pic

Vigilant · Aug 23, 2013

skadill said:
One corner of a logging boneyard.

That has to be the saddest W9 carcass I have ever seen. Hard to believe it used to be someone's pride and joy.

dunwurken · Aug 28, 2013

Redwood Climber said:
I would strongly urge someone to check out the possibilities of getting this unusual carriage into a logging museum.....oh Mr. Trackloader.....you must know about this....yes???
This has to be a very rare piece of logging equipment. I wonder what his rate of pay was? Was he paid by the ton, or by scale? Scary thoughts....

Any more pics of it in action? Who logged with them? Interesting bit of history to be learned here.

OK, so the mystery deepens, Is this a Grabinsky Skyhook or a Skagit Skycar? On the BCFP thread there was discussion about the BCFP Port Renfrew mobile unloader and that it was pictured in Ken Druska's book Working in the woods. So I dug out my copy and sure enough on page 269 there it was but, also there was a picture of the Grabinsky Skyhook which I though this was. The machine pictured is the same concept but is a different machine. The book explains that the Grabinsky Skyhook had a man riding in it and the Skagit Skycar was radio controlled. It goes on to say the Grabinsky Skyhook was used in Squamish and around Harrison. The Skagit Skycar was used around Courtenay in the Cruickshank in 1960. My guess is that this machine is a Skagit Skycar radio controlled because of it's present location. Of course the other possibility is that there may have been others made. Next time I'm up that way I'll have a look. I thought there was an operators seat but that could have been the case anyway. The book also says that the Skycar had a 100hp GM diesel while the Skyhook was powered by a small engine. Didn't say gas or diesel or how small.

Jumbo · Aug 28, 2013

dunwurken said:
OK, so the mystery deepens, Is this a Grabinsky Skyhook or a Skagit Skycar? On the BCFP thread there was discussion about the BCFP Port Renfrew mobile unloader and that it was pictured in Ken Druska's book Working in the woods. So I dug out my copy and sure enough on page 269 there it was but, also there was a picture of the Grabinsky Skyhook which I though this was. The machine pictured is the same concept but is a different machine. The book explains that the Grabinsky Skyhook had a man riding in it and the Skagit Skycar was radio controlled. It goes on to say the Grabinsky Skyhook was used in Squamish and around Harrison. The Skagit Skycar was used around Courtenay in the Cruickshank in 1960. My guess is that this machine is a Skagit Skycar radio controlled because of it's present location. Of course the other possibility is that there may have been others made. Next time I'm up that way I'll have a look. I thought there was an operators seat but that could have been the case anyway. The book also says that the Skycar had a 100hp GM diesel while the Skyhook was powered by a small engine. Didn't say gas or diesel or how small.

I still believe this to be the Grabrinski Skyhook It matches the Pointer Willamette advertisement in post #240 which is the Grabrinski Skyhook. However, Skagit may have made a copy also since the Skagit Archives show a photo of one. (first link) The second link refers to a Skagit Skycar from 1965 with a picture of the Skagit Skycar, this looks a lot like the old Young Iron Bird a fairly compact carriage. (This is the second link.) The Grabinski Skyhook I already referenced in post #239.

But you are correct.. the mystery deepens.

I guess the links do not work. If you google Skagit Skycar you get a reference to the Eugene newspaper from 1960 which has a story about saving the yong trees. The other link was Sedro Woolley history which has a photo of Skagit's version of a Skyhook.

:Banghead

dunwurken · Aug 28, 2013

Jumbo said:
I still believe this to be the Grabrinski Skyhook It matches the Pointer Willamette advertisement in post #240 which is the Grabrinski Skyhook. However, Skagit may have made a copy also since the Skagit Archives show a photo of one. (first link) The second link refers to a Skagit Skycar from 1965 with a picture of the Skagit Skycar, this looks a lot like the old Young Iron Bird a fairly compact carriage. (This is the second link.) The Grabinski Skyhook I already referenced in post #239.

But you are correct.. the mystery deepens.

I guess one thing we know for sure is that there probably aren't many of either machine left laying around. I failed to go back far enough to see #239. One possibility is that in Druska's book has the wrong picture with the caption, what they are calling Skyhook is much different. I couldn't find anything in Google. The machine in Druska's book had four drums one on each corner. There was a reference that wheels could be put on to move it. I guess the best way to figure it out is to have a close look at it to see if there is a name plate on it.
If you can please try to post the links.

Jumbo · Aug 28, 2013

OK,
I think I got the photo and newspaper article attached.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7gBWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AOMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3884,4416361

In reference to post #255 and 256, in the grainy newspaper photo you can see a Skycar.

HD Mech · Aug 29, 2013

I have looked at this skycar last year and yes there is a spot for an operator. It is powered by a Chrysler flat six gas engine. I have seen a picture in a logging book or in the Campbell River museum of it in use, I just can't remember which.

dunwurken · Aug 29, 2013

Jumbo, what is the Young Iron Bird that you mentioned? Was it a carriage or something similar to the Skycar/Skyhook?

Jumbo · Aug 30, 2013

The Young Ironbird rode on a 1-1/2 inch skyline, it weighed 3500 pounds, had a drumline of 300 feet of 7/8. It was capable of yarding uphill or downhill and was capable of working with either a standing or live skyline. The haulback was what fed out the tongline.

I never saw it work; it always sat in the yard at Weyerhaeuser Snoqualmie. When I was there, the Woods Boss was pretty much a highlead only fellow with concessions for shotgun carriages.

It had been married to the last tree rigged slackline machine before I arrived. I was told that it had been used to log much of what was then the “30” line which had some pretty deep canyons and some long spans. When the tree rigged slackline machine was scrapped and replaced with a 046 Madill the Ironbird disappeared with it, I am not sure if it was sold or went to the scrapper’s torch with the slackline machine.

If you Google Carriages for Skyline by Donald Studlier March 1993, You can see this information along with just about any carriage you can think of from that era and before.

BC logging equipment left to rust

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