MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. Red & White Iron, Past and Present....

Sad news this time of year

My first encounter with H17, May 2008. Was totally amazed at how well kept it was. I got the story then about the driver who would get to keep it when the time came, and I am glad that promise has been kept. Maybe a bit unpopular here (I was never a MB guy, I worked for Pacific Logging) but I think it looks great in the yellow/white/green scheme. Looking forward to seeing it around town on those special days in whatever colour scheme it ends up in.

Trainman When I look at that picture ,it hits home just how big a job lies ahead They always said "Be careful of what you wish for". As for unpopular Not a chance We are all in this together You paid your dues just like the rest of is. Thanks for posting your pictures for all to see. I still have some to post that will maybe interest you. Do you by any chance have any pictures of Norm driving Pacific Logging's lowbed down in Messachie Lake. ? Use to cross paths with him from time to time We would compare 3408's and laugh.

HDX said:

Trainman When I look at that picture ,it hits home just how big a job lies ahead They always said "Be careful of what you wish for". As for unpopular Not a chance We are all in this together You paid your dues just like the rest of is. Thanks for posting your pictures for all to see. I still have some to post that will maybe interest you. Do you by any chance have any pictures of Norm driving Pacific Logging's lowbed down in Messachie Lake. ? Use to cross paths with him from time to time We would compare 3408's and laugh.

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HDX, glad you liked the picture. I worked on the forestry side of Pacific, out of Saanichton first then Qualicum Beach for the Mid Coast area (Rivers Inlet and Owikeno Lake camps) so did not get to know the production sides very well. Also did not take a lot of pictures back then on the job, about 80% of my slides are of trains. Right now I am posting what I have that are digital that I think people would be interested in seeing; the slides need to be scanned first....a big job.

Here is another that I think you actually took with my camera back in 2014:



Cheers, Tman

Trainman You are without a doubt a credit to our forum Thank you for taking the time to share these pictures

HDX,look closely at the last two pictures.The Bears look as if you swapped them from side to side. A small thing but causes a bit of curiosity.

Blk prince said:

HDX,look closely at the last two pictures.The Bears look as if you swapped them from side to side. A small thing but causes a bit of curiosity.

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The front bumpers are different too.

HDX said:

Trainman You are without a doubt a credit to our forum Thank you for taking the time to share these pictures

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thanks HDX, just trying as I can. Once Christmas break is over, will be slower posting from me.

It would appear that the bumper has had some cosmetic surgery and now looks as she did when she was younger and had some red in her cheeks....

Yes,HDX did that to put her back to original

Blkprince The front mudflaps are different. What I have done ever since Hayes Forest exited the scene is make my own flaps. When she went down to Duncan and was done their way all M&B stuff was turfed and all new HFS molded flaps installed. On Dec 21 2007 when we parked all the trucks at BR57 in the sand pit at the close of their contract We never knew what to expect. I had told all the drivers to ensure that they removed ALL their rigging and stuff because IF we ever saw them again all that stuff would be gone. Sure enough when IPL took us over we went down to retrieve the trucks and everything was gone off them EVEN THEIR MUDFLAPS were cut off I had to laugh because those guys looked so stupid standing beside a seacan with a pile of HFS mudflaps stacked up on a pallet ,and because one of our drivers did not remove his stuff it became a trophy for HFS guys Would not even lend him a set of cinch lines and bars to get his first load with. I could name the guys but that wouldn't do anything. So anyway I went to Nanaimo to the plastic shop and bought the white plastic I would need and brought it home cut them down and painted the bears on them. As time goes by the paint would get rubbed off and they would look awful so I always kept a spare set already made up to just bolt on. The reason for the different flaps was purely so I could date the pictures. I would write in the book I keep each year when they were put on for that reason. I was going to paint them as a proper left and right but threw that idea out the window. this way IF and when my clutch starts to slip somebody would be able to know. It is probably a goofy thing to do but I DID IT. Same as when I look at the steering axle I can date pictures in the last couple years by looking at the height between the steering tires and the bottom of the fenders. The fenders would always rub on the top of the tires on switchbacks UNTIL we got a new set of DENDOFF FRONT SPRINGS. All the Hayes trucks came with Dendoff springs when new and there was a reason They were top drawer and lasted We were getting new springs and when they were installed they would go into a negative arch before the truck even went out on the road. Contact was made with the other manufacturer about this and our supplier was told " I don't need anybody telling us how to make springs". OK no problem Just phone Dendoff They were more than happy to make a set and as soon as they were installed she sat right up the way she did when she was new. Those guys over at Dendoff are really good. I have seen where some guys are installing P16 front springs in their HDX's to keep the height up where it should be. 6-251 has a set in her and it looks really good Very neat installation. For the money it is Dendoff all the way!

HDX,good morning. Well first thing I will say is that nothing you do is goofy. I did not ever hear about equipment stored in a gravel pit. Was this stuff secured? It was a rough period for sure. People at the top doing this type of crap can no longer be found. Same at CZ. Biggest ***hole came from California. Did his best to gut the outfit then fled south. Oh oh,starting a rant. Have to stop now. So will you pick your push driver or a seniority issue? Contractors stuck with their off-highway trucks or gone to auction?

No it will be a grab a driver for the push truck as needed. No contract trucks out there other than Dave Mills and he hauls for probyn and the likes Nothing to do with us. There is a deal in place where one guy IS BUYING ALL the big trucks. The two remaining trucks H14 and H119 are part of the big sale but will not go till the duration of his contract is finished. then H14 will go with the lowbed she is pulling along with H119.

Steve I honestly thought after all these years you were a contractor/ broker with your own truck!(H17). I did not realize that all the effort and maintenance you put into H17 is something an employee would do for a company truck. Not to many people today give a hoot about a company truck, even the mechanics a lot of the time. I hope it came with a trailer!

ben46a Yes she has always been a company truck. It has always been a pride thing with her. She was always hand washed every Friday nite on my own time before I went home for the weekend when we were hauling down at the Cameron end that way you would find anything loose or broken. I could just jump in my pick up and drive home (about 6 klicks) now she is down in Sarita and it is pretty hard to do when all the drivers want to get going because you never know when they are going to move port alberni somewhere else. OH well wont have to worry about that anymore. And yes she came with a trailer I have one dolly stashed away so that is a start Ian Zimmerman has a couple of our dollies up north end of the island and I been trying to figure out how to go about putting an empty train together one more time and just leave it set up Would look pretty spiffy don't you think??? Thanks for the vote of confidence!!!! Happy New Year to All Steve

Happy New Years HDX....may it all sort it self out and be a good one...
I would also like to say Happy New years to everyone on the Logging Equipment forum...I have spent hours enjoying all that you have contributed and I have only touched the surface...

Cheers
Cory

Great new year wishes from here too, have enjoyed HEF immensely this year. Very best of luck to HDX with these changes going on with the trucks. Thanks to all that post pictures and info, thanks for sharing with us around the world that have same interest! Cheers! John

Happy New Year guys, hope everyone has a great prosperous 2016! Best site on the internet, with some of the best of the best people making it that way. Take care my friends!

Happy New Year to everyone! May 2016 be a happier and more prosperous year for you all.

Congratulation Steve with H17! I am looking forward to see orange and red parked next to each other and you can even mix it with yellow - 3 great trucks! I will never forget Summer 2000 when I met you and H17 for the first time. She was shiny and newly washed and she looked majestic the blue sky.
I must take the hat of for Lyle.
Sad news for the offhighway logging industry. I guess there are some contractors left but I wonder what will happen with WFP divisions in Port McNeill, Holberg and Gold River?
To all members of this great forum a Happy New Year!

Great ending to a great story, HDX. I cannot wait to see her back in the M&B red.

It's kind of sad as I always hoped to get back again to see the big trucks again as 2016 is my 10 year anniversary for getting to see and ride in H17. Thank you for being so willing to share with those of us who will never have the chance to drive or work with those great trucks.

I don't see having to drive a P-16 as such a bad thing. I'd say the trade off was worth it and I like them too.

This is a testament that dreams can come true. Lyle Newton is a man of his word and it is good to know that there are those who follow through with their promises.

Congratulations Steve, you earned it.

PS. Somebody needs to write a book on these trucks.