Thunderbird Yarders, Loaders, and Etc from the Murray's in Eugene Oregon

[tree farmer]

Skagit mechanical interlock and drum reverser patent.[

Looking back on CL's post about the PSY200 and its tyes to Skagit and looking at photos of the Skagit GT-3 they are very similar. I can see the family heritage.

Does the PSY 200 have the reversing double mains and the mechanical interlocks?

 

[furpo]

Hope you are well soon Big Timber. If the build plate is still on the track frame is will be below the Rotec on the idler end of the track frame.

Yes the PSY200 has side by side main drums though differs from the Skagit in that it has a reverser shaft through the front of the machine which is driven off an additional set of gears on both main drums. On the main pulling drum side there are three gears in the train and on the slackpuller side there are two gears. The reverser shaft is split and has a bag type air clutch which is engaged only when reversing. This clutch has a greased bearing in it which is often overlooked. With the reversing clutch engaged the drums will spin in opposite directions because of the different number of gears in the train for each main drum.

The half hexagon gaurds in front of the main drums cover the reverser gear trains and on the left side the clutch as well. The end of the shaft can be seen sticking out the side of these gaurds in the brocures above.

 

[Big Creek]

wrecked PSY 200

This is the PSY200 that CL and I were talking about. Keep in mind that it was hauled home in pieces after it tipped over.

 

[lpnt65]

Seeing you all speaking of MADILLS did any of you know Kieth Turner He used to set up Madills in New Zealand ,a great old bloke he was at least 70 yrs and he used to fair slide up those towers he was fit man he was a great old bloke

 

[donkey doctor]

Seeing you all speaking of MADILLS did any of you know Kieth Turner He used to set up Madills in New Zealand ,a great old bloke he was at least 70 yrs and he used to fair slide up those towers he was fit man he was a great old bloke

Keith is in the same assisted living home as my mother in law. He is 103 or 104 and still doing great. Talked to him a few monthes ago and he's still sharp. He uses a cane now which he didn't use when he moved in about 2 years ago. He was service manager when I first started service work at Madills. After he retired he was on retainer to go overseas and do deliveries, start ups, etc. He and I were in Borneo together in 1980 delivering an 071. It was to replace an 046 which was far too big for the roads and landings and I beleive was sold on to Australia. Maybe you know where it got to. Your right about Keith he is a great guy and was a pleasure to work for. Regards D.D.

 

[Kiwi Logger]

The 046 that was diverted from the islands went to Les Walkden in Tasmania, its a trackmount I spoke to Les last year and he is still logging with it, I was over there a few years ago and saw it working and it was in real good shape has been well looked after.

 

[donkey doctor]

The 046 that was diverted from the islands went to Les Walkden in Tasmania, its a trackmount I spoke to Les last year and he is still logging with it, I was over there a few years ago and saw it working and it was in real good shape has been well looked after.

Thank you. Thats interesting to know. I'll pass that on to the service tech who was with Keith on it in Borneo And Keith too when I see him. Don't remember if either of them went to Aus. when it moved there. I know C.V. was down more than once on various machines. Regards D.D.

 

[Kiwi Logger]

When I was there maybe 7 -8 years ago I was looking at the TY90 that Les had which we brought, and he took me over to have a look at the 046 job, had a Cat in it from memory. He told me the story how he ended up with it that it had actually been dispatched from Madill and was on the boat to the islands when the order was cancelled. Les had some 009s working and Madill called him with the deal of the century as they needed to find someone to buy it in a hurry.

 

[donkey doctor]

When I was there maybe 7 -8 years ago I was looking at the TY90 that Les had which we brought, and he took me over to have a look at the 046 job, had a Cat in it from memory. He told me the story how he ended up with it that it had actually been dispatched from Madill and was on the boat to the islands when the order was cancelled. Les had some 009s working and Madill called him with the deal of the century as they needed to find someone to buy it in a hurry.

As I recall from what Keith & C.V. said it was shipped to Singapore, transshipped by barge to Miri in Borneo and was on the barge going up river to Long Miri when Keith & C.V. arrived in camp. I guess they took a look at the roads, landings, etc, also the size of the wood wasn't what was thought when machine was spec'ed out. I guess they measure a tree circumfrence at chest height rather than diameter to get size, eg. 10' to them is about 3' to us. Hence machine was a bit of overkill. Anyway machine was never offloaded but sent back to Singapore and a customer was quickly found in Aus. I guess it was a lot cheaper than bringing it back to Canada. Buyer probably got a good deal on shipping costs too. Regards D.D.

 

[Gyppo Logger]

Here is a photo of a Thunderbird B Series owned by Newell Logging of Plain Washington. Logging a patch of old growth pine in the Chiwawa River drainage using a MSP carriage. Not the best machine for this carriage since the yarder did not have interlocked drums. A good operator could make it work though. Photo was taken in the summer of 1978. Apologies for the bad scan. Loader is a Prentice 610 on a Pierce rubber tired carrier.

 

[lpnt65]

Thanks D.D. Keith and myself went up the Coramandel Penisula in NZ and set up 071 for Sutton Logging That trip he bought Betty his Wife She was cnfused because SUN came up in a different direction to her home state.also the water went down the sinkhole the oppositew direction They came to our home for a meal so Bosss said get some good wine and look after Keith, So i am not a wine drinker , well What kind of wine should I get so one of our office girls suggested a sparkling white wine , Which i then went bought 6 Bottles of this stuff, WELL man alive did keith like it took 3cartons back to his home state AS well as Sharing 6 b ottles with us at the meal. HE is a fine man WE were always delighted to see him when he came to New zealand

 

[Roadswitcher]

While on the subject of yarders into S E Asia, wonder what became of the two CAT 3408 powered TMY 70's that went to Keystone in Indonesia - they were featured being loaded on to a ship, fully dressed, on Ross Corp promotional video - feedback from T/Bird early on was that they were mainly parked due to absence of any yarding skills out there.

 

[J&R_INC.]

Tsy 155 #s-5117

We finally got her home we're just finishing it up. If the rain would stop we could be working. Here are a few pics of the finished totally rebuilt cab. Wiring, plumbing, everything.
1.view from doorway
2.new guages,switches,etc
3.redone R.H. consol
4. rebiult haulback shaft and clutch,

 

[J&R_INC.]

Tsy 155 #s-5117

One more

 

[dirty4fun]

Wow very nice looking will take a few days to get used to where everything is now. Looks a little back heavy till you get it all put back together. Hope she is everything had a had hoped for and more. Good luck and a few more pictures at work would always be welcome, you know!

 

[J&R_INC.]

Wow very nice looking will take a few days to get used to where everything is now. Looks a little back heavy till you get it all put back together. Hope she is everything had a had hoped for and more. Good luck and a few more pictures at work would always be welcome, you know!

So far everything has worked perfectly. We totally rewired the entire machine. We built all of the new harnesses with "first cabin" products, Heavy duty silicone wire, Deutch connectors, and asphalted loom. Ill try to get some pics posted of the vavlve door under the cab. It turned out as well as the cab did. We changed all of the plumbing over to Parker "push-lock", great stuff.

 

[Scott S]

Hi new here, great forestry site!

I am the current owner of TSY 255 sn 5119 I bought from the Coos Bay division of Weyerhaeuser 4 years ago. How many TSY 255's were built, anyone know? I am looking for a 355 working in the local area, anyone know of one for sale?

 

[jjb]

TY80 and TY90 alongside the road for sale south of Chehalis, WA

do you by any chance have the contact info for these yarders or any others for sale?

 

[JustLogIt]

Hi new here, great forestry site!

I am the current owner of TSY 255 sn 5119 I bought from the Coos Bay division of Weyerhaeuser 4 years ago. How many TSY 255's were built, anyone know? I am looking for a 355 working in the local area, anyone know of one for sale?

You should get ahold of Mike or Eric Crowley @ Crowley Equipment in Eugene. They will be able to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Thunderbirds yarders, how many were built, who has them, etc..

 

[J&R_INC.]

Tsy 155 #s-5117

Here are a few more pics
1. rewired and plumbed valve door
2. New cooling package including charge air cooler
3. new air cleaner placement and rebuilt trans in background
4. new Cummins QSM11

Also I was looking through CL's pics on the gallery website and there is a couple of pics of this machine. One on a landing with a TB stroker and one an a low bed I believe in his personal loader pics.
It really is a small industry!!!