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Thunderbird Yarders, Loaders, and Etc from the Murray's in Eugene Oregon
- Thread starter Contract Logger
- Start date
JeremyM70
Senior Member
JeremyM70
Senior Member
JeremyM70
Senior Member
JeremyM70
Senior Member
JeremyM70
Senior Member
TorkelH
Senior Member
TorkelH
Senior Member
Stingray63
New Member
Jeremy, are those two Thunderbirds still for sale? Just curious. Thanks for your assistance.
Stingray
JeremyM70
Senior Member
I drove up to Pe Ell 2 weeks ago and I believe at least one of them was still there. Next time I do a yarder road trip I will stop up there and check. Should be in the next few weeks.
JeremyM70
Senior Member
Can someone explain the Thunderbird yarder model # scheme and how many models there were? I beleive the following is true:
TY is Thunderbird yarder = trailer mount
TMY is Thunderbird Mobile Yarder mobile = self propelled
TSY is Thunderbird Swing Yarder = always on tracks?
TTY is Thunderbird Telescoping Yarder
SLR = ?
the number afterwards must be related to the tower height I'm guessing?
It looks like some of the Madill yarders were T-Bird with red paint slapped on with even a similar model number?
Just looking for a breakdown like was done for the Madill thread with the different models and about when they came out and capabilities.
Thanks!
TY is Thunderbird yarder = trailer mount
TMY is Thunderbird Mobile Yarder mobile = self propelled
TSY is Thunderbird Swing Yarder = always on tracks?
TTY is Thunderbird Telescoping Yarder
SLR = ?
the number afterwards must be related to the tower height I'm guessing?
It looks like some of the Madill yarders were T-Bird with red paint slapped on with even a similar model number?
Just looking for a breakdown like was done for the Madill thread with the different models and about when they came out and capabilities.
Thanks!
JeremyM70
Senior Member
JeremyM70
Senior Member
Bump anyone???
trakloader
Senior Member
I, too, am waiting for someone to explain this!
Contract Logger!!! Where are you?? You're probably right about Madill, they copied a lot of things from Washington, etc. over the years.JeremyM70
Senior Member
I, too, am waiting for someone to explain this!
It's a shame when people let real life, family, work, etc get in the way of posting pictures and sharing enlightening information with their extended family at HEF
Anyway here's a couple pictures of a nice T-Bird shovel getting a LogMax processing or harvesting (?) head installed at their shops, next to a new Cat shovel in line for the next install. The LogMax shop is about a 1/2 mile away from my office in Vancouver.
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Contract Logger
Senior Member
The Thunderbird Number Designations
Sorry fellas, weather has been good here lately so I have been doing outside things as opposed to inside on this computer. Plus I cannot stand scanning even on a horrible stormy day, so when the sun is shining -scanning is completely out of the question, lol. I have also been having real trouble getting on here for the last month or so.
Anyway, in the late 70's the Madill 071 was gaining huge popularity so Ross Murray (owner of Ross Equipment and Danebo Parts in Eugene Ore) decided he wanted in on the action. The only real downfall of the Madill 071 was the tank, so the Ross boys designed a yarder and had Chapman build it- they called it a 'Thunderbird TMY-45' (Thunderbird Mobile Yarder, 45' was the height). It was available as a trailer mount, a 3-axle self-propelled, and Chapman hydraulic track. I never heard how many were built, but there were a bunch. The first ones were sold in late 1978/early 79. Tower was an A-frame design, not a tube.
I have attached pis of a TMY-45 Self-Propelled on 3-axle.
Ross Equipment was a Chapman dealer at the time and the 2 companies got along very well.
Next they designed a mid-sized swing yarder (122/123 sized) and had Pierce in Portland Ore build that. They called it a Thunderbird PSY-200. (PSY for Pierce Swing Yarder) I have no idea where the #200 comes from. It also was a really good machine, lots were built.
This went on and went well until 1984 when Skagit (in Sedro-Wolley) went broke.
Ross formed 'Ross Corporation' and aquired the drawings, machining equipment, and hired lots and lots of Skagit people.
Then in late 1984 they really hit the yarder market big time!
Sorry fellas, weather has been good here lately so I have been doing outside things as opposed to inside on this computer. Plus I cannot stand scanning even on a horrible stormy day, so when the sun is shining -scanning is completely out of the question, lol. I have also been having real trouble getting on here for the last month or so.
Anyway, in the late 70's the Madill 071 was gaining huge popularity so Ross Murray (owner of Ross Equipment and Danebo Parts in Eugene Ore) decided he wanted in on the action. The only real downfall of the Madill 071 was the tank, so the Ross boys designed a yarder and had Chapman build it- they called it a 'Thunderbird TMY-45' (Thunderbird Mobile Yarder, 45' was the height). It was available as a trailer mount, a 3-axle self-propelled, and Chapman hydraulic track. I never heard how many were built, but there were a bunch. The first ones were sold in late 1978/early 79. Tower was an A-frame design, not a tube.
I have attached pis of a TMY-45 Self-Propelled on 3-axle.
Ross Equipment was a Chapman dealer at the time and the 2 companies got along very well.
Next they designed a mid-sized swing yarder (122/123 sized) and had Pierce in Portland Ore build that. They called it a Thunderbird PSY-200. (PSY for Pierce Swing Yarder) I have no idea where the #200 comes from. It also was a really good machine, lots were built.
This went on and went well until 1984 when Skagit (in Sedro-Wolley) went broke.
Ross formed 'Ross Corporation' and aquired the drawings, machining equipment, and hired lots and lots of Skagit people.
Then in late 1984 they really hit the yarder market big time!
Attachments
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Contract Logger
Senior Member
Contract Logger
Senior Member
JeremyM70
Senior Member
He's back! I have a few pictures of this model too from a logging company right next to Willapa Logging in South Bend.
Attachments
Contract Logger
Senior Member
In 1984 Ross introduced 3 new yarder models that would sweep the market-
1. The TMY-50, an upgraded version of the TMY-45, put on 4-axle rubber.
2. The TY-90, sold as a hoist only-(to be mounted on customer's tower and carrier). TY just stood for 'Thunderbird Yarder' or 'Tower Yarder' . It was a Ross re-designed version of the Skagit 737- an 1 1/4" Skyline sized machine. GREAT yarder! They were mounted on Skagit, Washington, and Berger carriers, both trailers and self-propelled. Later (in 1988) Thunderbird did build 2 SP Carriers with 100' towers, and both are still working today-- more on those later.
3. Finally, the TSY-50, a re-designed and upgraded version of the Peirce-built PSY-200. (Later this would morph into being the TSY-255 machine).
These three models were built at the Ross facilities in Eugene Oregon and became the staples of the US logging industry for the next decade.
1. The TMY-50, an upgraded version of the TMY-45, put on 4-axle rubber.
2. The TY-90, sold as a hoist only-(to be mounted on customer's tower and carrier). TY just stood for 'Thunderbird Yarder' or 'Tower Yarder' . It was a Ross re-designed version of the Skagit 737- an 1 1/4" Skyline sized machine. GREAT yarder! They were mounted on Skagit, Washington, and Berger carriers, both trailers and self-propelled. Later (in 1988) Thunderbird did build 2 SP Carriers with 100' towers, and both are still working today-- more on those later.
3. Finally, the TSY-50, a re-designed and upgraded version of the Peirce-built PSY-200. (Later this would morph into being the TSY-255 machine).
These three models were built at the Ross facilities in Eugene Oregon and became the staples of the US logging industry for the next decade.
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