Looks like Koller have an electric winch hauler in the design portfolio. https://www.kollergmbh.com/en/yarder/kx-800e Probably inspired by the Swiss (Kuhn Group) electric dump truck that fully recharges on a down slope loaded haul. and something more mainstream. https://www.kollergmbh.com/en/yarder/kx304
We have finally come full circle Willamette built an electric skidder for Snoqualmie Falls Timber Company (Weyerhaeuser.) It was deemed to powerful as it regularly broke 2" skylines and pulled tail trees like clockwork. I believe it was operating in either the late teens or the early 20s.
Hopefully has more linepull then the ems harvestline, not very impressed with the lack of power with ours. Also looks like it needs a lot of room to setup also like our harvestline.
Of the two Harvestline machines in our area I am far from impressed. Basically pick over the whole Tree Farm looking for the couple settings where it would work well. I recently watched one rigged up on a setting it failed miserably with the grapples so they put a small Boman on it, it failed miserably with that and so they moved it out and rigged up a 172 and logged the unit. I think it is just a flavor of the week and EMS is banking off of guys drinking the Kool-Aid.
I'm not sure what anybody thinks they are going to yard with 5/8 & 1/2 line. People are thinking far too out of the box and need to get back to reality.
Yes , find something like an old Skagit SJ4 and bring it back to life. Im sure it would beat the pants off something like that. Sorry if im a bit biased to old iron ,but it works for me
I agree Tugger, hard to beat 40' chokers wrapped nubbin to nubbin!
Well put, the original grapple carriage design is a joke, the lack of pulling power is a joke, the fuel economy is a joke (35 liters per hour), the amount of lift it needs is unbelievable (deflection that would be more then enough to grapple with a swing yarder is not enough), the speed is slow, the interloc design is inefficient, no real brakes on the drums Etc.. Not a fan.
35 Madill 124s working in NZ close too the same tally for 071s. Many NZ loggers drink the Molson. Rumour of another new 124 due down under soon. Harvest line who?