I have about 140 pictures of Saunders Hauling Contractors. Most are from Kitamat a couple from Holberg, Is there a topic for them I have been unable to find. Some Hayes Kenworth and a few Pacific trucks.
Saunders material seems to be scattered amongst the threads of the various truck manufacturers, with the Kenworth thread having a lot of material. To me, they seem a significant enough presence in logging to merit their own thread.
I also have pics of off highway and highway trucks at Kitimat. Lots of friends drove for Saunders here in 60's,70's and 80's. They would have pics as well. Would love to see your pics. Please start a thread. I could probably name a few of the drivers if they are in your photos as well as locations. I would try and scan my photos and get them on to the thread as well. Cheers Lowbed Driver
Roy Saunders Hauling Nanaimo, Class of 63 64 Nanaimo Vocational Training school. Mr. Saunders brought his first new truck to the school to let the class see it as they were servicing his other trucks. My friend Roy is in the picture and has names of students but is away for a month. The newspaper story about the class and truck. Sales man from M.L. Brown came to the school often looking to hire future mechanics.
These 2 pictures are from Lepas Manitoba 1973, they took the bunks off the trailers and trucks, then used large I beams to make a flat deck and wood was cut to 16 ft lengths. A lot of tooth picks to a load.
850 Kenworth, R.W. Saunders Hauling Holberg Vancouver Island.
A future truck driver and his dog.
This from the Holberg area. This are from the Kitimat job.
I never realized how many trucks Saunders had. I only saw some of there highway trucks and a few pictures of the off highway Kenworth's.
I heard that Saunders placed the largest single order that Hayes ever received 24 trucks but I am unable to know if it is correct. Also on the Kitimat job they hauled 24 hrs a day 5 days a week.
When I was in Campbell River this May dropped the wife off at the mail and found 6 Saunder trucks parked, only took 4 pictures as the others were hard to get pictures off and I was running out of time:beatsme
I think they ordered 19 trucks one time if memory serves me right. I know a lot of guys who were not truck drivers that drove off highway. Any body that was willing to work weekends would eventually get to drive some trucks to the dump or mill on Sat/Sun while the regular drivers took time off. Not so much for Saunders but the big companies that owned their own trucks could get anyone they wanted to drive. Crown Zellerbach was in town back then and so were a number off other contractors as well. We had 2 A-frames at Minnette Bay one was known as Crown Z and the other M&B. We also had a mill here from 68-80ish. We had welders come to work for us in 75-76 and they spent their first 3 years working for us and never spent a day in the shop, mostly welding at night when things were shut down/parked. I also know painter who would go out on weekends and paint trucks(weather permitting) right where they sat on the side of the road. Usually loaded. Imagine parking your truck on Friday and Monday it has new paint?!. Those were the days I guess. We will never see logging like that again... Cheers L.D.
I am trying to go through in order so I do not get the same one a couple of times but looks like the were some drivers that were a little hard on paint if you know what I mean. But if you run non stop troubles will happen in the early morning hrs.
Are all the pics you have of off highway? They did have a large fleet of highway trucks here as well. Lots of KW LW 900/924 and W900's, some Mack's, some Western Stars....
Yes mine are all off highway, and from the 1970's, post any pictures you have . I think they at one time was a very large hauling company of logs in B.C.
R.W.Saunders Logging Truck video clips http://youtu.be/viHlXs1k4o0 http://youtu.be/msq5lqSzD1k http://youtu.be/Tg3nGZH2x2c http://youtu.be/P2vkiK3LNBM http://youtu.be/vAAJzovcQUY Videos taken by friend Marcel Levesque-Faller in the late 80's early 90's. Sewell Inlet-Queen Charlotte Islands and Holberg,Vancouver Island.
Thanks for posting the video's
Looks like K-36 is almost new, the loader man?? checking the air near tires??? The start of a ugly load, must be clean up. Winter and moving chain up time.
Wow! Those last two pics of moving in winter really show what those trucks are. The lowboy tractor looks like a toyota pickup.
Kenworth thread posts #521 and #524 are pics of at least some of these same trucks that I took at Duke Point early last year. They had been sitting there for a long time so now we know where they went. d.d.
Looks like they are moving a D-7 and Boom boat in the same load.
K-36 parked loaded with small wood. Some of the trucks parked at the shop.
even look good with small wood on them
A few more. Some equipment from the logging crew, looks like a D-7 with a share on the C frame.
At the log dump. Log bundles in the water, Feb. 7. 1971
Skidder, Cats and Loaders HDX K-40
Wow!! Awesome pictures. I really like the Cat and boom boat on the log truck. Thanks again! Regards, CD
Some days they were a little hard on paint.
Here is truck K-36 when it was almost new. K-37 when it was a working truck back in the day. This truck is restored like new and will be in the truck show at Duncan this weekend, July 12 and 13.
HDX Hayes K 47 with a good sized load. I am sure they found a soft spot on a road and it was a muddy mess every where.
Sorry I do not know the location of where R.W. Saunders had there shop, Kemano?? or Kitimat??
They were in Kitimat. Nice shop only a few minutes walk from where I am typing this. The pics in post #32 are not of Kitimat shop. The kitimat shop is right up against a mountain that is not in the photo. I also know roughly where their Kemano shop would have been and same thing, mountains all around. Might be that they had a small maintenance shop on the Tahtsa lake end which would explain the interior size tree in the back ground. Really enjoy this thread. Cheers L.D.
lowbed driver, thanks for the help learn something every day here on the forum. Hank R
No problem. Help as much as I can. Love this thread since it deals with some stuff right in my back yard. If you have google earth, go on it and look at Kitimat. As you zoom in picture icons start to show up. North of town you will come across one that is named Weedeene 1977 or similar. It shows one of Saunders trucks right after it crossed the Little Weedene River Bridge. Do not know if you are allowed to use the pic and post it on this sight but worth a look.
Thanks for the help, will have to look into it a bit more. Off to Vancouver for a couple of days so will check it out Thursday. I would think there should be lots of Saunders Hauling pictures out there as they had a lot of trucks in the last 40 or so years. Hank R
beleave it at Andrew bay on ootsa lake
Looks like Kemano pic, remember my friend Mike Paisley telling me that they (Saunders) had a tuff time getting tires, had mostly bias ply and the porcupines were plentiful up there and that the quills would work through the bias tires and have a flat. When they got the Michelin radials on the steers the quills couldn't get through the steel belts, so everyone would aim for the porcupine and nail him with the fronts to save the rears. He had a couple photo albums of the Kemano haul and when they went from Hayes to Kenworth, he drove the K54 truck that was rigged with hydraulics for pulling the lowbed. hope you have more Hank, great stuff.
Lowbed driver send me 14 more pictures just scanned to my computer will post after Gran kids leave me some time.
I received these pictures from lowbed driver, Thanks.
Haven't seen many R-700s in Canadian photos. They seemed to be a little more common in Washington State back then.
There were a few MACK R-700's around the lower end of Vancouver Island in the early 1970's , one fellow that had a couple as gravel trucks and one that had several logging trucks liked the truck but didn't get the support they needed from the MACK dealership , so they moved to another brand of truck.
Mack really screwed the pooch when they went from the Quadruplex to that stinking abomination called a 5-speed Maxitorque. I strongly suspect that a few log truck drivers may have lost their lives because of it when they had to stop for whatever reason going loaded up a grade, and could not get rolling forward again due to the lack of a low enough gear. The 5 speeds were quite common in the woods of North carolina back then, and did fairly well on flat terrain. Even so, I saw a few driveshafts snapped from trying to get rolling loaded in soft ground or muck.
Also lack of dealers here in B.C. did not help their sales and service. Drove a Mack in the 1970's dealers were Cranbrook, Kamloops, Prince George and Vancouver area. Not sure about the Island.
So..... how did you like the 5-speed Maxitorque in the hills?
I was not really impressed with the Mack truck motor and transmission and I just were not ment for each other. I was used to Cummins with 13 speed or 5 & 4, so changes were not easy. Plus that was 35 years ago.
I prefer a 13 speed on the highway, or an 18 speed or preferably a 5X4 in terrain like yours. And a Jake, of course.
I do not know if that Mack in the photo is the one in the following story. They(Saunders) had a guy named LEO. He always drove a KW both highway/off highway. Guess his truck was in the shop,so off he goes in the Mack. Gets loaded and truck will not move. Both he and the second loader (good friend of mine,so I know this story is true) are at the trailer. Leo reaches in and pushes a button of some sort and away goes the truck. Leo chasing it. One of the other drivers(also a good friend) retold this story to me as well as he was hauling from the same loader. I guess Leo is best described as nearly as wide as he is tall. The second loader seen the truck go over a rise in the road and old Leo stopping on the rise and throwing his arm in the air and stops chasing. Truck stayed on road for some distance and jumped a bank and landed on the rigging crews crummy(no one in it). Leo gets on radio and call shop telling them his truck needs to go into the shop. They ask for a rough idea of how long it will need to be in shop. He says a day or two. That truck was in the shop for 6 weeks of a complete rebuild. I laughed when my two buddies each told me this story as they were both involved. Cheers L.D.
Great to remember stories from years ago. I am sure it is funny now but 20 years ago not so:drinkup
Got another one. Same second loader, so again I know its true. Off highway shows up to get loaded late in the day (I believe it was a Hayes and they were running mostly KW's). Montreal and Boston in the playoffs (so this puts it at late 70's). The second loader and loader operator want to get to the local watering hole to watch the game which would have started at 4:30 our time. They throw a load on and last second my buddy remembers to pull the pin releasing the compensator (second loaders job) get in their pick up and get ahead of the slow moving truck. Next morning they get called into the office for a bit of a dressing down. I guess in their haste, my buddy pulled the wrong pin and pulled the pin releasing the hitch all together. Driver crawled down the mountain side and trailer followed nicely. On the better roads of the valley bottoms he pick up a bit of speed and get to a large dip in the road and puts his foot into it to climb up the other side. Bang, looks in rear view and all he sees is logs coming his way and they are cartwheeling past him in the ditch. Second loader and operator had to go to crash site, walk all the way to their machine and walk it out to the truck. pick load apart, get trailer out of one ditch, truck out of the other and reload. My buddy said they had one long day before they had the machine back at the landing. That was the drivers last off-highway load. He only drove highway after that before retiring a few years later. I guess the K/W and the Hayes had different compensator pin locations as well as a pin that releases it all together. On one it was vertical and other horizontal and he just pulled the wrong pin releasing the whole shebang.
Hey lowbed driver have you got your pictures back yet in the mail?? Might have pictures of that little opps, or another one.
Got pics back but they were all I had. Still hoping to get my buddy to give me some I know he should have. Might justr call him this weekend. Cheers L.D.
I was surprized when I seen that R.W. Saunders had a Western Star. Looks like it fell of the road.
Please tell me the driver walked away from that roll in #529.
Yes he did. Buddy of mine, broke me in on low beds. Running back to town to catch 'the boys' and have an end of week beverage (Friday afternoon). Hit ice. Had her back under control 2-3 times before the last go around, into ditch and I believe most of the damage was done by a stump that the truck rolled onto. I have a picture of him at the scene (picture was taken Saturday Morning) looking on as wreckers pulled her out of ditch.
Did it all buff out pretty well?
There are days when the job is just hard on paint. Stuff always happens, but as long as one can limp away is the main thing
I believe they wrote it off as a loss...
I received these pictures from my friend Mike, he was on a holiday to Vancouver Island July 1998. Mac-Blo dry sort in Chemainus.
Good morning Hank. Seeing pictures in morning is better than reading paper in my mind
Thanks it feels good to make someone smile every day. If any one has any Saunders pictures please help me out here. Or PM me and I will post your pictures for you and return your pictures. Thanks Hank
Ex Saunders KW unit #60. I think Olsen Group is the new owner. Summer 2014
Ex Saunders KW unit #56. I think Olsen Group is the new owner. Summer 2014
There were 4 Saunders, trucks there in May are they still all there?? Only got pictures of 3 one was parked in a bad spot and there was a huge mud puddle where I needed to be for a picture.
I only saw those 2. The only truck in their yard was the ex M&B KW they use as lowbed tractor.
2 old Saunders Hayes HDX that have seen better days. I guess they will be scrapped. Summer 2014
More of 2 old Saunders Hayes HDX that have seen better days. I guess they will be scrapped. Summer 2014
Thanks for finding and getting pictures, Saunders had a lot of trucks back in the day just do not know where they all went.
Looks like the bridge cool of been a foot wider or so??
Good job Hank,I would like to know what that cab was for mounted on the brow log. At first I thought it was hook to the spreader bar but second look shows that it is anchored in place and someone is sitting in the cab. Ok boys,put on your thinking caps. Lol
I am thinking remote control of the dump machine,gives the operator a better view of the water side of things
All the A-frames I have been around the operator cab was at the base of the A-frame. How a guy would ever know where the boom boats were (especially with an off highway load) is a guess. I imagine they had radios and could let the operator know, but still, best is to do what is shown and have the cab between the load and the water for safety. Cheers L.D.
69hayes,very good,never thought of that. lowbed driver,all my years of hauling on the Island I have never come across this. We had a dump operator and a handi-man and always watched for boom boat to be in the clear. Operator was in a shack right beside the drums. Great,saw something new.
Hello Hank,on the Hayes thread we talked a little about B Grey. Has he said which Saunders unit he drove? Probably more than one. Does he have a collection of pictures?
These are his collection of pictures that I am posting, as he does not know how. he drove several trucks. lowbed driver also sent me pictures which I have posted for him as well and since returned to him. Post 41 to 45 are the pictures I received from lowbed driver. If any one has Saunders pictures and needs some one to scan and post PM me and I will do it for them and return pictures ASAP. Thanks Hank R
Great pictures Hank thanks for gathering them and posting them .
Up and coming truck driver, out with Dad.
talk to bob today drove # 55 k w # 6 ,7 ,8,pacific # 32 . 36 and 40 h d x over his time with saunders
This is one of the trucks that R/W. Grey drove, and his wife and children standing for a new truck photo. And my favorite photo with super dog.
Here are a couple of Saunders Hauling highway KW's. taken in 1998.
This is one or the trucks that R.W. Grey drove.
Good morning Hank,nice start to the day.
I have found out that the Saunders family still lives in the Nanaimo area, so next trip to the island I will see if there is a Ken Saunders there. If any one know how to contact them for more pictures let me know. Thanks Hank
Thanks to Camptramp, I have made contact with one member of the Saunders family and with a bit of luck should be able to get some more pictures. Or at least a bit of the Saunders Hauling history. Have to make more calls today.
Nice one Hank, was wondering if a photo of my friend Mike Paisley would show up. He is the tall one in front of K54 (bit blury but can tell its him). Thanks, great thread going here.
Greatwestcam does your friend Mike have any pictures he wants to share. These pictures are from R.W. (Bobbie) Grey many thanks to him for getting me these for all to see.
Sorry Hank he passed away some years ago, he had a few photo albums that I remember him showing me, have no idea who would have them now.
Some days one just does not make any money, just one of those days here.
Bob James picture , Roy Saunders Hauling #7, Wakeman Sound 1962 - 63
Camptramp with this being #7 and I had a picture of #5 any guess as to if a #6 truck will show up. Keep out fingers crossed I guess.
Camtramp with truck #5 at the beginning, and your post #111 with #7 and my #8 we have some of the first of many trucks the Saunders Hauling had. Just looked and I had a picture of # 7 on page 1 also.
I'm not sure if they are same truck , bumper ,fenders and water tanks are different.
This is the last of my Saunders pictures, hope some one might have more.
Thanks very much Hank. I have really enjoyed all of them.
Yes thank you Hank for sharing these with us, they bring back a lot of memories of the stories that Mike told me of the Kemano haul. It must have been an interesting place to work at that time.
Thanks, Camptramp gave me a # to call and will called tonight so maybe there will be some photo's, also I have contacted Glen Saunders and he is looking for some also. It seems like the 90's were hard on may contractors and just trying to keep the names alive.
A friend of a friend sent me this picture this afternoon. 6 HDX Hayes trucks waiting at Andrew Bay to dump, I am trying to find out more information. Help needed please.
HDX can probably tell us the exact date and time of the photo, the drivers'names, their family heritage, and where each truck is now.
This is the truck barge that ran in MacBlo's Kennedy Lake Division in Clayoquot until we were shut down. Rankin Cove to Berryman across Tofino Inlet. Saunders trucks on the barge. Boddings barge.
Rayb, post 134, what a beautiful looking day. Possibly a hot one, but what a calm looking shot. Nice one.
Rayb hope you can find more pictures, Thanks. Hank R
Still trying to get more pictures for this topic any one else with some please. Thanks Hank R
Doing the same here Hank. Lots of promises but no results.
Thanks to Hank R in the Hayes trucks thread #2363, I now know that K51 in the photo is a Saunders truck. It naturally belongs on this Saunders thread with all the other great photos. I didn't realize that Roy Saunders and Sons had so much rolling stock. I was up in Terrace this week at the Skeena Sawmill operation and while in their boardroom noticed a picture on the wall of a classy looking Saunders HDX.
Kw 900 K W 900 here, I too worked for Roy Saunders Hauling in Kitimat B C. I was there in the 80's when Dave Thicket and Ernie Hadley were running the hauling at the shop in Kitimat. When I left B C the shop had moved to Terrace to the shop they have today. I as well have a bunch of pictures from Kitimat in the yard and along the road. I worked with Walt W, Ron C, john J, Bob C, Joe M, Owen E, Darrel L, Jack L, Fred B, and a lot of other guys. not sure if any of you guys out there know or remember me but if you were in Kitimat at that time 1980- 1986 I was also there. not too good on computers but I do have some stories and pictures.
Yes please add your pictures, I got most of these from a friend that knows R.W. Gray, I am sure every one will like to see them.
K W 900 yes I can send the pictures as soon as I get someone in here that can figure out how I do that, I don,t know how to I'm a truck driver not a computer wiz that's for sure....Old School lol. I think it was 1985 when Saunders yard closed in Kitimat and moved to Terrace. I had to drive from Kitimat like the rest at around 3;oo am to Terrace get my 84 KW900 and drive back to Kitimat river and go in to load. At that time Walt Wheitman was our lowbed driver when we needed one. Dave thicket had left the Saunders group a few years before that and Ernie Hadley who had worked with Roy Saunders when they were young and starting to get busy was running the office. I had met Ken and Glenn Saunders in Kitimat some years before that time. Roy was a good man and a great boss. I came into the shop one night and my car wouldn't start. It was late and Roy was at the shop and he came out and said you have had a long day take my car and go home. well it ended up I got a battery charger and got it going and went home. I though it showed the measure of the man because he was going to give me his car to go home for the night. I left Saunders in July of 1986 and it was hard to park my Kenworth and walk away for the last time, it gets in your blood guys I loved logging. Before that I hauled lumber out of northern Quebec into Ohio and Michigan and Ontario.Sorry I'm a windbag too many years on the C B and two way radio. will send more later and some pictures when I get help to do that, happy trails guys.
K W 900. Doing a fine job. Every bit of history is good. Do not be shy. Bp
K W 900 E-mail sent I may be able to help you.
K W 900 here I remember this western star being in kitimat. Jack Lavale drove it for a while when I was there. The truck you see in the background the gold and white one I saw working with us too but I can't remember who drove it. I was going to say Owen Evans but he drove an off road. Sorry to see it got smashed up but Ernie used to say hazzards of the industry when one rolled over. My Kenworth was wrote off six months after I left Saunders when Jack and Fred Blocksige met on a corner and fred was loaded, he was in bad shape for a long time after that. I found out when Darrell Lowes sent me the picture of my old Kenworth all smashed up and still have that picture as well. Saunders hauled for Friell Lake logging and I went there a lot. Butch loaded trucks there for Joe Mc Laughlin and did a good job loading us fast. Eurocan had Ted and Wayn Moon as loader operaters on the Erie track loaders. I was loading under Ted Moons loader when I herd the space shuddel blew up in Florida that day. We both got in my truck amd listened to the news report about it that day. I did load under these guys out Hersh creek road for a long time over the years I was there. Not sure what's at Saunders shop in Kitimat now if it"s empty or not. I do know that in the 80's when I was there it was boomimg till they moved to Terrace. But we were all booming in the 80's till things slowed down, and not sure how things are now in logging out there.
Sadly Jack Lavalle passed away early this year.Met him,as a resident in the neighborhood here,years back,where we both live.He had stories of the Saunders hauls in Kitimat,I was told from him.He drove for Amix Steel more recently in his career
K W 900 Sorry to hear Jack passed away.He was with Saunders in Kitimat all the time I was there and Brenda his wife worked in the office for Eurocan I think then. There may be a few more guys gone as well now not sure it's been a while. crazy how time goes by so fast seems like yesterday we were all out there working. You may know some of these guys that were at the Kitimat yard I worked with. Walt Weitman, Ron Campbell, Ernie Waters, Rodger Wilson, Derral Lowes, Fred Blocksige, John Johnson, Stew Hassla, Joe Mallio, Owen Evens, Bob Chase, Frances Boudreau, John Weibe, Glenn Mc Nab, Leo Lashwa '' not sure how you spell that'' and he was loud when he talked Glenn Trumble who has also passed away about 12 years ago now and Reg not sure of his last name he was french, and left after a bit to go down by Hazelton to work. but I did go to work for Houston Forest Products one winter about 120 miles back in the bush by lake Tatsa and Wisterea and ran into Reg out there again. A young guy worked in our shop in Kitimat his name was Joe not sure of the last name he did all our repaires, and Pat the tire man changed tires for us when we had a flat. So some of the guys may know where these guys are now.
Sure good to see some interest in the Saunders thread here, they were a huge player in the log hauling at one time.
Kw 900 I was looking for some imfo on Roy Saunders Hauling cause it's been a while since I was out there. That's when I came onto this site and was glad to see it. But I'm not sure how many other guys know the site is here, I didn't know about it. I think a huge amount of guys are still around we all worked with would love to see this site and also have lots to add to the posts and pictures as well..... just sayin guiys. Not sure how you could let them know about it, send out letters to the IWA members listed under Saunders so they will know it is right here not sure.
I think Ernie Hadley and his wife Sue were in Camano at the Saunders yard working when I showed up in Kitimat. Sue did some cooking and housecleaning down there then when Ernie ran the shop. They both came to Kitimat when Camano wound down at the end and Ernie worked with Dave Thickit in Saunders office in Kitimat in 1980. Dave thickit left to go back down south after that closer to where he came from and told me he was wanting to buy his own log truck and go hauling logs in southern B C. I'm not sure if he did go do that for sure I never herd about what he did after he left Kitinat. Ernie was at Saunders and was their till I left in 1986 he drove back and forth to the Terrace yard.
K W 900 here I'm not sure Hank if you got pictures from Ken or Glenn Saunders or not but I have this in my file where you might get hold of them not sure. R W Saunders & son Ltd. 2231 Mccullough Rd. Nanaimo British Columbia. V9S 4M7 Canada. the phone number then was 1- 250-751-0055. hope that helps you. my pictures will be on soon I have help coming soon to get them up on this site if all goes well.
K W 900, I got my pictures from Bob Gray. I did talk to Glenn several times and he does not have pictures and talked to his sister as well. Part of the problem is he does not know me so he may not of been so welcome with my wish for pictures. Oh well I did my best and am glad you are here.
KW 900 I see it may be that Ken and Glenn were in the office and not out hauling in the trucks so they wouldn't have them I guess. I always saw them around the shop never out in the bush in Kitimat. You tried your best it's all you can do so don't feel bad I think the only pictures that they may have is in the office, ones Roy had taken and they are hanging on the wall. there must be lots around the drivers took over the years at Saunders. I will get mine up soon as my daughter can get down here to help do it she knows how. So keep the faith Hank all is not lost yet lol.
K W 900 I have been looking on the computer at logging and have found some good ones in B C. one is on www.extreme trucking on Vancouver Island.com. There are a few on that u Tube site some trucks are the Saunders colour not sure if it is there trucks or not.
K W 900 sorry but I can not get that link to work, have you found all you pictures and getting ready to post them for us to see..
K W 900 ya my daughter is going to get here soon I hope to put my pictures on for the guys to see. She is a paramedic and is very busy but she will get here before long Hank, sorry it is taking so long. sorry you didn't get that video on logging on Vancouver Island. ' it is in there someplace. I maybe should write this stuff down Ha Ha. My mind is gone '' the clutch is slipping the wireing is burnt comes with age lol.
I missed a shift but caught it in the basement and found the video. We need the paramedic to breath some life into the Saunders pages.
K W 900 Ya you were almost stopped and going backwards before you got it in the grandma gear and dug out drive shaft ringing and everything Ha Ha. Ya this site needs some guys from the Saunders group to tell their tall tails of on the road again or mountain in this case. I worked with a guy in Kitimat in 1984 and one day he tripped the cable that holds the stakes up on one side and for some reason he walked around to where the logs dump off. Well the logs came off and drove him into the ground and landed on top of him. they had to dig him out right away with the loader and he was ok believe it or not. it turned out that the mud was so soft and deep in the yard it pushed in down in the mud. We had to dig the mud out of his nose so he could breath but he was ok nothing wrong with him. He was so lucky really, but he was shaking from it,hope you liked the video Hank.
Hi Hank. K W 900 This is my new 1984 Kenworth when I got it, when I was working for Saunders. It was brand new in this picture. I went to Prince George and picked it up. I have more picture coming... These pictures where taken in Kitimat, BC.
K W 900 this is my truck six weeks after I left Saunders. Darrell Lowes sent this to me after the accident. Fred B and Jack L met on a corner and smashed and went off the road. I'm not sure Hank but truck # 529 you put up smashed up may of been the other truck that hit my old Kenworth they were both Saunders trucks.
Some of them boys up there were hard on paint. post # 145
Highway truck KW,took these 4 years ago
K W 900 this picture was taken in 1982 in front of the Saunders shop in the yard. One of the many off road trucks that were there when I was working there. The yard was full of logging trucks at that time we were busy every day ...long days too. We had a large number of Hayes trucks and Kenworth trucks in the yard then.
Kw900 I sure wish trucks were made today that looked as good as that last one you've posted. Not covered in frills and plastic curves, just a solid looking machine. Thanks for posting. John
K W 900 did you get a truck # from the one with you standing beside??? How many truck were there when it was full speed ahead.
More pictures in my file working on getting them ready to post.
K W 900 The highway truck was my new one and I had it till I left Saunders. the number of that one was #532. The off road truck I can"t remember the number of it. you couldn"t haul logs fast enough in 1980 things were booming in logging.
K W 900 Just wondered if any of the guys worked up in Kitimat in the early 80"s when I was there. Not sure if you know of any but maybe you do. Hope to get talking to someone from that time I was there. Blk Prince sounds like you may of been up there at some point. I worked with guys from all over B C they came and went all the time.
KW 900, hello sir. I have followed your posts. I was not up north and never worked for the Saunders group. My good friend A Schwemler was in Kemano pulling "doubles". I did all my driving on Van Isl. couple other fellows were there also,Marty Dunn and fellow know as Duart. Maybe these are in your name bank. My father-in-law was Bill Brown from Duncan. He worked for Saunders in Kelsey Bay driving chunk truck and had ground man name of Owen Evans and another fellow name of Doug Lloyd. Sad but the last three are no longer with us. Bp
K W 900 Ok I worked with Owen Evans in Kitimat for Saunders. this picture is of Owen"s off road when it hit an ice patch on a switchback and slid over the edge with a load on and rolled over. He got a bump on the head and was ok, his wife said just to add it to all the other bumps he had up there lol. Owen retired when I was working for Saunders but was always around the shop, I guess he missed the good company and the guys we were always doing something to make him laugh at us. He had a good retirement till I left and I think he was about 68 then but came to the shop and talked to Ernie Hadley and have a coffee he would be there days when I stopped at the shop for a repair and we would sit and talk while my truck was being fixed. "" Good memories""
K W 900 this is another picture of Owen Evans off road the day it rolled over. He said when it rolled he hit the floor and waited till things quit rockin lol.
K W 900 I know we had a few roll overs but I never got to most of them to take pictures. Some of the places they loaded you at they pulled you up with a straw line held you there and loaded you up and cut you loose. Well when they cut you loose man you were going down the hill as soon as you were off that straw line, we called it a controlled skid going down till you got it to where it got traction and would slow down on it"s own . "" crazy but fun"" this is me and Ernie Waters in the picture.
Great pictures and story to go along. Thanks for sharing.
529 was driven by my buddy John Johnson that day. He hit ice and off the road he went. Just talked to Darrell Lowes an hour ago, he is still around. I know a lot of the other guys you mentioned as well in an earlier post.
K W 900 Hey lowbed driver you can tell John Johnson and Derrall Lowes that Rodger Wilson is still around ha ha. I am retired and have my own Peterbuilt still in the driveway. Not Driving now just doing truck shows to see all the guys. Ernie Waters is about an hour away and still driving at 68 haulin gravel with a gravel train. They will remember us I"m sure nightmares are hard to forget lol. Nice of you to let me know about the guys thank you.
Hi lowbed driver, the light bulb came on last night thinking about what you said. I may of been there when John Johnson rolled the 529 truck. there were two western star trucks Jack Lavall had one and John had the other. I remember John calling on the radio for help. he was coming back from Tarrace and hit snow and slush around Lake Else and rolled into the swamp. His arm was pinned between the door post and the steering wheel and he couldn"t get out. A few minutes later he called and said hurry boys she"s sinking in the swamp the water is coming in. I never saw the truck only the wheels facing the road nobody was there when I went by. I got to the Saunders shop and there was John and Ernie Hadley talking in the office. Well John saw me and said did you here about my near death experience in the swamp. There he was soaking wet with a horse blanket around him to keep warm and a chunk of a fern sticking out the back of his hair.Well I knew he was ok but I broke out laughing his hands were going and Ernie Said I"ve herd the story 6 times now and he laughed. Now every time I hear the song by Johnny Cash How high's the water Mama 6 feet high and rising I think of John Johnson to this day.
K W 900 I found one of Saunders old letter heads in my stuff from the 80's I guess you guys will remember them. not sure if they still have the same ones or not now. Got a box with some stuff from when I was out there.
K W 900 Kitimat river area Eurocan tower crew on the move. Sorry about the typing guys my computer is not the best.
madill on the way to the next landing.
He was in high gear by the time they got to me on the road the ground was shaking from the tracks running on the road.
This crew worked well together and it didn't take them long to get the tower down and on the road to the next site.
Didn't take the boys long to start putting up the tower and getting the cables out and tied down. Nice to see a crew working and every guy knew what the other guys were going to setting things up ''''Great job guys'''
Great pictures K W 900 thanks for sharing , moving though's Madill 009 towers use to be a lot of fun with a good crew , thanks for bringing back some good old memories .
KW 900. I will say hi to Darrell for you. The gold and white Pacific in the back ground of one photo was a truck owned by Dale Owen. JJ was the one who broke me in on lowbeds. I would go out with him and swamp. Hell of a character. Seen him once for a few minutes over the last 20 years. His nephew is an Ironworker that worked for us a bit and he was picking him up after work. Cheers for now.
K W 900 well guys remember the old saying some days are diamonds and some days are stones, well this was a stone day for one of our new drivers.
K W 900 not sure what took place here but it happened just after a corner with the road leaning the wrong way on the bend.
K W 900 any way logs are top heavy and they don't like to lean one way or the other much if they do they let you know that they are not happy in a hurry.
K W 900 well over she went and he came a long way past the corner before it pulled him over. here Ernie Hadley and Joe Maleo are looking at the truck. the driver went to hospital broken ribs and arm I think.
K W 900 here Ernie Hadley and Ernie Waters look at how bad things were. It was a bad wreck what made it worse was when it slid on it' s side for a long ways then hit a big tree stump and that really pushed her back.
K W 900 ya like I said guys it really got pushed way back. the driver recovered after a while but he never drove a log truck again as far as I know.
Don't ask me how he got out of this ok Holy Mackinaw.
K W 900 nice to see all you guys keeping in touch all the time. I'm a bit of a'' WINDBAG'' but I think you all know we had the best job logging. Fresh air great view and they were paying us to do it and be there every day ha ha nice.
In post 186, it almost looks like tracks going off the road from the front. I wonder if something happened that he took off backwards and put her over trying keep her on the road? but then I suppose the cab is pushed the wrong way. just thinking out loud. lol.
K W 900 ya not sure but when they fall over I know they will slide on their side down the bank for a bit till they stop. That can pull them off the road for a ways and make it look like they were driving down the edge of the road or off in the ditch. The weight of the logs pulls the whole thing truck and all with it till everything stops. If your lucky you won't be 400 feet down off the side of a mountain some place, not good. Some really strange things have happened up on the mountain we have been told the stories I'm sure, lol cheers.
K W 900 this road was a fun ride. The road was steep and and high up on the mountain and had the chains on to come down to the mainline. Like Hank said it was hard on the paint at times for some of the guys.
K W 900 you were feeling good when you reached the bottom and were on the main road again that hill was goat country not built for trucks lol.
k w 900 This picture was at Saunders shop in Kitimat. It was 1980 I think and the guy up on the load of logs was Darrall Little of Kitimat. Long way up to the top but you get a good view from up there.
K W 900 You know when the road is narrow when you look out the drivers window and see the next road about 1000 feet below you. Ya not wide this road and you don't jump out at this spot to check the load. Just take your time and stay out of trouble is the name of this game. Lots of Jake brake on your way down this hill boys '' but it sounds so cool'' when your holding her back and things are just vibrating and shaking ya know she's working holding back ha ha happy Trails.
K W 900 this is my Truck on it's way to Terrace with a load of logs for Friell Lake logging. Saunders had a few of us hauling for a long time for them out Kitimat River road. When the roads were dry it was good for hauling up the highway. This picture was around Lake else Half way to Terrace. Cheers
KW 900. On post 198 the truck on right appears to be a Pacific. Can you give any details?
Agreed....appears to be a P-16 sitting next to the KW....
Ok just got here and found your post. This was back in around 1980 in the fall when this was taken. the big orange Pacific had Eurocan on the door later on about 1984 I think. But when this was taken I think it had McMillan & Blodell on the door back then. Not sure how they spelled that and I don't remember the number on that truck. It had just came in to Kitimat from somewhere else not sure where and kinda showed up in our yard.They put Eurocan on the door after a while in Kitimat.
Ya all I know it was a big truck that Pacific and I was inside it once to look at it. It was in great shape and had been looked after well, I'm thinking had the same driver on it for a while and he took care of it. You know what they look like if you get 50 different drivers on one truck you need a shovel to get the garbage out of the cab after a while just so you can find the brake on the thing ha ha. Not sure who drove the truck it was on a different run only saw it on the weekend. K W 900 Happy Trails boys.
K W 900 here guys I did find another Picture in here of the old Pacific guys. This is Ernie Waters standing by the Pacific but he was not the driver of that truck. You can see a number on the front bumper but I'm not sure what it is for sure. If you guys know the truck you maybe can tell me I'm not sure. They may of had Eurocan on the door when this picture was taken, should of got more pictures I guess ha ha. All I know about the Pacific. Keep the wheels rolling guys diamondtguy and Blk Prince keep the shiney side up and the dirty side down. K W 900.
K W 900 Hi Hank I do remember the Fretll Lake trucks and when I was there Butch loaded trucks. He got some nice big loads on the trucks back then you sure knew you had a load on behind you ha ha.
K W 900 Ya some loads were big. I think you could do all three loads for the day in one load when Butch put a load on you ha ha. Well now I know why I got over 100 days I had to load light because of overloads at the scales. The truck scales in the truck always went nuts when you got a load like this they didn't read out the weight right half the time so you didn't know just how much you had on for sure. But the mill weigh scales told you when you got there. I think they thought we all were nuts the guys that hauled in from Freill Lake back then lol. cheers guys
K W 900 Thanks to Hank R for the pictures, it brought a lot of good memories back to this old coot of a fun time with the guys. I know of the Hirsh Creek and Kitimat River run we all hauled from. Thank you Hank happy trails K W 900.
A Frame here's a bit and pic of the unloading from a jan 1975 Tracks and Treads magazine
K W 900 I herd about the madill with the A frame that was down there but this is the first time I saw a picture of it. I guess they moved a lot of wood out of there when things were busy. I hauled some logs out of the bay in Kitimat for a bit to Eurocan mill in Kitimat. I just remember them being covered in slime and dripping on you when you put the wrappers over them not to mention the smell that came off them ha ha. Tanks for showing the picture of that. Happy Trails K W 900.
K W 900 This truck looks like I know it. There was a guy named Paul something hauled into Terrace Mill with one like this one.
K W 900 Maybe someone knows who I'm thinking of. Don't have a last name but it was around 1984 and I saw this truck I'm sure I worked with around Terrace then. Anyone got anything on this truck from back then. Thanks guys cheers.
Dave lives here in Princeton and picture is a 1982 848 Kenworth near Kwatna Bay B.C. 1986. I not not seen Dave for 4 or 5 months but will see if he is still around here as there place was for sale.
K W 900 Ok Hank thanks may be another truck not sure. I know the driver in Tarrace was Paul something that's all I can remember. Anyway I found this picture in my file. And anyone who worked with Friell Lake logging in Kitimat and Terrace from 1980 to 1986 will remember Butch who loaded the log trucks, I'm sure. That was back when Joe and Ken run things there for Friell Lake. I know Darrall Lowes and John Johnson will remember him for sure that worked with me at Saunders. Happy Trails K W 900.
Hi Skadill, the 4 1/2 month hauling season referred to in this bit, what part of the year is that and is this still the case today? Many thanks for all your posts, and kw900.
k W 900 Remember the long days and going to load your trailer. This is the trailer loader at Eurocan in Kitimat.
K W 900 ya with luck you would get everything lined up ok to lift the wagon.
K W 900 Ya got it going the right way, the reach is pointing to the KW on the hood Ha Ha.
K W 900 now that is good it went on straight and ready for another load boy's. As you can see this is Eurocan's yard in Kitimat by the big hill that was behind the trailer loader. The picture was taken in the fall of 1980 I was driving this 70 something Kenworth then for Saunders. Happy Trails K W 900.
K W 900 Thanks to Hank R for the pictures of Freill Lake from Darrell Lowes it has been a good thing for me. I have since then got my phone number to Darrell who I have not talked to since 1986 and he is going to get hold of me when he gets back into Canada from the USA. Thanks to the Lowbed Driver'S help and Hank R for their help finding and remembering things that made this happen. Life goes by guys and you lose track of people and it is nice to find your friends again with help from guys like you. cheers K W 900.
KW 900,looks like the little trucks shared trailer lift with the big guys
K W 900 ya it was a shared trailer loader at the Eurocan mill. It was a long way to the top from on the ground under that A frame. Things got busy there at times during the day, but you got a short visit with the guys while they were loading from other area's they were working at. I guess that's how I got the name ''Windbag'' ha ha. happy trails K W 900.
K W 900 well boys it won't be long and there will be three feet of snow on the trail in the bush. You can see the snow coming down the mountain farther every day. Nothing like pushing iron loaded with logs on the old ice roads all chained up so you make it up the hills and back down. You earned your money in the winter but at least they tried to keep us working ha ha. cheers K W 900
K W 900 if the lowbed driver is around I found this picture and I'm sure it is Dale Owens truck loaded coming out the road between the rock cut in Kitimat River road. it was a gold and white Pacific I think he had back then, I was waiting to load next. happy Trails K W 900.
Gues they did not want to spend to much money road building :beatsme
K W 900 This is one of the Freill Lake boy's working on greasing and cleaning out the tracks on the one machine that they haul the logs up the mountain with. You can see my Kenworth behind it and it looks like a toy compared to that yarder. Everyone took a turn at working on that machine to keep it running when I worked for Saunders hauling out of there. This was around 1984 when this was taken at Kitimat River, crazy how big the machines are in logging , and ya Hank the roads were rough and the gravel had rocks the size of your lunch kit in most places ha ha. Happy Trails K W 900.
K W 900 this is the mill in Terrace B C in 1985 when we started hauling into it. they had lots of logs in there during that time and the trucks were going steady into the yard.
K W 900 well get in line guys this won't take long he takes the whole load off in one lift. ya some days there would be 8 trucks lined up to unload in 1985.
K W 900 this is a 1975 HDX Hayes From Vancouver Island.
KW 900....That isn't "JUST" a Hayes HDX on Vancouver Is...It is the very last Hayes truck built..Her sister is also on the Island.. H-17 is retired now and her life long driver and care taker owns her.He is a long time member and a wealth of information on the Logging Forum... I will let some one else tell the story...
K W 900 this is in 1985 back in Kitimat river Saunders truck loading for Terrace mill.
K W 900 if you get a chance read through the Hayes trucks there is lots about that truck a fellow HDX is the well known driver and now owner of this truck he has Hayes blood running through his viens for sure. He is a very nice guy from what I have heard although I have yet to meet him.
K W 900 Ok Hank thank you. I guess you guys have been on this site for a long time and know a lot more of what is going on and what's out there than I do ha ha. Just retired and been out of logging for too long and run across Canada and the USA long haul not logging so I'm way behind all of you guys. Feels good to get back to the stories and people I had the most fun with thank's guys. Happy Trails.
K W 900 this is my old Saunders Kenworth up on the mountain out on Kitimat River. You got a great view on a clear day up there of the valley towards Terrace.
K W 900 ya on a good day you can see the valley towards Terrace and get a good look around. A lot of days were foggy and raining but on the good days it was nice up there lol.
K W 900 this is the mechanic that worked for Freill Lake logging when I was there. Not sure what his name was but he worked with Joe and Ken in Kitimat River. Someone may know who he was but I can't remember now' Ken was leaning on the front fender of the truck.
K W 900 This is one of Saunders trucks I think Peter was driving. He came around the turn off the road through town to turn into the Terrace mill and the hitch on the compensator reach broke off. It dumped the whole load on the road just after the turn. I think the bush forman was in the truck going the other way and it almost landed on him. He saw what happened and drove into the ditch trying to stop and get out of the way.
K W 900 Always some of the boys willing to help get you back on your feet when you fall over. Didn't take long to clean things up and lots of empty log trucks coming out of the mill to haul the logs away for you. It was close enough to the mill they could of pushed them over with the loader lol.
K W 900 The truck with the log loader on it just came along right after things fell over so that was good.
K W 900 ya when you get to the Terrace mill they got the machine to unload you in a hurry.
K W 900 just grab it and lift it off in no time at all.
K W 900 kinda makes you feel small when he is beside you unloading the logs off your truck. Lots of power in that machine it has no trouble at all lifting that kind of weight.
K W900 This is Ken from Freill Lake Logging and Butch talking with his hand up. Butch run the 307 machine out Kitimat River loading logs back in 1985.
K W 900 Starting down the long grade with logs on after pulling away from the 307 loader at Kitimat River for Freill Lake Logging. Sure was a nice day then clear view of the valley to Terrace.
K W 900 ya guys there was some nice spots up in those mountains where you went to get loaded. People used to ask me where I worked over the years and when I got to the Roy Saunders part of my story hauling logs in the mountains ''Well'' I said it wasn't like work when you do something you love to do.
You were getting up there in elevation by the looks of the snow line.
K W 900 Ya it was getting up there near the snow line. Hot in the valley down on the mainline and you could go play in the snow up where we were loading logs ha ha
K W 900 My old 1984 Kenworth 900 Saunders truck under the loader in Kitimat River. This was a busy spot loader going, Madill tower pulling logs up stuff moveing all over all you could hear was machinery going ha ha.
K W 900 Ya I did haul a lot of logs out of this area in 1985 and 86 For Joe and Ken Mc Laughlin From Freill Lake Logging then for Roy Saunders.
K W 900 there are some nice spots out on the logging roads that run around Kitimat.
K W 900 like this spot along the river, but I didn't have time to go fishing boys ha ha.
K W 900 there was always lots of trucks coming into and going out of the yard at Saunders in Kitimat around 1983 things were busy.
That was branch 1000, river is the Weedeene. I lowbeded the excavator in there in the early 90's that deactivated that road. That pic is the rock cut and branch 800 on the other side of river. Spent many a days moose and goat hunting up there.
KW 900 are you sure Friell lake was up in the upper Kitimat? I remember them coming to town in the early 80's and doing a bit of work on the Weedeene side of the valley and then they seemed to be in Hirsch creek forever. Upper Kitimat was logged by The old Eurocan crew which became Westfraser/Skeena Sawmills. I believe Wayne Moon worked for Friell lake and Ted Moon for Skeena sawmils. I may be wrong and Friell lk may have worked in the upper Kitimat for a bit.
K W 900 I have my old load books here but it doesn't say where I was hauling out of. You may be right not sure myself Ha Ha. I did load under Wayne and Ted moon both in Hersh creek for a long time years it seemed. This may be Hersh Creek as you said it's been 34 years since I was there. I Know Dale Owen and Myself and Jack Lavalle and a few others were in Kitimat river for a long time pulling logs out of there to Terrace. I loaded a lot under Butch and Reno as well. Reno still loads trucks and Butch drives a truck now I think. Ya you get mixed up sometimes hauling all over and I went everywhere for Saunders. Yep a lot going on with Eurocan,Westfrazer,Skeena Sawmill,Freill Lake crew hard to remember lol. Not sure how many are still running out there now since I left. Happy Trails K W 900.
K W 900 lowbed driver now I'm sure this is in Hersh Creek around 9 or 10 miles in and up off the mainline. This is loaded coming down the road towards the main road. That was fun I'd like to do it again sometime ha ha.
K W 900 Saunders truck loading For Terrace mill. I see it is hydraulic not a cable machine this time.
You have a good memory, mine not so good at times ha ha. Ya Ernie Hadley had me going all over the place. I'd start out one place and he would call on the radio and send me somewhere else. I didn't mind that I got to see some great places along the way. Never got out hunting, I don"t think the boys wanted to give me a gun. the Moon boys did some I think around the country back in the day when I was there.
Same Loader above loader.Was this a Skoglund Site?
K W 900 ya it was around Kitimat may be by Terrace not sure. The loader you have here is the same but a newer one than the one in the picture it was taken back in 1985. I guess they are still making them today they worked very well for loading didn't take long to put a load on. I don't think is was a Skoglund site where I loaded. I went so many different places it's hard to remember where they all were ha ha. Happy Trails
K W 900 this is at the Terrace mill just coming up to the scales to weigh in back in 1986.
K W 900 Well I have this picture of around Kitimat, Terrace area but not sure where I was that day. I think it is Butch on the machine and he worked for Freill Lake Logging back then.
K W 900 Well hold your breath when he goes by cause it's going to be dusty. Put your heel to the steel boy and lets get at er, radio turned up and the hammer down, catch you on the rebound. ha ha. Happy Trails.
K W 900 now there's two hard working Saunders guys ha ha. Just taking it Easy in Terrace on one of the Cats from the mill.
K W 900 I got up in one of those loaders one day and this is from the inside looking out. You kinda feel like a bird in a cage I thought. Big iron though for loading logs.
K W 900 this is Ken from Freill Lake Logging looking for a fitting in his truck to fix the hydraulic line up on the boom of the loader. You can see one of the guys standing on the back of the Cat to reach the line they broke, around 1984 I think.
K W 900 this is Joe our mechanic for Saunders fixing one of my air valves that quit working on the road around 1985.
Boulder Bill .
K W 900 top of the mountain overlooking the valley towards Terrace. The tower loader and my Saunders truck loading back in 1985. You can see the Terrace, Kitimat highway going across the green it is the black line.
K W 900 My old Kenworth on the bend before you get to the loader 1982.
K W 900 Ernie Waters in the Saunders yard in Kitimat 1983.
K W 900 this is in Saunders yard also, makes the highway truck look small in this picture about 1983 ha ha.
Boulder Bill .
Saunders Pacific P 16
My dad drove for Saunders in Kitimat, Holberg and Kennedy Lake division. Gordie Chisholm, not sure if anyone here remembers him.
Welcome to HEF Aron. Any pictures you have please post.
I have a couple of pics of when my dad was there sometime around 79 or 80. He did a couple of test runs and never actually started due to a strike. Kitimat B.C
Here's another
I found this old Hayes HDX Saunders truck last year. I thought it had been scrapped. Good to see she is saved
This is a picture of Gordie Chisholm with a Pacific in Holberg circa 1979-80
This is one that he walked away from, This was from Kennedy Lake Division.
Your farther was a very very lucky man to walk away from that one. Thanks for sharing. HR
What caused such a bad accident?
The back driveshaft came apart and took out the air brake lines to the back two axles of the truck all while on a downhill that was plenty steep. He said he had to jump down into the ground to avoid the bunks and roll away to not get run over.
Pretty scary for sure. Glad he walked away from it. Nice to know the details of why things went wrong.
Any one have any more Saunders truck pictures. I receive a PM from a new member with some pictures and I hope he posts his pictures.
My grandpa Bob Green and my dad Miles both used to work for Roy out in Kitimat. My grandpa drove truck and my dad was the mechanic. Would love to see any pictures.
My self I do not have any more Saunders pictures, but his son told me that they give tons of Pictures to the Kitimat Museum. Hope this helps a bit, a Bob Grey lives up North I am looking for his address.
Bob Grey ## have sent you a PM with contact information. Hank
bob lives in fraser lk i do,nt he,s a member here
hgreen have you come across any more Saunders pictures??