When the big yarder maufacturers went broke in the early 1980's, Ross Murray (Ross Equiment) jumped in and built a fine line of yarders, and then starting in 1988 built hydraulic log loaders, delimbers, and processors. I have owned several of these machines over the years, and no doubt you guys have owned or run them as well. Ross/Thunderbird was such a threat to barely-surviving Madill, that Madill actually purchased them and phased thier product out altogether. That decision/aquisition put Madill in a debt situation that led to thier bankruptcy a couple of years ago.
I should disclose I guess that at different times I worked for both the Murrays and the Madills. Both very successful, but very different families. The old guard of both companies retired, and the companies that ended were run by corporate managers, not the owner operators who founded them.
1989 Thunderbird 838, with 40' Boom, and on 4-Axle Pierce Carrier Machine was purchased new by 'Red' MacKenzie out of Northern California. It has a set of Pullmaster 25H hydraulic winches on the off-side, officially making it a 'yoder'. Red loved the machine, and after he passed away in 1995 it was sold to a logger in Texas.
One thing that has intrigued me is the component that rides the cable pulling the logs up the hill. From what I've seen on these logging shows I'm guessing it has a combustion engine in it of some sort to drive it. Is there any chance you can get some close up pics of the unit, with the cover open and perhaps explain how it works? Thanks!
Steve, That thing that rides up and down the skyline is called a motorized carriage. They have a little diesel engine in them that is started or stopped by the rigging crew or the yarder operator with thier Talkie Tooters. (the beeping you hear all the time on those shows, not just the cussing being beeped over!) The engine turns a drum full of cable either in or out to provide slack for the rigging crew to get to the logs. Heres a couple links to carriage manufactures. I'm sure they would have some up close pics and mabey a video of how they work. http://www.acmecarriages.com http://www.eaglecarriage.com I couldnt find a web site for the Bowman Skycar, but the Google search brought up a lot of sites with info about them. Good luck!!
Thanks for the link! Here's a page with a few of them opened up: http://www.acmecarriages.com/Equipment/carriages.html Those things must be big bucks, they are selling for between $10K and $20K used! You say they are controlled by the tooters, is there a wire to them or do they hear the toot? Or perhaps wireless control?
They are pretty spendy! A brand new big Boman Mark V will set you back about 100 grand! Owners seem to get a little upset when a yarder operator breaks a skyline and crashes one. The Tooters are a wireless remote system. Heres a link to them. http://www.rothenbuhlereng.com
JTL I could be wrong but didn't Finnly Hayes from Loggers World help produce the first Talkie Tooter? Contract Logger keep up with pictures, I really enjoy looking at and learning about cable logging.
There were a bunch of Thunderbirds around for awhile. Too bad the industry really isn't healthy enough to support many manufacturers anymore. I've heard the Madill story had a lot more twists and turns than just swallowing too much in the purchase of the Thunderbird line.
EGS- I cant answer that question for ya.:beatsme He very well could have been involved with making the first Tooters. It really would'nt surprize me a bit though, after reading the Rigging Shack for so many years. John C- I've been wondering what happened to the Madill line since Modern Machinery bought them out. Is Modern just suppling parts, or are they planning on building the line now? Without Madill around, Diamond S will be the only outfit building any yarders these days.
Howard Rothenbuhler invented the Talkie Tooter. Finley Hayes was the first salesman there. This was before the Loggers World days. Sorry fellows, just got home from a long day here in Juneau.
Russ Smith at Modern's Rochester Wa, store is the man who is currently working on that. He is a friend and I speak with him often. They are currently quoting new Madills for sale, and will biuld one right now with an order and a deposit. As many of you will know, Russ Smith was 'Mr Madill' and spent many years with that company. He personally handed the keys to the Kalama Wa building to its new owners a year or so ago.
Talkie Tooters.... Off the Thunderbird topic, kind of. Anyway, went into my office for you guys a second ago and got something that Finley Hays gave me years ago. These are taken-just-now pics of the first and original Talkie Tooter printed advertisement from 1963. Enjoy. I know, I have lots of wierd things around here...........
I think anybody wanting to buy a new yarder these days needs to have their head examined! ointhead Just last May I was driving up I-5 and saw the Madill building. In late August I made the same trip and the big Madill sign was gone, the building repainted, and some marine works company sign on the side. Those old Talkie Tooter adds are hilarious!
LOL, well dont tell Russ, he's out there full time trying to sell new yarders!
I suppose you give a salesman something to sell and it might happen. There ain't a machine made so in all the people I talk to there isn't anything to buy. All that I know that Modern bought was the patents, plans and right to sell parts. I don't know that they even bought the name. I think the creditors got most of the manufacturing machines. With all those tower companies most of the components could be built in any machine shop with nothing more than a sample of the original part. I've seen plenty of parts made from two or three broken pieces of one item. From my point of view right now Modern is in process to sell any stock that was left and then evaluate the market before even considering doing any manufacturing. I do hate to see another piece of American manufacturing go extinct. Hopefully they will try to start up something again. I don't see it happening now.
Contract Logger I take it that you had the chance to meet Finley Hayes?
I knew him very well. Finley and his wife Jean were longtime friends with my aunt and uncle (Hap Johnson, 16 year world champion speedclimber). Hap and Della/Finley amd Jean spent 45+ years sharing vacations, logging show circuit trips, etc. As a kid I was all about logging, and both families bestowed me with gifts from a young age, little things, but today make up one hell of a collection! I have books and things from many famous logging people with personal notes, etc in them. Hap was a high climber for everyone who needed him from Northern BC to Northern California, all the while running his own logging operation out of Castle Rock, WA. He logged with rigged trees until Weyerhaeuser finally forced him to purchase a Skagit tower in the early 80's- and he hated it! Della for all those years worked with Jean Hayes in the Loggers World offices on Jackson Hwy in Chehalis. Both Hap and Finley have gone home now. The ladies hang on, one day at a time.
And with that last post I have given up my anonymity here on the West Coast, I suppose. My father still works there for Weyerhauser Longview after all these years, one of these days they'll force him to go home. I have slowed down to broker equipment from a beautiful little island here, West of Juneau and East of Sitka, two places where Hap and Finley 'lit up the town' more than once. I do still have some log trucks in the Southwest Washington area, mostly for hobby.
One perk of all that is that among other things I have every issue of Loggers World ever printed, duplicates of most. The first ever issue was published in Sedro-Wolley, WA in October 1964. there are probably about 15 of these left in existence, I have 3 of them. Pics attached,
I miss reading "Loggers World"! I used to pick them up at Smith Tractor in Tuckwilla {sp}.I was never a logger,skidded with a 955 some,but it always interested me.I really like all of your posts!!!!!!!!!!
Thunderbird TY40 The mini-yarder that Thunderbird designed and built for thinning applications was the 'TY40' with 40' tower height. They built a bunch of these things mounted on different carriers, both custom-built at Eugene, or whatever the customer wanted or already had. At least 5 were put onto lengthened Cat 518 skidder chassis, lengthened out. I always wanted to put one on an FMC 220 carrier- figured it would go anywhere! Here are some shots of one on a Cat.
Contract Logger- What did Thunderbird use for motors in their loaders and shovels? Where Thunderbird shovels and loaders made entirely by them or where they based on cat, deere etc.?
the yarders were built at Eugene from scratch. the earlier shovels-- 838, 940, 1146, were also built this way. Some later models were built around Koehring and Hyundai products, but the shovel-logging machines were thiers. Power was customer-order, Cat, Cummins, or Detroit (50 and 60 Series). These things were incredibly poerful, but heavy.
A few Thunderbird-built from-the-ground-up loggers for you here.
The first Thunderbird Log Loaders were unveiled at the Eugene Logging Show in 1989. There were 3 models introduced, from 'small' to large, as follows: Thunderbird 838: 96,000 lbs with 40' boom, or 98,000 with optional 42' boom. 58" grapple. Thunderbird 940: 128,000 lbs with 42' boom, or ??? with optional 46' boom reach. 62". Thunderbird 1146: 152,000 lbs with 46' boom, or ??? with optional 48' boom. Up to 74". These things were monsters--Huge weight-to-HP ratio, swing torque, and tracktive pull!
Thunderbird 1238 Logger with harvester head This is an example of a 'Thunderbird branded' something else. The machines the Murrays were building were horribly expensive, so to hit the price-point markets with machines for lighter duties, several base carriers were modified. This is a Hyundai 290 sized machine, with guarding, boom, etc by Ross Corp, then marketed as a 'Thunderbird 1238'. Worked just fine, and everyone knew they were buying a Hyundai product, as parts and service manuals, etc were Hyundai, as well as the Vin tags on the machines. Many had a T-Bird tag right below or beside the factory tag, and those numbers were related to the specific to the conversion components. It was a good joint-venture.
Sorry fellows, wrong picture! TB 1238 (Hyundai 290) yes, harvester head, NO! thats a 58" log grapple there where the head should be, LOL.
Thunderbird 836 Log Loader This is a Thunderbird 836 Log Loader, only 2 were ever built. Both were in the 1991 Eugene Logging Show in the T-Bird display there with our names/murals painted on them. John Leonard (JB Leonard) of Chehalis WA bought one, and I bought the other. We used it all over for awhile, and were often in wood way to big for it. That is my machine on the brochure, along with some other pics of it from my own collection. That is a good friend there who was running it then. Sold her at Ritchie Bros Chehalis in 1999 and did good on price, got more than she was worth. In Idaho or Montana now I hear. These were OK machines, sized like a 290 today, no one was building 290's back then. Cummins engine, Linde pumps and finals, and Cat 330 tracks and hydraulic cylinders. Boy would she ever lift with those big 330 barrels.
Thunderbird 838 Logger Literature Heres the first color Thunderbird 838 Brochure, from 1989.
how could a person get repair manuels on the thunderbird ty-40 yarder?
can anybody tell me where a person could find repair manuels for the ty-40 yarder?
Try ebay for both items. Just keep looking on ebay and you should find them both over time.Although ,just checked before this post and found nothing on either. Slagpot
I believe T-mar Industries on vancouver island has a new yarder designed now. They were kicking new model #'s around. they have extensive experience with madill, cypress, skagit, t-bird, etc. Years ago they bought the company that designed every Cypress machine and that head engineer is still with t-mar. then with Madill's demise they hired the head yarding engineer so they now have the top 2 yarder designers in the world sitting in the same room. From arch enemies to team mates. they are both getting older and this is their last kick at the can so i hope they are dreaming up a real doozy.
between those 2 boys they designed the 7280B, 7280C, 7230, 6280, 122, 123, 124, as well as worked on all the others. The new design apparently is to take on the 6280/124 but probably smaller then the mighty 7280. Wait and see. As with Modern, a deposit and they would start building right away. THe market is coming and the yarders are all aging.
Well now that would be something! I can only hope I am young enough to see more yarders produced in my lifetime. I agree with you 100%- there arent any machines around getting younger, lol. At some point metal fatigue in current machines will force the production of new ones.
the company i work for has been replacing their old washington 1188's (a pacific mfg corp rebuild) due to the metal fatigue. They have been replacing them with new to them madill's (124's) the 124 is a good machine for what its made for.
Contract Logger, If you have any info on the TSY-6140SLR or similar models that would be a great help. I'm looking to upgrade one of my Link-Belt 98 conversions to a more reliable machine, also a Modern Machinery is only 200 miles away so parts might be easier to find then driving 600 just to look through a 98 scrap yard where it might not be to begin with.
contract logger,As a wholetree chipping operator unfamiliar with high lead logging,how 'bout starting a thread with some of your business photos giving the specifics.Equipment used,what production was expected,log sorts,details that a curious old kid like myself finds very interesting.Interesting sidebars would be very informative.Don't mean to pry,these photos you've shown are very interesting.Looking at some of these operationsand equipment makes what I did for 30 years, look like "Wood's work 101". 70,000 tons of chips annually seems small in comparison.Gary
Three TY-90's and one Berger idle in the yard at Debriae Logging in Chehalis WA
TSY255 at Chilton in Woodland,WA being serviced.
TY-90 of Chilton Logging near Ariel, WA (DB Cooper land )
TY-90 cab insides.
TY80 and TY90 alongside the road for sale south of Chehalis, WA
TTY-70 at JM Browning in Astoria, Oregon.
T-Bird TSY 6255 and stroke delimber at Weyco PeEll yard.
Eugene, Oregon Some new Thunderbirds around 1996, in Eugene. Also a Skagit GT3, a Wahington and a TB TMY45.
Tsy 6140 slr Some pic's of this 6140 belonging to Don Withaker
Jeremy, are those two Thunderbirds still for sale? Just curious. Thanks for your assistance. Stingray
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.
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!
TSY-6255SLR near Dallas Oregon Nice looking T-Bird TSY-6255SLR
Bump anyone???
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.
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.
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!
TMY-45 Trailer Mounted. These were actually the least popular. Tracks were what everybody wanted.
Track Mounted Pics.
He's back! I have a few pictures of this model too from a logging company right next to Willapa Logging in South Bend.
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.
Great pics Jeremy. I have seen a zillion of these but really struggled to find any decent pictures! I have a box of them someplace. Anyway you bailed me out on this one- nice pics. Also- the access cover on one track is missing and I see blue paint inside there.... The tan color scheme was introduced by Thunderbird on thier machines in 1983/84, and was copied by Ross from Ketchikan Pulp Company- who had been using this color scheme since the mid-70's. I hate to use the word 'copied', but, well, you know. Thanks for the pics- post more if you have them!
Here are a couple pics of the PSY-200 swing yarders. They were painted blue-and-yellow and blue-and-white in the beginnings. Most have been repainted tan by now.
The Thunderbird TMY-50 quickly became the rave of the NW contract loggers. Small, fast, highway-legal moves, it was an incredible machine for its size. Sales took off, and soon the were working in every corner of the NW. They could be ordered with Cat, Cummins, or Detroit Power. All of the machines built were on 4-axle rubber, except for one which was custom-built for More Log Inc. Pics of this machine to follow.
Here are some pics of the only TMY-50 that was put on tracks. I'll have to come back later with the serial number and delivery date. I cannot find my Thunderbird builders list copies right this second. The originals are in a safe location my Washington State residence.
This was the only pictures I had, I did kind of a quick hit and run. I was looking for a model/serial plate as I had no idea what model it was, but the yarder was sitting in the middle of about a foot of water.
Thunderbird TMY-70, TTY-70 Well it didnt take too long for the TMY-50 to get re-designed and upgraded to a 70' telescoping tower and 5 guylines (up from 4, the TMY-45 only had 3), and named the TMY-70. These were offered on tracks as well, lots were built this way, and the track version was called the TTY-70, or 'Thunderbird Track Yarder 70'. I guess TMY was OK for a track 45 but not a track 70. These machines were great and for awhile the were being ordered at a rate much faster than they could be delivered. Weyerhaeuser bought a fleet of them on both tracks and rubber.
Ty90 (ty80-sp) ? This is an interesting one CL, maybe you have some insight? The name plate says TY80-SP, but has TY90 on the outside decals. It's in pieces at the JM Browning yard outside of Astoria.
Thunderbird TMY-70 S/N R-7056 TMY-70 S/N R-7056. This machine was purchased new by L. Jepson and Sons of McMinnville Ore in 1987 to be used on thier logging operations at Clatskanie/Vernonia for Longview Fibre Company. I have pictures of it brand new I took in 87' someplace, and various pics of it throughout its life as I was around it often. They logged with it up until this year and in March of 2010 it was sold to Mike Papac of Montesano Wash for his logging operations at Craig, Alaska. 3 weeks ago I was on location in Craig (naturally) and took these pics for your viewing pleasure. Mike has several other yarders in Alaska including an 071, a TMY-45, and a big Berger Marc 2. He is logging for Viking Lumber of Craig on this job and is one of the last outfits logging in Alaska today. I will continue to follow this yarder as I have in the past, and I cannot say too much right now, but Axe-Men is here filming right now and you will be able to see this machine in action in Alaska on the next season's lineup.
more TY80-SP TY80-SP at Brownings Looks like Wimer Logging of Albany Oregon, related to Willamette Industries I think, who was later bought out by Weyco.
Very nice, I have a friend who drives chip truck for Jepson. Axemen in Alaska, I guess that's better than in Florida or Louisiana. Do you know what kind of yarder Teevin Brothers has? I didn't know they even had one until the other day I heard them talking about it being down on their radio channel.
Shawn Teevin has owned many yarders over the years. I dont know how many yarders he is running right now, but they had a Skagit GT-3 working at Gnat Creek not long ago.
Boy, this old girl is looking sad. In the late 1960's Wimer Logging Company of Sweet Home Ore was logging with several Washington 208's all over Oregon- mostly in the old growth in the Cascades in those days. By 1988, these 208's were well worn out and it was time to do something about it. The decision was made to strip the 208's down to the frames and put new TY-90 hoists on the carriers. The carriers were shortened by 3 feet, and the TY90 hoists were designed with downdrives to accomodate the Washington- to get the pwer from the transmission to the Clark BD series drive axles you see here. It worked really well. The carrier, guyline drums, and 110' tower were old reconditioned Washington 208, and the brand new Thunderbird TY-90 yarding hoist was bolted on and the whole rig was painted TB colors. The yarder in your picture was on proud display at the Eugene OLC show that year (1988) and I have scanned the pic so you can see how beautiful she was in her day! In all, 4 Washington 208 yarders were converted over to TY-90 Thunderbirds. 2 were built for Wimer Logging, and a third for Fred A. Moore of Junction City Ore. The 4th of these was painted yellow and was a beautiful machine- sold to Bill Bremmeyer of Ravensdale Washington in 1989. It was the only TY-90 painted yellow brand new. I have attached some pics of this machine in 1987 (show) and 1988 (working).
Contract Logger, I have an off-topic question for you what type of equipment do you own/run now?
None at all, being run or used anyway. I just buy/sell/broker whatever to whoever. Some people enjoy flipping houses, I enjoy flipping machinery. Most of my clients now are tribal and municipal contractors, though there are a few loggers left. I have a few items leftover from the logging days, mostly for sentimental value. I do enjoy trucks and have a few of those around yet also. I am working now on a KW C-500 Brute lowbed truck, for shows and parades. The last round of new log loaders I bought were Cats. I dont think Cat has the best product but thier service and parts availability can't be beat. You can buy Cat reman components literally anywhere, anytime. They are just more available, which meant more uptime for us.
Here are a few more pics of that Thunderbird TY-90 Yarder, Washington Iron Works Carrier and Tower. If you dont have many highway moves these were great. Over the highway moving is tough, as the tower has to come off, cab, steer tires are removed and a 5th wheel gooseneck installed to pull the whole works behind a lowbed tractor.
Thanks for the yarder info, Teevin's must have a job nearby, at least a trucking one, as I have been seeing their trucks alot coming thru town. DNR has opened up a bunch of timber sales in the area lately.
That sounds like a interesting gig, Do you have any pics of th KW?
You are just a wealth of information! So apparently the SP was for SPecial? I had heard from the shop foreman that they were getting rid of it last year, but it was still there as of a month ago hiding behind their BU-737
Wouldn't that be Fred Moore Logging of Mill City? I'd never heard of them being in Junction City.
Yes they are, found out who is trying to sell them. The TY80 and BU739 are at the freeway still and the TY90 is at the gravel company a few miles away. PM me for details.
TSY255 at A1 Timber TSY255 owned by A1 Timber in Chehalis sitting idle at the moment. The logo on the back is too cool!
TY-90 on Washington 208 SP Carrier at Fred A. Moore Logging 72V- yes, you're right. Fred A. Moore was from Mill City. I was falling asleep last night when I posted and just got groggy. In 1993 I was considering purchasing the TY-90 on 208 Washington from Fred Moore, and we went to look at the machine -it was parked somwhere near Corvalis on the West side of I-5 about 5 miles. I rode there with a salesman and have no idea where we were. I also had no camera that day. The yarder needed attention, my job didn't materialize, and so the yarder and I never saw each other again. It sold there in 1994 to a buyer in New Zealand. I'll never see her again, but I was emailed this picture recently and assure she was doing just fine.... I like the wrong-side-drive and ramp-style float trailer. As you can see this Washington only had 6 guylines, not 8 like the Wimer and Bremmeyer machines.
Jeremy- I also screwed up Wimer's location- Albany not Sweet Home was thier home base.
I wish I could remember more, I'm realizing now how much I never wrote down, and no doubt heard and didnt process lots more info over the years.... The tag on Browning's TY-90 is a misprint, or rather mis-stamp. That machine is a TY-90, and no TY-80 SP machines were ever built. There were only 6 TY-80's built and all were mounted on Skagit trailers, like the one you posted (a highlead machine by the way- 2 were highlead and 4 were slacklines). The highlead versions had only main, haulback, and sraw drums- no skyline drum. SP is for 'Self-Propelled' and have a different transmission/downdrive configuration (to get power to the driving axles), as well as hyd steering, air throttle, shifter, and brakes in the cab for driving over the road. The trailers were much easier (and less expensive) without all this. Funny, I spent near 17 years photographing that yarder and never noticed that ID tag........Good on ya' Jeremy for catching it there!:drinkup
Thunderbird Yarders and Loaders on Display Indoors The indoor pavillion at Eugene's Lane County Fairgrounds used to fill up with brand new Thunderbird equipment every year! Fortunately I did manage to take and save a few pics. Around 1990 they converted this to an ice-rink and then Ross moved thier display outside. I took these pics in 1988 or 1989, at the end of a long display run. There was beer and whatnot being served there at all times and boy, it was fun! Enjoy these pics of long lost Thunderbird machinery. Notice the TSY-50 on a Peirce Self-Propelled rubber-tire carrier- only 1 was built like this that I know of. In the second pic is a TY-90 hoist on the floor (at left)- no carrier or anything.
More Thunderbird show pics. Inside and out.
Another round, taken 1990/1991 or so.
Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9043 Thunderbird TY-90 Yarder S/N 9043 was manufactured May 3rd of 1985 according to the ID tag. She was beautiful in her day. It was the only TY-90 that was ever built with the optional 'slackpulling drum'. The drum was mounted high and to the front of the hoist, much like the Skagit 737 and 739 slackpulling drum locations. The machine was built custom order for Art Fetter Logging, from the Buckley/Enumclaw area of Washington, and worked in high elevation big wood there for 10 years or so until Fetter retired. I saw it working in the area, and loading under the machine was a big early Link-Belt LS5800TL shovel. Both yarder and shovel were custom-painted in Fetter colors- burgundy and white trimmed in black and silver. They looked spectacular, and a large color poster of this landing/pair working hung in the offices of Ross Equipment at Chehalis Washington for years. As you can see she was mounted on a Skagit T-110HD Trailer/110' Skagit Tower. 8 Guylines, as was standard on the T-110HD's. Notice the tower tube has 'TY 110 Thunderbird' painted on it, for the tower height. By 1995, Fetter moved off the mountain for good, and I took the first four pics in an old sort yard East of Greenwater Washington a few miles-toward Crystal Mountain off highway 410. By 1999, the hoist had been pulled off the Skagit T-110 HD trailer and it sat alone in Coastal Equipment's yard at Marysville Washington. I was told the hoist went on a newer Skagit T-90 trailer and was shipped to New Zealand. Maybe she will turn up on the forum here one day? I sure hope so. I took the last pic at Marysville in 2001. Skagit trailer looking pretty sad. I fear the scrapper has found her by now.
Contract Logger I'm amazed by all of your pictures of logging equipment. It's a shame that those towers are not used much anymore. I would like to have gotten my hands on that one. Keep the pics coming! Aloha, Stingray
Hi Jeremy, Thanks for the update. I tried sending you a pm but the system wouldn't allow me to do it for some unknown reason. Aloha, Stingray
Just sent you a PM about the T-Birds for sale.
Well, I have been in the NW woods taking equipment pics for nearly 40 years now, so I have a few pics, yes. I used to be on a yarder landing East of Snoqualmie Falls, WA by 6 am, swing through Vail (had shovels working there usually), then wrap the day up with dinner at Tillamook Ore, before driving home for bed to do it again. Long days, lots of miles, but that's the gig, right? Many days I would fuel the pickup up twice or more. There are more of those old yarders still working than you think. Actually, lots more. Let's hope that keeps up!
Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9044 Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9044 was built, according to the tag, on 6-29-1985. It was a TY-90 SP (Self-Propelled) but the tag does not show that. This machine was mounted to a Skagit T-100 HD SP Carrier, and had 7 Guylines, pretty standard for the T-100. What was not standard on this carrier was the steering axles- most of the Skagit T-90 and T-100 machines used Schuller steering axles with super-single float tires on wheels with a Budd 10-hole hub. This particular machine had the big Anderson-Bolling axles installed- the axles used under the T-110 and T-110HD Skagit SP units. These used Dayton-style hubs and dual tires- bigger, heavier, and much more reliable. Each wheel/tire ran on its own bearings which allowed 2 dual tires side-by-side to rotate at different speeds- a huge deal on the big heavy yarders such as a BU-98, BU-99, or BU-199. Especially when turning sharp corners- the weight on the dual combo would be to much to allow scuffing and wheel studs would shear right off prior to this. This became a popular conversion for Skagit T-100 SP owners with bigger hoists such as the 739's. Oops. That whole paragraph belongs in the Skagit thread! Oh, well.:beatsme Anyway, Sapp Brothers of Alsea Oregon bought her new, and ran it until 2000 or so when Phoenix Logging brought it to Craig, Alaska, where it sits today. This machine is one I see often, so I have alot of pics of it the last 3 years or so. It was on the Thunderbird TY-90 Brochure cover through the 80's and 90's. This machine is currently for sale. She needs some TLC and trans work.
A few more pics of 9044, where she sits today. I'll post more detail of this machine since I have it handy and already digital. I love non-scanning pics!
TY-90 #9044, last round, unless someone wants more for some reason. The last pic is of a set of the Anderson-Bolling steering axles (loose, bottom of the scrap pile) and you can see the lug nuts on 2 seperate and un-attached hubs I was takling about earlier.
Also parked in Craig is this TMY-45 on 3-axle Self-Propelled. It has some kind of engine trouble I was told. Has been sitting idle a long time.....
9044 This is the one from the front page of the sales brochure, isn't it? What a nice machine, but of course it should have earned some new paint. Look at Deans Mt. logging 099, it still look almost like new, so maybe Mr W. or Madill had a better paint than Mr M? By the way, I'll post some video of that machine (099) working later today!
Yes, you're right! I agree with you 100 percent. I hope to aquire a few of those old yarders for my company in the near future. Contract Logger, what does the TY 90 weigh in the pictures you have posted, and that is for sale? And can the tower be moved in one piece on the highway legally? Thank you for the info. Aloha, Stingray
I just looked around on the net and in just a couple of minutes I found 32 Thunderbird yarders currently for sale. Most of them are for sale by owners and currently working. You should ask to run one for 1/2 day prior to purchase. A serious seller won't mind this a bit. If he does, then run. If you have ever moved a Skagit 737, 739, or equivalent yarder, this machine moves just like all of them. Same requirements. As it sits, my guess is it weighs at 145,000 lbs or there abouts. What are you yarding with now? You ask questions that make me nervous for you. Anyone can move this over the highway, that's the easy part. You'll need a service truck while moving it always, for the cab swings and steer tire swings. There is no gooseneck with this one, You would need that as well. Other than that, your mover will bring the jeep and booster with axles required for your county/area. Shermann Brothers can move it anywhere in Oregon you need, but ask for Pat as the driver. He move these alot. To move it in the brush, and to log with it you'll need at least 2 dozers- at least one D8 size machine (2 is better), for tailhold and guyline work. If you try to road this between landings or settings without Cat assistance you'll blow planetaries all day long- people do it but it isnt the right way. Anything worth doing is worth doing right, right? There is a Madill 009 for sale in Castle Rock WA for $ 18,000.00 on a Skagit T-100 trailer that would be an excellent starter machine if that's what you're after. You'll still have to have a D8 & dolly for moving it though. It makes for a much easier move than the TY-90's.
This is a TY-90 (on Skagit T-90 Trlr) that was built early on and sold new to Griffey Logging in Oregon around 1986. I have the S/N around here someplace.....cant find it. Things didn't work out and Ross had the yarder back by 1989, so it was repainted and sold to Jensen and Grove of Woodland WA that same year. J&G used it on Elk Mountain for Weyerhaeuser for the next 3 years or so straight, never moved off that hill. I took pics of it there on Elk Mountain in 1990 on a setting directly above Coweeman Lake- and got some fantastic pics showing both lake and yarder above- trouble is I cannot find them right this second. Loading on that landing was a Link-Belt LS98TL line machine (wood was big) and that newer yarder sure looked funny with the old shovel loading. Herb Jensen and Rollie Grove decided in 1992 that they were done logging, and this machine was sold to Hamilton Logging and worked on the Olympic Peninsula for Hamilton, along with a second TY-90 they owned. Hamilton slowed down a bit in the mid 90's, and Randy Wallace of Toledo bought the machine for dredging rock in a pit near the Cowlitz River. I believe the machine is still there, and for sale. JeremyM70 has all that contact info. First 2 pics taken in 1989 at Jensen & Grove shop, before they used it. Next 3 taken at Wallace in Toledo in 2006.
I'd love to see pictures of the Elk Mt landing, about 15 years ago I spent a bit of time packing batteries, antennas, and repeaters up the rocky path up to the top of that mountain. Wish I could find my pictures, awesome view from up there. I have a picture of the serial # tag from this TY-90, but it's from a crappy camera phone and I can't quite read it. Cool history, my old neighbor was a mechanic for Jensen and Grove back in the 80's. Wallace has a TY80, the TY90 and a BU739 for sale and I do have his contact info if needed. He is currently running a Madill 171. I got a picture of it from a distance, but no close ups as it was dredging.
I have a bunch of pics from Elk Mountain. I had a crew working there in 1993/94, and Dahlgren's from Forks were in there too, right near us and working for the same outfit. I spent alot of time around there for a couple of years. I have all of the original Thunderbird build lists, in Longview at my home there. Coming up with all that info (and the Elk Mtn pics) just means a quick trip down there. The Wallace yarders: Skagit BU739 was bought new by Dan Sandy of Rochester Wa, and sold by DaPaul Inc (one of Dan Sandy's companies) to Wallace in 1994. McPaul Machine shortened the tower from 110' down to 70' for dredging. Thunderbird TY-80 (a highlead 80, not slackline) built new for Weyerhaeuser Raymond WA and purchased by Wallace in 2003. Thunderbird TY-90, well you know the history (see above). Madill 171 is new to Wallace, but no doubt a machine we have pics of already. I have alot of Jensen & Grove and Ben Thomas pics in a box in Longview too. Stay tuned, I'll scan another round of T-Bird pics this weekend I suppose. Did I mention I hate scanning?:Banghead:bash
Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9069. Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9069. Built new for MacMillan Bloedel and delivered 5-6-1991 to MB at Sayward BC, according to the Thunderbird build records. Sent to BC as the loose hoist only, it was mounted onto a Skagit T-100 SP carrier that had been rebuilt in the MacBlo shops. This machine was painted MB colors in the Ross shops (MB purchased several Thunderbird machines, and most were painted MB colors new at the factory). Due to the downhill-style logging on BC, this yarder was also equipped with a larger eaton water brake on the haulback drum for downhill snubbing. It was the only TY-90 built set up like this. In 1999, the yarder was purchased by Jerry DeBriae at Cathlamet Wa, moved from BC to McPaul Machine in Chehalis WA where it was serviced as needed and painted the tan TB colors. It is still in service with DeBriae Logging. Pics 1 and 2: In Chehalis, waiting for service work and paint. Pics 3-5: At rest at the old Crown Zellerbach Cathlamet shops, which are currently occupied by Debriae Logging.
Same machine again, TY-90 S/N 9069. Different angles.
More pictures of it at rest last year at DeBriae's yard along with some of it's brothers and sisters
More pictues
Brochures I have some brochures/spec sheets in pdf-format, if someone should be interested I'll e-mail them
TorkelH, Thanks for your great offer Do you have any from the 60's? As you might know I build models in scale 1/87(HO) and I would like to build a model of some kind of loader to my logging trucks. I am not sure what kind of equipment they used in BC(Vancouver Island) in the 60's. I think grapple yarders were introduced in the 60's . Pix shows one of my Hayes HDX models.
1960's was before T-Bird. Washington TL-15 and TL-6 Trakloaders were very common on the Island in that period. Also some Skagit 555's, and the Americans (Cypress) were starting to become popular. Lots of old Northwest Model 6's, Limas, etc. that were converted to load logs. Some Bucyrus-Erie loaders, too, that at first glance looked like Americans.
Trakloader, thank you for your great information. I hope to track a few of those vintage trakloaders at The Island this summer and get some pix and measurements. I have seen a lot of old equipment in Campbell River area and further north on The Island. But I wasn't curious but HE site has gain my curiosity for that kind of equipment.Thanks
Really enjoying the posts and photos of the Thunderbird machines. My son and I are running a TMY 50 here in New Zealand, just across the valley another contractor runs a TMY 45 and a TMY 70, and in the next valley over we have another crew running a TSY 225. A lot of Thunderbird haulers (yarders) here, as well as Madill, Washington, Sgagit etc, but only a few track loaders ever made it here. I'm new to this site, but as soon as I'm allowed I'll post some pics for you all. Contract Logger, if I give you the serial number of my machine, maybe you can tell me it's history before it reached our shores?
I would definitely be interested in them, PM me and I can give you my email. I have missed this site greatly during it absence! Thanks!
Hi there Contract Logger The first machine pictured is a New Zealand machine. 7 of these where shipped down here of which I understand 5 are still working. I opperate #10532. I would like to find out more about this machine and also the PSY-200 in general. I'll post pictures when I get the privilages. Cheers
Brochures Sorry mr, I have mostly what you can see in the picture, from the 90's. I think ContractLogger or Trakloader is the men that can be helpful regarding to that, and CL's pictures here should give you a pretty good view of older loaders in Canada.
So, I looked at this and it looks like a great solution to what had to be a troubling problem at the time, but when I look closer, I wonder how the brakes work on it. Do they only apply to the inside tire of the pair, or is there some way for the brakes to function on both? By the way, I am really enjoying all of your logging posts. Very informative.
Psy-200 Here is a photo of the PSY-200 during a break in the rain the other day. This machine was originally blue and white but has been repainted Thunderbird tan with TSY logos. I understand this machine was built in either 1980 or 81. It has been repowered with the 8V92t silver jimmy and runs a 6 speed trans. Hello line speed.
Wow that's really cool, great detail for `/87 esp.. Got any other pix of your models?
Tomtj460 here.Can you email me the brochures for the tmy 40 ty45, tmy 45 and tmy 50[if you have them].My email is [email protected] .I will reply through the email and send you some photos from logging we've done in Australia,regards,Tom.
oops I wanted to post a quick reply to TORKELH .I didnt realise it would come out on the open forum.[sorry]
The Madill 6250... These pic's are all taken from the net back in 2001, when Anderson Logging Inc in Fort Bragg, Ca. published them there. I can not find these pictures anymore, and I hope Andersons forgive me to put them out here... It's also a tribute to Andersons that have been publishing pictures from their own operations on internet since late nineties!
More Anderson - moving the new yarder Moving the yarder with great precision over three bridges with narrow curves on both sides, only too narrow on the last bridge...
Moving equipment in Mendocino Co. Last pic's. Andersons home page is here: http://www.andersonlogging.com/
Hey all. I'm really enjoying the pics and info on everything throughout the forestry equipment forum. I was wondering if anyone had any of the specs on the Thunderbird 700 RB excavator. I'm not sure the year of the one I'm looking at but we are looking at maybe purchasing one for piling brush. Thanks.
Madill 6250 never heard of this model? is it a T-Bird Cypress ??? I'm thinking of the of Cypress 6280 kind of looks like one
Isn't the 6250 similar to the T-Bird TSY255?
Found something. Madill Madill now manufactures eight cable yarder models, including five swing yarders and three tower yarders. The improved 255B swing yarder is capable of long span skyline logging with a motorized carriage or interlocked skyline logging with a slack pulling carriage. It has a 50foot tower, a Cat 450hp 3406E engine coupled to a twin disc five forward and one reverse powershift transmission. The 124 model offers a 60foot tower, a Detroit 450 hp engine, front and rear main drum capacity of 2,550' of 7/8" line and 92,000 lbs of pull. The 335hp 6250 and the 330 hp 120 models offer 50' towers, while the 230hp 6240 has a 40' tower. Madill's tower yarders include the 450hp 172 fivedrum yarder with a 72' telescoping high strength tower with hydraulic cylinders for raising, telescoping and tilting. Its skyline drum has a 3,200' capacity of 1" and 135,000 lbs of pull. The 330hp 6150 has a 50' tower and a skyline capacity of 2,000' of 7/8" with a bare pull of 56,410 lbs, while the 175hp 6140 model has a 40' tower and a skyline capacity of 2,000' of 3/4" with a bare pull of 55,210 lbs. Madill has incorporated its trademark tilt open machinery house for full maintenance access.
Hehe, I put it in the Thunderbird-forum, because it actually was a Thunderbird in Madill paint and it looked more like the Thunderbird TSY-6--- series of swing yarders. I remember even Anderson calling it the mad chicken :tong. Harry Schluckebier of Walterville, Or have 2 of these for sale now. The miniyarder tmy-40 must have become the 6140 and ty-50 the 6150 , I guess. The 255B must have been the TSY-6255 SLR with an extra drum for skyline, as I understand. The 6240 must have been the predecessor to TSY-6140 SLR. But maybe someone else know some more of this, and if there in fact was produced any of these models?
The 6250 was an awesome yarder- only 3 were ever built. I cannot remember who got the 1st one- it was a Thunderbird (tan) and may have gone overseas or into Canada it seems like. The second one went to Bighorn Logging at Vernonia Oregon, and was also tan. This yarder was one of the main reasons the Madill/Cypress group pulled the trigger and purchased the Ross Corporation (Thunderbird) group. It (The Thunderbird 6250) was a faster, more versatile machine designed as a 'Madill 120 Killer' and it would have really hurt Madill's presence in the 100,000 lb class swing yarder market. Thunderbird had several machines that were doing serious damage to Madill's market share, and Ross was openly for sale, so Madill figured they had better buy it before someone else did and really put the hurt to them in the USA. Thunderbird had a much broader product line, and had 70% of the American yarder market, as well as a good deal of business Ross was pulling out of Canada and New Zealand. Madill was nervous (rightly so) so the ended it with a check, then discontinued production of nearly all the Thunderbird machinery line. Sorry, about the yarder above: Madill purchased all of the assets and inventory of Ross Corporation, and this included a bunch of brand-new tan machines. many (including this 6250 sold to Anderson by Madill (Phil Copeland was actually the salesman who sold it) and painted orange over the TB tan. The machine is capable of all logging systems (including grapple) and has big haulback drum brakes for SLR standing skyline work. I have the Thunderbird 6250 brochures somwhere and will scan. Madill killed production of the machine, and never produced any literature on it, as none were built under Madill ownership.
Thunderbird TY-90 S/N Y-9049 As long as you've got me in the Thunderbird thread, here's a few pics of Thunderbird TY-90 Serial Number Y-9049. It was mounted on a Skagit T-100 Trailer and painted white. Someone has added some strange guarding around the guyline drums, controls, and raising line.
Couple more detail shots.
Very interesting thanks for the info !!! kind of looks like Cypress 6280 (Thunderill) looking forward to the brochure..........
Cyperbird?? most of the Thunderbird stuff incorporated everybody else's good ideas. There's an awful lot of Skagit and Washington technology in those tan machines. Not much Madill- the Ross boys hated Wichita's, hated Detroits, hated one-piece towers, hated tank-mountings, and etc. None of these common Madill features were ever used on the Thunderbird machines. Towers were ALWAYS telescopers, brakes were ALWAYS Eatons, Power was Cat/Cummins, transmissions were usually Twin-Disc, and so on. That 6250 was a really cool yarder. all-hydraulic, electronic joysic controls, etc. Way ahead of its time. Cypress-style boom indeed! The Madill 120 was gonna get hurt, and Madill was apparently too proud to let that happen. As it turn out, they (Madill) had more credit/buying power than brain power!
Here are some pics of that 6250 working in California.
The TY90 photos look like somewhere here in New Zealand, the extra guarding works well here as we log full stems usually around 30-35m in length that is around I think 115 feet. the extra guarding helps to protect the valving from getting all beat up etc when landing the long logs.
I know I've a sales brochure around somewhere for the 700 RB, but all I could find for now is the 800 RB. I can't get my scanner to work either... not my day I guess... but here's the specs for the 800 if that helps you.... the 800 seems to have been a 40/45 metric ton machine, so I'd presume the 700 might have been in the 300 size class maybe? RB 800 SPECS =============================== 98,000 lb 3406 Cat @300hp 4 pumps 268 gpm Drawbar pull 76,800 lb Swing torque 106,000 ft-lb Swing speed 6 RPM Reach 39' with 12' stick Lift @ 30' 30,000 lb Arm force 45,966 with 10' arm; 40,800 with 12' arm Bucket breakout force 64,700 lb Track length 17'3" 10 roller Track width 11' 11" Ground clearance 26" Digging bucket 48" Cleanup bucket 72" Grapple TLG 58" I've never seen a 700 for sure, or an 800 that I can remember, but I do remember that International Paper out of Veneta, Oregon had a 900 RB for a while, before the company there was history. It was a big excavator, considering it replaced a Cat 229! All I remember about it was that it was about two years old in 1994 and it might have been a one-of-a-kind demo machine. Can you shed any light one the Thunderchicken roadbuilders, Contract Logger?
They got the Eaton & Cummins part right, not crazy about the electronic joystick.. I prefer the cobalt air. not electic over air:my2c Birdill !!! love to try one out.
There were a whole bunch of TB Roadbuilders, yes. I have all the brochures- in Washington and not here in Alaska. I do have some good pics here in Alaska- but, my favorite laptop is getting a rebuild right now (it's also the one with my scanning software on it), so we're a week or 2 out on posting pics. The early 700RB, 800RB and 900RB were ground-up machines built around the 838, 940, and 1146 log loader line. Crazy powerful, but crazy expensive. built until around 1995-ish. Later, with the Hyundai machines, there were the 500RB (a Hyundai 160 guarded up) 600RB (Hyundai 200 guarded) 700RB (290 guarded), etc. The Hyundai lines were also used for the strokers- 736DL, 836DL, 738, etc. Then Madill took over and continued the Hyundai 1236DL stroker and 1238 log loader, both built around Hyundai 290LC carriers. In the mid 80's, Ross Murray was throwing out millions of $$$$ developing the logger line, and experimented with at least 2 940's with low-cab, buncher-boom machines with 36" Rotosaw heads to compete with the Cat 245 bunchers Halton was building at the time. I got to see these giant bunchers, but cameras were not allowed They were huge dinosaur bunchers. Both those TB bunchers burned (forest Fire)and were scrapped around 1990. To the fellow asking about the 700RB- Ross built so many different units that size, I'm not sure which it would be. Some ground-up machines were 700RB's early, then later some Hyundai 290 conversions were called 700RB's also. Also, Ross was very parts-proprietary, so a serial-number may not work to tell the difference either. Hyundai tags were removed and often shredded! Wish I could help, but truth is, I'd avoid it. Could be a parts nightmare.
6250 and so on This was very interesting Contract Logger, and also good to see you posting some pics again! As Harry Schluckebier advertise two 6250's for sale and the last one still is with Andersons I guess we have pretty much control on these machines. What I also understand it's better to go buy one of these than the 120? What about some of the other new machines Thunderbird adveritized just before the takeover, was it ever produced any of them? And last, what about the 255B, what was that? Torkel
Irritating Extremely irritating that I need to shrink pictures before I post, so then I just give up instead of posting pictures
I fully agree 120% - what happened mad: I like to post pictures cause I hope somebody out there enjoy my pictures, but making "doubble shifts" makes me crazy....
I tried to post some pictures earlier and got a memo saying I didnt have security cleanace and needed to contact administration. Very frustrating indeed!
We are spoiled I am afraid.Automatic picture resizing is a fairly new phenomena and is by no means universal.I would imagine that it will be working properly again in the near future.Don't stop posting those fabulous pictures!!Ron G
PSY-200 again Here are a couple of pictures of the ex-Ross Davis 200 fresh of the transporter last week. This is #10517 and built in November 79. I understand this was a 12V Detroit but has been repowered with a Series 60 and has a 2 speed trans. The trackframe on this machine is a Pierce and looks much like that from a TSY 255. If you are having trouble with image resizing then you can load the files to imageshack and then upload to these forums
6250
155? This one was the one I was talking about, parked by the I-5 a little north of Roseburg, I thought this was a 6250 but it look more like a slightly modified 155? Suddenly it became very interesting to know when Contract Logger go back to his Washington home and start scanning the TB brochures... :notworthy
Brochures
OK we are both wrong It's a T-Bird TSY6250DLS Whatever the heck a DLS is?[/QUOTE] JeremyM70 - DLS stood for 'DUAL LOGGING SYSTEM' according to my spec sheets. Essentially it was a full interlock machine that was all systems capable and comparable to the TSY 155/Madill 120 for size. Torkel pondered that it may be a better buy than a 120. It does have a more complex gear train than the 120/155 but as long as that stood up, it would be OK. I've worked on both the 120/155 down this way - the 120 worked well out to around 300 metres and then the interlock ratio starts to go out of whack where as the 155 was better over the longer hauls. If distance was a factor for the 6250 there is the option to put up the skyline. Food for thought. Enjoy your posts - keep em comming.
contract logger do you remember the 840 loaders that were built for Erickson Air Crane? Those were sure some sweet loaders would handle just about anything you threw at them. Did the early loaders like the 940 1146 etc use Koehring cabs, they seemed to look that way. And was the 840 a one off Erickson specific machine or were more built.
Several years ago Kevin Charles brought a new TSY 6055 'I think yarder' for his Nelson NZ operation had a 3406 450hp cat in it He also had a 4 axcel 70 with a 350 detroit He ran a super skid operation for a few years I used to cart the full length trees to the super skid for processing I have pics but are in storage at the moment
I know the machine well. It was one of the early 6255 SLR's and came to Kevin via the FIME 98 Logging show in Rotorua. Don't the years go by...........
Here's a 6255 swinger working at Weyerhaeuser PeEll about 3 weeks ago. Note the D7G ripper cat used for both guylines. Also using a Wararah 622 on a Deere carrier.
Weyerhaeuser is currently using at least 3 TY-90's on the PeEll operation as well. In the 1st pic 2 of them are visible and working. Here are some pics.
Hey I got a picture of 424 there at the Pe Ell yard several months ago, much better to see it working!
Great shots of the 6255 and Ty 90's Contract Logger . One could be mistaken of thinking they were taken in NZ with all those log grades and the Waratah. I have some feedback re a TY 90 down here (ref Post 88). The 'one off' T9043 came into Tasmania. As I remember it was purchased through Ken Nicholls and was painted in the Diamond colours. Yes, the undercariage had been changed to a T100 SP. I have photo of it here for when I learn to attach. Sadley it copped some vandal damage around 02 and the disheartened contractor put it for sale. According to my records it went to the Gisbourne area of NZ - maybe Kiwi Logger could confirm. I've been away from the scene for a while and keen to catch up. As of around 04, we had five 90's down here. Re Post 72 - In the last two pictures of a Ty 90 on a Washington carrier, is that Jim Murry in the blue top.
If you could find some pics of T9043 on your side of the pond that would be really cool to see! It was moved into Marysville Washington back when Bob Hild, Kenny Nichols, and John Griffen were the owners of 'Coastal Pacific' and 'Diamond Manufacturing'. They built and re-built some REALLY neat and different styles of logging machinery there. Lots of TY-90's (Bob also owned Alaska Pacific Logging and sent several of those TY-90's up here to Alaska to work in his camps) and big Skagits. They (Diamond) built a miniature version of a TY-90, put it on tracks, and used it all over (Alaska and Washington), as well as a big swing yarder the would out-log the TSY-255's Murray was building back then (John and Ken were both early Ross people). I have several old 'Ross Equipment' sales books and the 1st 3 pages are employee pictures- It's amazing who is in there, AND sitting next to each other! I'll see John on Tuesday, we'll all be in Anchorage for the AFA meetings, and try to get access to all his old pics. He started with Washington Iron Works in the 1960's, so he has worked on or around every type of (diesel) yarder there is. He would be offended if I tried dating him clear back to steam. That machine was burgandy before Nichols ever built a yarder- interesting that the Diamonds turned out the same color....hadnt thought about it... The gentleman in the blue was Wimer Logging's Salem area logging boss- I cannot remember his name now.
cool
I went over and looked at the TY90 in Tasmania it was on site and I got there after the vandals had attacked it, they had smashed all the windows , everything alloy with a hammer, turbo, manifolds etc cut the radiator hoses and tried to set it on fire but it wouldnt take, I think from memory they moved a couple of Komatsu 30tonners onto to a slash pile and burnt those out. Was a tidy machine, we brought it and shipped it back and logged with it for several years , I believe it is down maybe Nelson way now. It was a nice machine to run but we had a lot of trouble with bearings in the sheaves. I have some photo's somewhere of the old growth Euc they were logging at the time in Tas, and as well when we rigged it up here in NZ, when I get a chance I will try and find them. Am not sure if they caught those Greenies that worked over the logging equipment but I think they had some pretty good rewards on offer. I cant work them out they dont want us cutting the trees down but I bet they all like that "Super Soft Toilet Paper" maybe they havnt made the connection where it comes from yet!!!!!!
TY 90 - 9043 Florentine Valley, Tasmania 1998. Notice the front guarding around the main drum near the rear guyline winches is non standard. Also, I can't remember seeing a slackpuller drum - is it possible that it could have been removed, hence the guard change.
TY 90 9049 Golden Downs Forest NZ 1994. Compare the guarding with 9043. This is the yarder that is currently for sale on the net minus the addition of the front guyline drum guarding. I think I prefer the blue.
Off-Topic You guys mentioned Diamond, I seen a nice little swing tower in W. Montana from them. Is there enough info and pictures to start a thread on them? I love all the pictures of yarders, I own the only 2 working yarders between the Rockies and the Adirondacks, so I don't see a lot
155 #s-5117 Found the site a week or so ago, I'm addicted. CL has more info than anyone I know. I run two sides one mechanical side and one cable op. I believe I have Bighorn's (Harv's) 155 #s-5117 Ill try for some pics.
First T/Bird Downunder #7059 being unloaded off the Caliafornia Star at Lyttleton, NZ. Delivered to (good lookin') logger in Nelson
Now these are some cool pics! Looks brand spankin' new!
#s-5117 I have some pretty good pics of my 155. How long till I can post photos?
One more post, then you may have to log in again. When you get 3 then you can add pictures. I think.
J&R- I think he's right- 5 posts will (should?) do it. I have some pics of your yarder new- my favorite laptop crashed (motherboard melted at the DC inlet!) and I haven't installed any scanning software on the others because I'm shopping new ones now. I know it sounds ridiculous but I try to keep different laptops for different businesses/projects. For taxes/tax deduction reasons among other things. My personal/picture laptop is dedicated to logging/PDF literature/hobbies/picture and scanning programs, etc. All my picture and PDF files are stored on external drives and NOT individual computers, so knock-on-wood I havent ever lost anything even while my computers crash, freeze (literally, the LCD screens freeze and crack here in Alaska!) get stolen or whatever. Anyway as soon as I make a decision on the new laptop I'll scan and post the 155 pics for you when Bighorn bought it new. It'll be withinn the next couple of weeks. Bighorn landed a 3-year logging contract with Weyerhaeuser Longview in 1992/1993 and bought that yarder to service that contract. He got the 3-years done, and chose to part ways with Weyco after that to concentrate on his Oregon customers, as Weyco was a hassle and doesnt pay thier contractors well at all. Harve always had lots of work and certainly didn't need them. In those days he had 9 sides working for 6 or 7 different landowners (other than Weyco) all the time -thankfully!
#s-5117 Thanks
I aquired it from a contractor on the redwood coast about three years ago. It was in fair shape, but needed some TLC. I bought it and since then have been every year during the winter been doing some projects on it. Year 1: New drum reverser 2: Tin wear and quick paint 3: Chain box, swing drive, pulling cluch This winter we have been awarded a grant from CARB to repower it with a new tier 3 engine which we wil start in about a month as soon as we are completely mudded out.
NICE! That's a great yarder- quick moves and light on the highway. The one thing that would be nice on the 155's was a live boom (hyd winch, mounted right on the boom would be fine) for greasing and roller/sheave work, etc. How do you use it? Harve's boys always ran a Danebo MSP, and it worked good with a light (3/4 or even 5/8) drop-line in the smaller Longview type 2nd growth wood. Can't remember if that machine had 2 guy drums or 3......?
It has 3 guylines. We use 3/4 haulback, 5/8 main and slackpuller and a Danebo MSP. I love it. It works perfect. We fight deflection much of the time here in the sierras. There are not too many great yarder settings. We go around and get the ground that the Cat sides can't get so the infrastructure is all built around cat sides which many times leaves not so good cable settings. I have thought about building a live boom for it. That would be nice. I have som neet pics of it on the lowbed I will post
Well you hit '5' so I think you can post pics now. The live boom is an easy modification. Do you guys rig tail trees or try to use a mobile tailhold? Bad deflection is always a problem with the smaller yarders, but with a big yarder you gain only deflection and lose your speed and agility/etc. With that 155 you're light on your feet and I suspect you get in and out of a setting really quick! Any job that keeps you thinking is a fun one, and I'll bet your office looks alot like my Ansel Adams calendars too! The Sierras are truly beautiful.
Pictures are hopefully coming tonight. I'm currently uploading them. Yea I think it is perfect for our application. We can move quick a selection or thinning and seem to do pretty well in a clearcut with some decent logs. As far as being in the Sierras, GOD has truely blessed me. It is stunning here
Roadswitcher was that Ross Jones's one
Yes
I remember it quite a revolution in those days that machine compared with the old dispatch etc Think It may of being in the late NZFS days cause it started in Golden Downs then went to Marihau then Giant Logging brought it and Ross came to live in Coff's It.s being a good versatile hauler has done some rugged blocks Photo must be 15 year old
Reply to Contract Logger and WillD8R Interesting CL that you remarked about the new look of the 70. Indeed every one thought it was new including 'Customs and Agriculture' who passed it for entry into NZ without a closer look. Truth is however, from new it had a brief run with De Paul Logging (you probably know of them) and then exchanged back to Ross Corp for a big tower. Upon set up in Nelson, it was found to have about half cubic yard of Oregon's finest black soil at the base of the drum set - Its not often you get one over Customs. LOL. (approx $5000 for cleaning at the dock) Re the date William , time flies - that was July 1990.
TY-90 brochure I have just been in my old house and found some pretty dusty cardboard boxes filled with different pics (slides and negatives), VHS-videos and books. And the TY-90 brochure, so I found I should put it out on the forum! Well, I have to downscale this so much that the text and pics get really bad - this is so extremely irritating - and because of this most of the fantastic pics put out on the forum after the new size limits was introduced are of much poorer quality than they deserve! Please - is it possible to let us publish larger size images again?
Tsy155 #s-5117 Finally some pictures
Tsy155 #s-5117 A few more
Yarder/tower specsifications Yarder/tower specsifications I am looking to put together a list of Yarder/Tower specifications of all models/brands out there if you have any specs sheets from the manufacture please email them to meet and I will put it together. Thanks to all
On one CL's posts there are slot of brochures. I'm not sure if it's on this thread or the Madill thread. Try that
Brochures here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8809686/brochures.zip
Thanks to all keep those spec sheets coming
would you please send me those specs sheet would be great for a project i am doing thanks a lot.
spec sheets just go to the drop box in #186 and download them
just found this site i have been a loboy driver for 28 years, was fortunate to haul alot of equipment for the Ross corp. delivered several of those 90s to weyco in Raymond, Pe ell and cosi camps. Also hauled the mcmillan Bloedehl machine from Eugene to the barge. Also hauled the jensen and grove 90 up to the brooklyn country after it was bought by hamiltons. The murray boys definitly sold alot of iron and it was fun delivering the stuff all over wa. ore. and idaho. heres one for you contract logger do you remember when Ross corp. had the dealership for kato? I hauled one up to a logging show in downtown vancouver b.c at the westin motel also hauled one to the barge that went to Whitestone logging in Hoonah alaska hope to get some pics. posted
'Down Under' (R.H.drive) lowbed pic for badazzboy123 Removing the 'dolly' - TY 90 #9043 Tasmania delivery. Some state highways here require the use of an intermediate 'dolly' to minimise axial load. Once they are on Forestry roads however, they are 'dropped' in order to give the prime mover more traction and manoeuvrability. I have some more lowbed pix to follow as soon as I get them scanned.
Tmy4043 A nice looking little Aussy yarder
Tmy50 5035 Another Aussy yarder. This one appears to have been parked up for a long time
Tmy 70 7052 It is always a shame to see fire damaged machines but it appears this one is destined to be rebuilt. More picture of these three machines can be found here http://afmpacific.com.au/?cat=14
Just a few pics of one of our TTY70s a great Yarder in a good crew, not that happy with the skidding line in the photo but this guy is usually pretty sharp. This is another Yarder we just rebuilt the 855 cummins about two months ago. Unfortunatly boys being boys I had to pull this operator into a crew closer to town where his newly installed ankle bracelet would work!!! Mind you it was better than having him locked up so he is having a change sitting in our TSY6355.
A few pics of our older TSY200, we have spent alot of $$$ on this Yarder over the years but it sure does a good job just recently we rebuilt the 8v92 detroit and 6 speed allison done most clutchs and shafts but man can it pull. And so far as with the 12v71 in the 046 no oil leaks I wonder how long that is going to last!!!!
Got love the 200 I knew you guys had a 200 but I thought it was the 12V one which come from Nelson. I have been looking around for that machine for a while. If you need someone to drive it I'd be keen. Do you know about the one sitting in Reporoa? Looks like it is being wreaked.
Pretty sure that gene phelen brought that machine don't know what he's doin with it probably stripping it for parts for his other 200 I'm picking?
Good pix Kiwi and of the 046 too. From reading your posts I think I recognise some ex Stoke's yarders in your fleet. What happened to 'Mont'.
Yip Mont is still in Auckland he got into real estate when it started to nosedive I catch up with him maybe once a year .
Had posted some TTY70 pics on the previous page as well if anyone is interested.
That's good. Glad he didn't have to flee the country although he would have been an instant star on any unsensored version of the 'Axemen'.
Can you run 1 inch mains on a tty70?
Tom I did it once to get rid of a roll that was lying around but don't recommend it for a few reasons. Most important, the specs say 3/4" or 7/8" for the main and you would need deep pockets to argue otherwise in any incident with Workcover. Secondly, the tower sheave is grooved for 7/8" max and has too tight a radius for 1" which makes for accelerated wear and fatigue, not to mention remachining sheave when you go back to 7/8". Other considerations include less line length and machining a thin ferrule for the drum. Can I ask why you are considering this. PS, Any connection to either of the two TTY 6170's that came into OZ about ten years ago to Tim Christen and Andrew Mancton. RS
I spent 6 months on the tailspar and choker setting for the mob that bought those two blokes tsy6255.But ive seen the light,am back in the mountain ash on top of the black spur.I would post some photos[if i knew how to resize them]
Just killing a bit of time now that I have worked out the resizing of photos here are a few more of our old 200.
Just found a couple of our TSY6355BC ( not sure what the BC stands for?) This is a great yarder lots of power and fast, we brought it in from Eugene about 3-4 years ago, We have another 6355 working in Northland it has been a great Yarder as well.
BC stands for 'British Columbia' meaning the machine was built to a Canadian spec. At the time, Canada had much stricter rules governing the cab structure, ladders, guardings and railings, etc-- safety issues. All Thunderbird's 'BC' cabs were rear-entry on the shovels, versus the side-entry on the US machines. There were US and Canadian versions built by Thunderbird for the different markets. All the Canadian spec machines were called 'BC', both yarders and shovels. Madill and Cypress were always Canadian companys, and therefore met all the regulations anyway. Now the laws have standardized enough that the US manufacturers putting (new) machines into forestry applications are meeting requirements for all of North America. Many of the 'BC' series Thunderbird machines made thier way back to the US over the years.
PSY 200 side cover Kiwi Logger I notice you guys run without the cover over the tail rope clutch to make greesing easier. I modified the cover on the machine I was driving so that the top quarter flipped open.
Now I got many questions for you KiwiLogger: I see you are using an wheeled excavator with the processor head; how is that working? Btw are you doing running skyline or gravity on the 6355, and have you ever tried a grapple? It seems to be plantation logging, is it radiata? What is the average log size?
Hi TorkelH The wheeled excavator worked fine we had a Logmax 12000 on it the idea was to drive between two crews but the forest owner couldnt keep them together so it fell apart, so have gone back to a tracked machine with the 12000 , most of the time we run the MSP on the 6355 a little grapple when we can with an average piece size of 1.8-2.5 tonne and yes all plantation Radiata its as far as you can see here on the East Coast.
Here are a few pics out of the Thunderbird 1994/95 swing yarder brochure showing the Bighorn TSY-155 (currently owned by a forum member and working in California). My scanner is in town at the office, so these are just camera-taken pics of pics, but turned out pretty good.
Thanks CL, As you can see in my photos on page 13 it has been painted to the later ross machines. If you look close the first pics have a little different paint job. The year after I bought it I gave it a paint job overhaul. While the machine is at Cummins we have both drum sets out and are totally going through them. You wouldn't happen to know where I can find a main drum? mine seems to be collapsing a bit.
I priced for a complete main drum to be fabricated for a PSY200 through Brightwaters down here in New Zealand. They can remanufacture any item to factory specifications as they have access to the Modern Machinery blueprints. Modern Machinery should be able to do the same or have someone do it closer to you. The price was quite reasonable.
Modern can do it for sure (and they are the current owner and dealer for all things Thunderbird). I did hear last week that McPaul was back to tinkering some- try him for sure. Ballenger Co. used to do some fab work like this in the Eugene/Springfield area, as well as Myrmo and Sons out on the Coast. McPaul will be the best bet, but Modern can 'git er done' as they say...
While on the subject of 155/6155's #S5140 TSY 6155 in Victoria, OZ 1996
Interesting paint scheme-- She has the orange fairlead/gantry tip (early Ross colors) and the later forest green/burgundy (they started using these colors in later 1996, first on the 1240/1242 shovels) on the lower structure. This is a great picture- and I like the paint scheme! Was it painted by Ross Corp do you know? Usually (later) the boom tips were painted the burgundy color but I like this orange alot better.
While I am new to this site I have to say the last 1 1/2 hours of looking and reading have been very enjoyable also I have learned a lot. I lived west of Portland for five years and got to see some beautiful country. Saw a few yarders set up but never got to watch one run. Was lucky enought to travel for work had five states on the west coast to cover, when ever possible I took the back roads. Much better than seeing traffic and buildings any day. Thanks for all the pictures and great information, I only hope you keep sharing.
Here are some Thunderbird 255 pics from 1994- One new TSY-255 at Weyerhaeuser Longview (they had 2 new 255's delivered same-day) and a couple of pics of a new TSY-255 delivered to Marv Hopkes Logging at Tillamook Oregon the same year. These are brochure pics.
Here's a nice shot of a TSY-355BC working on Vancouver Island, courtesy Ross Corporation sales brochures.......
Thunderbirds are great built machines I hope that Madill (Nicholson) doesn't give up on them. There seems to be an awful lot of them out there
Colour and Cab anomalies Yes CL , this is how it arrived direct from Ross Corp. Perhaps the tower/gantry had been made and painted earlier. A TY 40 came out on the same shipment and that was still in orange but a TTY 6170 that arrived a couple of months later in September 96 was complete burgundy and green, tower tips in all. I don't have any other shots of 6155's down here (indeed, if there are any others) so have been looking through a few pix of 6255's for a colour example and noticed also that of the four that I'm aware of down this way, only one had the raised cab and that was one of the earlier ones. I don't know if is relevant but it was also the only one with single lever control. On reflection, it may have been a customer option. A couple of pics to compare cabs and view the complete burgundy look - they are both SLR machines. The first pic #S5214 Dec 1999 (me thinks the haulback is in the wrong sheave at top of tower - it should be in the top swivel fairlead) Second pic #S5190 Feb 1998 (this is the one with the single lever control) Untill recently anyway, it had only ever shotgun with Maki carriage. RS
Great pics roadswitcher They must of had a new cab on hand. It is kind of weird that the earlier machine had the later cab style. CL should know. I was around a 6155 with the new cab and the visability was much better, especially when landing a turn
For using a grapple I think it's better to use the second sheave. It keeps the distances between lines better
The truth is I dont know. These Ross boys were flexible, experimental, and very open-minded. Most of what they did was experimental, and most of what we see today was the result of the successful trials- there was also a good bit of 'unsuccessful' equipment that was built, tried, and then cut-up. One that comes to mind was a GIANT feller-buncher machine built using a TB 940 shovel frame, front-shovel styled buncher boom, with a modified/experimental Risely Roto-Saw that would fall 40+ inch timber. With all the guarding, etc this thing weighed around 110,000 and had a Cat 3406B for power. It caught on fire and burned, and was cut up quickly so everybody wouldnt see it or whatever. I talked to the guy that used it and he said it was a timber-falling beast! Ross approached him after the fire with a price for a new on and he said he thought hard about it. Bottom line was it was REALLY expensive, and most timber that size he had could not be reached by a non-tilting buncher. The USFS was dealing with the spotted owl (this was in 1989) and contracters were nervous anyway. The 3406B was cranked to the max and fuel consumption on this thing was off the charts as well- too much constant traveling and swinging. Customer went back to using his 'smaller' Cat 245B buncher with 36" Roto-Saw. The cab was probably an experiment- one that was tried first, loved, then designed and integrated into the production line over time. I wish I had pictures of that big tan/orange buncher! They wouldnt let me take any........ Another thing really impressive to watch are the Thunderbird 1146 and 1148 shovels with Waratah 626's on them that Allen & Gibbons is using. Huge machines with big horsepower, big flow, and tons of reach. Fuel consumption is the downfall and will kill them off eventually.
TY-90 yarding sand/rock in Saskatchewan. Here's a recent picture of a TY-90 doing dredge work with a Sauerman bucket in Canada. This is the GriffeyLog > Jensen & Grove > Hamilton > Wallace machine that sat next to I-5 at Toledo Washinton for a year or 2.
Weyerhaeuser was always a large Thunderbird buyer. In the late 90's, Weyco Longview traded 4 Thunderbirds in to Madill for 4 new 172's. 2 of the trades were TMY-70's (Weyco Longview Yarders #254 and #255). Here are some pics at Kalama after Madill painted them to sell. Also with these 2 yarders were a single-axle jeep and single-axle booster built by Whit-Log for moving them over the highway. The other 2 trades were TSY-255's- I'll post those pics later.
Here are some pics from 1994 of a TY-90 rebuilt by McPaul Machine for Weyerhaeuser Cosmopolis. Sorry for the quality, bad pics then bad scans.....
They baked a head on the KT last summer in the heat, burned up the brakes on the mainline and haulback drums before they got things figured out.
Here's a nice machine! Mike Plaas of Eatonville Washington picked up a used TY-90 on T100 trailer in the Morton Wa area and brought it in to be re-built. In the meantime, Sholes Logging of Aberdeen sent an old Skagit BU-90 on a T-100 Self-Propelled to RB Auction, and Mike Plaas and Bill Paulson (and myself) happened to be standing there looking at it. It was agreed that if it sold cheap enough, the T-100 SP could be re-built and the TY-90 hoist mounted on that instead. It did. Needless to say, the Skagit BU-90 was pulled off and the Self-Propelled carrier was rebuilt and a downdrive was added to the TY-90 to make it run the carrier. The Skagit trailer that originally carried the TY-90 was sold off, and the new yarder emerged from the McPaul shop as it appears below. The paint was automotive-quality with 2 coats of cover clearcoat at a cost paid by Mr Plaas of $18,000.00. Mike Plaas logged with it at Kapowsin for several years before selling it overseas. The rebuild took place in the winter of 1995/1996.
Oh No! Well that was an expensive lesson.....I would hat to even think of the cost to rebuild a KT right now, and the Eatons aren't cheap either!
More Plaas yarder.
Here are the 1st 2 pics of the machine taken in the woods-- with line on, cab on, steering tires on, gooseneck off, and ready to head into the mountains under her own power!
Here are some pics taken several months later. The super-single steer tires proved not to be wide enough to hold the machine up out of the road, so by now the 4 'fat steers' have been replaced by 8 '12:00x24' tires on the steering end. The tires can be seen loose around the front of the machine.
Finally, here we have 2 pics of this machine working 'down-under' just recently. It is looking used, but still a nice machine! and the 8 steering tires are obviously still there and going strong! The machine is currently for sale, though the price is very high. Going into 2011, and last time I saw her in person was in 1997- some 14 years ago.... My how time flies!
Here are some old pictures I took at Cathlamet Washington in 1987. This is either the 1st or 2nd TY-90 ever built, and was purchased new by Jerry Debrie Logging in 1984. This one has the KT Cummins in it and that engine is getting some attention this day. Also a good view of the gooesneck (extra long on this one) and the dolly to pull it around behind a D8 Cat. Mounted to a Skagit T-100 Trailer. DeBrie Logging has used/owned 4 TY-90 yarders and still has this machine in 2011.
Here's another TY-90 owned by Debrie Logging, pics taken by me about 1992 at Cathlamet. This machine was new at that time.
Same machine- different day. It looks good against the blue sky!
Here are some pics taken at DeBrie Logging in 2001 of one of their Thunderbird TY-90's.
This dandy new Thunderbird TY-90 on a Skagit T-100 Self-Propelled was parked at Ross in Eugene waiting for someone to come along and buy it. It was a beauty! Later I heard who bought this machine but today I cannot remember, and I didnt get a serial number. I do have the list, but dont know which machine this is..... In the background one can see a Thunderbird 700RB Roadbuilder, but not very well. Also a used Komatsu someone traded in on something.
Here's a TY-90 on Skagit T-100 Self-Propelled working near Sweet Home, Oregon for G&H Logging in 1996. This machine was owned by Chilton and Preston of Woodland Washington in 2009, and presumably is still there.
Thunderbird TT-90 Slackline Yarder/Tower! There were only 2 Thunderbird TT-90's built. One was delivered new to Hopkes Logging at Tillamook Oregon, and the other to Papac Logging of Montesano Washington. They were ground-up yarders and utilized the Thunderbird TY-90 hoist, mated to a 'Thunderbird-built Self-Propelled Carrier with a 90', 8-guyline, Telescoping Tower'. The whole works was built by Ross Corporation in the Eugene shops and both rolled out in late 1987. One complaint of customers using Skagit towers was the fact that you had to drive them from they yarder cab- up too high and with poor visibility. Ross solved this by building a Madill-like driving cab up at the front of the carrier. Another complaint was the weak guylines on the old Skagits. Ross re-designed the guyline motors on the TT-90 and all 8 had big power hydraulic motors. Rearends on the TT-90 were much larger than the standard T-100SP units as well. The TT-90 was the Rolls-Royce yarder of the big towers in the late 1980's and 1990's. BUT- they were really, really expensive,........... of course. Most guys just opted for the Skagits as they were cheap and pretty reliable. Here are some pics I took of the Thunderbbird TT-90 Pete Papac bought. It was working at Naselle in 1888 in these pics.
I have crossed paths with this yarder off and on for nearly 25 years, and always take a few pics. Here are some random shots. Today in 2011 it is in Alaska, close to me, working for Crown Alaska Timber at Deer Bay. It's always nice to see and looks great even today!
Couple more.
Here are some pics of the other TT-90 - Sold new to Hopkes Logging of Tillamook Oregon.
These pics were taken (in 2000) near Seaside Oregon while the machine was rigged up in the timber doing corridor thinning work. Long-span thinning, hanging out 2,500 feet and yarding out of herringbone corridors with a Boman motorized carriage. Tough work, and miserable for the rigging crews!
Few more, same Hopkes machine at Tillamook.
Impressed Wow CL You are working overtime tonight. It's great. Did you work for Ross? You are a wealth of info. Do you have more swinger info? What's your opinion on the Nicholson buyout. Everyone I talk to even sawmill guys say it will be great.
I've done a little of everything. Never worked for Ross- but did own Thunderbird equipment when I was logging. Knew everybody there and had alot of friends there. I have thousands of pics (all makes and models- mostly yarders) I have taken in my travels. I worked as a contractor quite awhile. Nicholson- I think it's going to be a home-run. I hope so anyway. Mike Smothers (great ex-Ross corporation/Madill guy from Eugene) is one of the driving forces at Nicholson so it certainly can work. They are capable if they can build and keep the prices down........fingers crossed!
Thunderbird TY-90 on Skagit T-100 Self-Propelled owned by Nygaard Logging, Warrenton Oregon. Logging is mostly second growth hemlock, some fir, a little cedar. Nygaard runs several sides and can run up to 6 yarders sides if they need to.
I was talking to a guy at modern last week, he said they ordered som tinwear for a 255 since Nicholson has been building parts and the thing came flawless, fitted and painted. He said he hasn't seen quality like that since Ross went out.
That is truly great news! I sure hope the markets and economy improve so they can go gangbusters! I'd love to see them successful. Here's a few 1989 pics of a brand-new Thunderbird 940 logging shovel (Thunderbird built from the ground up) delivered to Jerry Debriae Logging at Cathlamet Washington. These things were logging animals and this was one of the 1st out the door! I could still smell the fresh paint over the hemlock sap and sawdust! The murals painted with the name was standard for Ross when a machine was sold.
Jerry DeBriae was a huge Thunderbird customer. He had always been dealing with Ross buying Koehrings and Skagits while they were the dealers for those machines. When they started building thier own, he was a great proving ground and got alot of the early prototypes. He had early TY-90's TMY-70's, TTY-70's, lots of shovels and delimbers, and even the 700RB and 800RB roadbuilders. Here's a neat machine he had when I was on-site at Nasselle in 1993. Its a Thunderbird 840 shovel (TB Built) with a 42' boom (hence 842) and mounted on a 4-axle self-propelled carrier. They called it the 'cleanup shovel' and whenever a yarder crew finished up and left, the cleanup crew would come in behind and load out the chunks and leftover decks, mostly pulp and scattered all over. Ross built a few of these carrier machines and at least a couple of them had Pullmaster drum sets mounted on them for yarding work. Nice setups for thinning and salvage.
Bad Pics! Thunderbird 838 on self-propelled carrier, Thunderbird 700RB Backhoe.
Hampton Lumber used Thunderbird 946 shovels in the millyards at Willamina, Tillamook, Grand Rhonde, Randle, Morton, and elsewhere. They had quite a fleet of them, and I'm sure some must still exist. In my days at Madill I sold the several (5 I think) Madill 4800's to replace the aging 946's.The bigger Madills had 50' booms versus the 46' on the Thunderbirds. One 4800 even had a 55' high decking boom on it.
Thunderbird 900RB Built using the 940 logging shovel structure, a big excavator boom was added equipped with a thumb and 54" digging bucket for extreme roadbuilding. I think only 3 or 4 were built, and the machine had so much swing power the boom was constantly cracking near the base. Too much power all the way around. They were monsters and weighed well over 100,000 lbs. I have a brochure and will dig it out and scan eventually.
Mike Plaas at Eatonville bought the machine above at this auction, and eventually the boom broke up so bad it wasn't worth fixing. He was able to pick up a boom off a 940 that John Leonard (Chehalis, Washington) had which caught fire, and the machine below is this same 900RB with John's salvaged boom. The big undercarriage from that burned 940 went under a TSY-255 John bought later on.... It should be noted that John Leonard also had a huge fleet of Thunderbird machines-- including a giant 1146 for shovel-logging at his Quinalt operation.
Thunderbird TY-80 and TY-90 Yarders at Pacific Lumber and Shipping liquidation auction, 1995 at Randle Washington. Lots of Thunderbird equipment being sold there, including the 900RB above, 2 TMY-70's, a TSY-255, as well as machines from many other manufacturers (Madill, Berger, Skagit). The Thunderbird TY-90 hoist was rebuilt for Mike Plaas and was discussed earlier.
WOW. Contract Logger I can hardly keep up with the reading. How are you managing with the writting. I'll jump on the TY90 band wagon. This machine has come up for sale. I don't know who it belongs to. It is located in Northland, New Zealand. I am sure it will be familar to someone.
The same contractor has this TMY50 for sale.
I got into my Thunderbird picture box. Haven't even made a dent in that box on this thread yet! I'll still be posting out of it in 5 years. The TY90 above was built/rebuilt for Mike Plaas at Eatonville Wash in the 90's and I posted some pics of it ahead of you last night. I have a bunch, she was a dandy!
Here's an early Thunderbird 838 with 3 Pullmaster 25H yarding drums on it. I'm not sure which one this is, several were set up as 'Yoders' though we never called them that.
This TY-90 was sold new to Shirley Laird Logging at Gold Beach Oregon, and when he retired it was purchase by Von Logging at McMinnville Oregon. Von used it for a few years and ran out of work for it. Still logging, just using smaller machines (they had a new Madill 172 and saved the TY-90 for long-span work). Here it is seen stored in a dry heated shop at Von Logging waiting for a job to come along. I took this pic in 2003. It hadnt worked in a couple years and maybe still hasn't.
Thunderbird TY-80 Slackline on Skagit T-90 Trailer, 1990. Sold to Pacific Lumber and Shipping out of Randle Washington, this yarder was parked at a Weyerhaeuser sort yard at Mineral Lake when I took the pic. Still has the 2-axle booster on it from the highway portion of the move. Only a few of these TY-80's were built, I think 4 Slackline and 2 highlead machines.
Hiked up to this one and got lots of pictures last year working east of Woodland above Lake Merwin.
Now this is so fantastic, pls take a break a couple of days CL so I can have some sleep at night!
I agree JR plus the swivel fairlead is a better option anyway. However my main concern was that on a 6255 SLR the spare sheave under the swivel is grooved 1 1/8" for skyline and thereby would be flattenning the 7/8" haulback. RS
Tmy70 r-7057 Another TMY70 based in NZ. Sorry about the bad photos. My camera was not playing ball that day.
Re - the reproduction of company hats on Madill thread I will be interested to see if those reproduction hats are as good as the originals, particularly in the style of the one on the left in the pic - my favourite - it's over twenty years old and clocked up a few miles to boot.
No, they arent. They are the 1997/1998 version - black cordouroy with the TB logo in burgundy. This is one of the new ones that was sent to me. I liked the one you show on the right better than any of the others. I only have one of those so I keep it tuckes away......
When this yarder was new, it was working out of Yachats, Waldport, and up the lobster valley on hwy 34. Logging big, long span, high volume Federal Forest Service sales for Fort Hill lumber and Hampton.
The Hopkes 90
TSY 155 #s-5117 Here is a photo of her just before we brought her home for the repower and some of the repower in process. As the project goes on I will try to post the progress
Tsy 155 #s-5117 One more
Couple questions, if y'awl don't mind. First, is Ross Murray any kin to the folks who own Murray Pacific? Also, my dad worked years ago with a first class gent named Red Moore, who ran the shop at Cosmopolis. Since the name is so similar, I have to wonder if Fred Moore is any kin to him? From what I recall my dad saying about him, Red Moore was a very gifted man in his own right.
First it's Murry not Murray and not related Ross Murry started in the equipment business but Mike Murry, Jim Murry, and Dennis Bottem ran the company from the early 70's to the sale of the company
It is fun to see pictures of the old girl. What a beast. With the 90 hoist she had speed and power. One yarder operator pulled a 1-3/8 skyline in two. They were spooling the line onto the drum, needed a little more pull, put er in first gear, and parted the line at the top of the tower. Damn near killed the chaser. Moving was a real chore as well. With the over sized drive tires we could permit the drive axle up to 52,000 pounds. It was fun to pull into the weigh shack as the axle was 10' wide. The outside tires would be off the platform. Typically it would show the weigh master that it only weighed about 34,000 pounds. They would come out scratching their heads. Several shows we had out over a mile of skyline. One show up out of Carlton, a military helicopter came down the canyon we were operating in and stopped just short of the skyline. He stayed there for a while. Not sure if he was trying to pick up the skyline on radar, or just there enjoying the logging scene.
Glad to see and hear it is getting another lease on life and will be back out in the timber where she belongs. Thanks for the pictures, looking forward to more when she is going back together, and of course the finished product.
There were 4 of these TY-90's mounted on Washington SP carriers. Wimer got 2, Fred Moore got 1, and Bill Bremmeyer got 1. Bremmeyer's was yellow- and the only TY-90 hoist painted yellow from the factory. it was striped in orange and black just like the others- what would normally be tan was just yellow instead. The orange really popped- wish I could find my pics... It was pulled over at Greenwater and the hoist was pulled off the Washington and put on a Skagit. Bent the frame on the carrier, bent both sections of tube..... After the re-built the whole works was painted tan- standard TB colors and Skagit T100 SP tower...
Road trip tomorrow, see if I can make it out to Astoria and see if it's still hanging out at Browning's shop. Maybe a swing through DeBriae to see if anything is in the yard as well If I get really motivated I will head up to Chehalis and visit Ramsey's.
6355 Nice posts of the 155. It would be neat to see a few more as the project comes along. Here is another picture of Kiwi Loggers 6355
Tty70 - r7091 Here are a few photos of TTY70 - R7091. It is currently parked up at Titans Taupo, NZ. I assume the machine is for sale. It has been sitting there for quite some time. The engine in this one is an 855 Cummins.
Psy200 #10510 Here is the PSY I mentioned a few posts back. Unfortunatly it is being wreaked but if it keeps another of these machines alive then I guess it is a good cause. This one would have been built around 1978. It appears that they built about 10 of these per year. This one is a 12V and has a 2 speed twin disk. The most obvious difference is hydraulic pump is mounted further outboard on the 12V as opposed to the 8V. I am not sure exactly when they changed the engines or if either engine type was an option. From what I have noticed the earlier machines had the 12V and the later machines had the 8V. If anyone has any info on these machines I would appreciate it as I am trying to put a bit of a record together. Cheers
Psy200 #10535 This is a rather unfortunate end for PSY200 #10535. This was built in 81 and had the 8V engine. It is the one of two I have seen on rubber
Tsy255-5092 This is another kiwi based 255. It is getting a bit of a birthday and has the skyline drum out.
355 Frank Beban Logging Head Bay
I dug out all my old literature, pics, build lists, etc and will be posting them here over the next 20 years or so. I have alot more than I remembered, so that's that. Here are a couple Thunderbird 'BC Series' shovel shots for warmup.
A little bit of TB history
Some might remember this
Ross Corp published a magazine for years called 'Pioneer'. I managed to collect and save these as they came to me and have them going back I think to 1983. Here we see the June/July 1989 cover with the article introducing the Thunderbird log loader line and shows the first new Thunderbird 1146- sold to longtime Ross customer Pete Dancer Logging. Also is a back-cover ad showing Fred A. Moore's new 940.
Some might remember this
Couple more Pioneer pics.
A few fun ads from the mid- 1990's.
From 1990/1991.
Random advertisement pics fom my collection..... Now save them to yours!
Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9038 TY-90 S/N 9038 was delivered in December 1984 to Griffey Logging of Coos Bay Oegon. It went on to be sold in 1988 to Jensen & Grove of Woodland Washington, who logged on Elk Mountain with it until 1992 or so when Hamilton Logging (Raymond Washington) purchased it and took it North to log around Hoquiam/Grays Harbor. Wallace Rock (Toledo Washington) aquired it for dredging gravel later. It sat at Exit 57 on the West side of I-5 for some time until finally being purchased in 2010by a Canadian firm who is currently dredging rock in Saskatchewan with the machine in February 2011 as I type this. This picture was taken upon delivery of the machine to Griffey in 1984.
Kind of an unfortuneate choice of words for Thunderbird- "IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE INDUSTRY IS GOING, FOLLOW THE LEADER." Neat stuff Logger. I would really like to see one of those 1100 RB's. That would have been quite the hoe!
Another Ross Corp brochure pic Ross Corp shop in Eugene OR from a 1990 brochure. Am curious as to what the facility is used for now.
Looks like Pape Machinery is there now. http://www.papemachinery.com/page.aspx?page=Eugene__Oregon
Edit: I was thinking of the wrong location. There is actually a hub for NPE trucking in there. Papé is on the left side of the photo. There are a bunch of different shops back there. I can take some pictures of the place tomorrow if anyone would be interested.
Thanks Jeremy and HCF - posts 300/301 Yes please, some pics would bring back some memories. As I remember too there was a favoured Country and Western Bar nearby (towards top right of pic I think) that was frequented to 'finalize' the occasional deal. Pic of 1989 visit - I think that 255 on rubber is down our way now.
I will have to get pics tomorrow. Got roped into going out with my lady tonight. That's ok though. She let me work on some 1/50 stuff most of the morning. Haha. I'll get them up the day I take em.
Well. I hope this doesn't post twice but I lost an Internet connection when I tried to post the pics. They're a little dark but they should work. If not I'll get some more. Here it goes: Hope this works fellas. It's split up into a bunch of different outfits now. I never knew that was the old residence of the Ross Corporation.
Thanks HCF Your Ist and 2nd pix taken from a similar position to mine - sadly, these days, minus the towers.........
I agree. I wish they were still operating. I'm actually a fabricator and think that would be an awesome job. I can still keep my fingers crossed that one day there will be someone building logging equipment around here again. I was surprised to find there were a bunch of mechanics working on an older Deere stroker at 5:00 on a Saturday.
Hi would you have any spec sheets for thunderbird 6355 and cypress 6280 my e mail address is [email protected]
Did you ever get any specs on the tsy6355
Tsy 155 #s-5117 Here are more pics of the repower. Totally rebuilt transmission. $10,000 turned into $30,000
Tsy 155 #s-5117 More pics. the first is the new cooling package with intercooler and rad side by side. the second is the modified rad cover. The new cooling package is about 8" taller. The last pic is of the new engine all chained up so we can mate the trans. It has all been dry fitted so it should go fairly quick now.
TSY 155 #s-5117 First pic and last are of cab notice new engine monitor in last pic. The others are of the engine. Second pic is from Haulbak drum side. She is finally finished we will bring her home and put drums in and go to work.
I just couldn't let my beloved T-Bird thread be on the second page.
How's the rebuild working so far, J&R?
We should have it back this week. The transmission turned out to be quite a boondoggle. It ran fine but we decided to rebuild it since we were so far into the machine, well one thing led to another and what we thought would take a week and about $10000 ended up almost a month and $32000. Those twin disk transmissions aren't cheap but the total heart of the yarder is all new. We did the testing late last week and everything looks good. The state will inspect it this week and provide the project funding. We are hoping to bring it back to the yard this week and put the drums back in it and put it all together and get it to work. It needs to go to work I'm starting to run out of money and it's far too wet for the cat side to do anything.
10-4! You know if it wasn't for break downs and repair bills, we'd all be rich!
Yip you got that right as after all there is only one guaranteed way to make a little bit of money logging and that is start off with a lot!!!!
Thunderbird Series " B" This is a July 1977 publication
I have many fond memories of the T-bird Series "B". Newell Logging in Plain WA bought one in the spring of 1978, I worked on that machine for the next 8 years. I have photos and video of that machine to share when probation is over.
I only got to set chokers for a few days on a Series "B". Mead Logging finished a highlead setting then we moved a 1/4 mile and set up a shotgun carriage show the same day. We used a JD 440 skidder to string and move the skyline which was nice since they were using a 3-4 man yarder crew. They would chain a short log to the cab side of the yarder so the operator could step out of the cab and run down the log and unhook the turns.
And that you tell me now... ... ointhead ... :Banghead :Banghead
Ba141-355 Im guessing the B series is also refered to as the TY45
Birthday time , mid last year we rebuilt the 8v92 and 6 speed allison trans, now time for new chains , sprockets etc, bit of a cab refurb pull some drums out and tighten things up along with some work on the boom as the swivel where the guys go through when you swing was all chewed out. Great little machine still going strong.
Good info there re PSY200 serial # and MFG date, cheers Kiwi Logger. Did you have any luck getting hold of the ower of the machine getting wreaked? There is an addition machine for sale I understand up your neck of the woods.
Yea that machine has been moved out of town, have been looking at one for parts in the US though.
Up on one of our jobs today so took a few picks of one of our TTY70 jobs.
10525 was for tender in the states. It is on rubber and rolled over after the road collapsed. I have the details on my other computer. I found it by googling PSY200
There is a PSY 200 in a pile of parts In Knappa, Oregon. It was logging in the Spruce Run/Salmonberry area. I heard It was reaching Accross the Nehalem river and the guy line parted under full power. It kept winding and pulled itself right to the edge of the bluff before it stopped. It was brought back to Knappa in parts and still sits in the blackberrys. I have recent pictures to post when my probation is over.
I drove up there the morning after it went- John B called me the day it happened. I'd better post my 'before' and 'during' pics here before you post the 'bones'. I rented him an 071 Madill to finish that job, and he ended up buying a TSY-255 out of Alaska and it worked out good for him in the end, but some stressful days there for a couple weeks! That's been 5 or 6 years ago now and I thought that machine went for scrap a long time ago......shocked its still there. I'll start scanning 'the scene of the crash' pics right now. Boy, have I ever mentioned how I hate scanning? The Madill 071 got away from the operator and went over the bank on its way to the job....so for 2 days we had 2 yarders off the road/out of commission on that *%*^#@%&*$ -ing mountain up there. Oh well, what do you do..... I have alot of pics of the 071 over the bank too. It rained as hard as it could for the day we were pulling the Madill back up and onto the road. Took 2 Cat shovels and a D8K but we got her finally.
Thunderbird PSY-200 at Quality Timber Cutting, Knappa Oregon 2004. It appears that after much contact with this machine I only find 2 pictures in my filing cabinet of it intact and working.....Weird. I have more pics and they are not in thier proper file.....the usual for me I guess. John bought this machine at a Ross Corporation auction in Eugene in the later 90's. All the yarders in that auction got the Thunderbird tan paint- Washingtons, Skagits, Bergers, all of them came out tan. The Washington 137W painted tan (down under and seen often in the Washington forum) went through this same auction. I took these two pics South of Cannon Beach and North of Manzanita in 2004. Right up there high on the rocks- I think Onion Peak is what they call that area. For a few years my pictures were printed on matte finish paper -looks great in real life but doesnt scann too good- white specs all over the darker areas.
The scene of the accident. I dont know what happened. I wasn't there and speculation is both unfair and a waste of everyone's time. They were hanging way way out but the wood was small and nothing was going on that was in violation of the law. I dont remember how far from the landing to the tailhold but they were hanging over the river and an active County Road anyway. I would guess 3,500 feet- its just a guess. Yarding off a steep slope right under the landing, small junky wood (it was a re-hab sale) and short yarding- only 1,000 to 1,200 feet at most. When she pulled loose the machine stood up on one corner track and the pressure broke all the rotek bolts. Upper and lower were separated and fell away from each other. By the time I got up there the undercarriage had been pulled off the landing and out of the way. Here is the yarder as I saw it. No injuries, only bruised pride thankfully.
The view from the top! I took this pic looking off the landing and over the bank. You can see the little timber laying on the ground and the River and Road below. They were hanging all the way across the canyon an hooked to an old-growth stump high on the other side. Not that big a deal and a nice office view on a sunny day for sure!
Ok that explains how they got the undercarage free, the rotec broke.It would have been tough on its side. I remember when they hauled her in. Our shop is right accross the road and we walked over for a look. Given todays scrap prices and Johns situation, the last few years have been tough, I'm surprised the scrappers haven't taken her. I think I was doing some road work at Spruce Run right after because I remember looking down the canyon,picturing the sceen, and thinking what a ride if she hadn't stopped at the edge. This one should go into "They walked away"
I logged on my own for various landowners and bought quite a bit of my own wood too- State Timber Sales and salvage sales- whatever and wherever. In 1998 I could see the writing on the wall- Weyerhaeauser closed the Vail Sort Yard - one of my real steady cash-cows for the shovels and trucks. The Eniviro-nutjobs living in the area finally got the Thurston County permit people to cave and not renew the Vail permits over noise and dust issues. The Weyerhaeuser Snoqualmie and White-River land holdings were sold off in 2000 and we were forced to make a decision: stay and work for less or do something else. Money was way too tight to begin with as the timber has alot of value and the loggers are't getting thier fair share of it anymore. Too make matters worse the loggers cut each other's prices constantly and the debt-to-income ratio for a logging side borders on insane. In the business world there are an awful lot of thing a fellow can invest a million dollars in and see a significant and reliable return on his investment. In timber you still can, but 'Contract Logging'- no way. The financial exposure in terms of accident, market, unreliable employees, landowner trust issues is just to much to high. And company trucks are a must for smooth/reliable operation- but they multiply that exposure exponentially. One driver screw-up can cost a man everything he owns in about 60 seconds. I realized that each yarder side was worth a million or so, a decent truck fleet will be a couple million more (an operation ideally uses a 50/50 split of owned trucks and contractor trucks). None of this works without quality reliable people- and those are getting harder and harder to find. The day will come when the loggers cannot crew the sides adequately. In early 2001 we quit the contracting business completely and did nothing for a year- I actually drove truck and ran equiment for friends, and still had some of my own stuff rented out or just parked. In 2002 I entered a marketing gig with Madill at Kalama and had a great time with all that. Mant of the 'Factory Photos' you see on the Madill sales brochures were taken by me in that position! It was alot of fun and I met many great loggers and was able to understand thier problems and challenges in a way that the average machinery salespeople couldn't- so I had a real advantage and sold/resold alot of Madill and Thunderbird equipment there for a few years......a great gig indeed. I made many trips to Canada (Madill Factory) and got to see lots of BC logging and other things. Those were great in my life- with long-lasting friendships developed. By 2005, Madill 'management' was looking for ways too cut costs and the machinery was beginning to suffer- lighter steel, etc- I was seeing cracks and failures prematurely and in areas that didnt make any sense to me- mostly on the log loaders and one model in particular. This was trouble for me and the Kalama operations man realized that I was becoming trouble for him.....I wont promote something I know to be flawed- I call it 'integrity'- he called it something different. I always felt that I worked for the loggers- and my job was to take these problems/concerns back to the factory people. My supervisor felt I did NOT work for the logger and that I should just go along with the process of 'lightening up some areas of these machines'. We agreed to disagree and I left Madill in 2005. I relaxed in Washington for one year and made the decision to come to Alaska and I haven't regretted this for one second! Madill collapsd months after my departure. What a shame- cost-cutting in all the wrong places. Mismanagment, unwillingness to listen to the customer, on and on.... John B - of Quality Timber Cutting - is one of the many great people I met in my days at Madill and he is a good man and good logger. There are lots of great and unsung loggers on the West Coast who get up every day and fight the good fight- against landowners, unreliable employees, rising fuel and insurance prices, and on and on. My money today is doing different things and I am once again seeing the returns on investment without dealing with employees who are late, drunk, or just dont show up. To be completely honest: in my younger years I too was late, drunk, and sometimes I didnt even show up. I cost people money and production and got fired. We all did, after all, didn't we? People just like me are the reason I gave up so many years later. The irony of life is half the fun! Lots of people dont like me still. Doesn't matter- there are also an awful lot of people I dont like either. One thing is sure- It takes all kinds to make the world go round' ! I started collecting logging pictures in the 70's and started taking my own in the 80's. I took alot and missed alot of good photo-ops too! I'll continue to share on this forum my pictures but I am deveoping a website now similar to 'hankstruckpictures' just for logging, loggers, and etc. I have involved a few people and it should be really something when we get done. I dont see the point of all my pics if I cant share them with you guys. I am getting material sent to me from all over and some of the stuff coming in is amazing! More details to come on that later.
Thunderbird PSY-200 Sales Brochure Cover I have 2 different PSY-200 brochures and this is the better of the 2. The other is older, same contents but a bad black/white pic on the cover. This is the newer one (1980/81-ish, just guessing) featuring the PSY-200 in blue and white with the Chapman undercarriage. Interesting to note- the machine has a 'Bendix - Skagit Corporation' sicker on it. Always been there- I just noticed it today however....... These machines were originally built by Pierce-Pacific (yes, the Pierce Boom/Grapple people) and the 'P' in PSY was for 'Pierce Swing Yarder' before the Murray's took over. Makes me wonder if Pierce sold this to Skagit and Skagit sold it to Ross Murray......? Always more questions than answers it seems like. Pierce also built 2 PTY-400 tower-yarders, MONSTER slackline machines with 120' telescoping towers. Both came here- to Alaska in the late 70's- one to Ketchikan Pulp Company at Ketchikan and the other to Alaska Pulp Corporation at Sitka. I saw one of these machines when Mike Walch bought it but had no camera. Mike parted it out and its gone now. When I worked at Madill they had the PTY-400 parts books (aquired from Ross) and they disappeared while I was there. My plan was to have them copied but sadly they dissapeared and are gone. I think they were tossed by someone as I had them out and on top of a filing cabinet. Everyone denied knowing anything- seems awful fishy. Maybe they still exist (I hope) and will surface eventually. Stuff was always disappearing toward the end around there.....I took alot but always with permission. Anyway the PTY-400's had Skagit-style tower/guyline drum assemblies and were on tracks- Caterpillar 245 complete hydraulic sideframes were used. Paint was yellow with blue trim and looked great. Yellow/Blue was the colors of the earlier PSY-200s as well. At least 6 PSY-200's were on rubber (4-Axle Pierce Carriers- makes sense now, right?) I'll find a pic here somewhere......
Thanks so much Contract Logger,for the human perspective and sharing these real life challenges that are as big a part of logging as the iron itself.Theres alot of people here who would love to still be in this stuff daily,but the types of issues you've been through have affected many others similarly.Your pictures are allways worth a thousand words,and this time-Your thousand words are worth more than many pictures.This is the best industry to be in, or have been involved with.A very passionate,dedicated hard working group who stay until the end.Keep up the great work,it makes a lot of peoples day! thank-you
C L thanks so much for all the sharing you have done, the pictures are great and I hope they keep coming. The explaination and insight is awesome that you share, thanks so much for that, also. I have learned so much from yours and others post and sharing of pictures. I can only hope that things can turn around, before the U S is past repair. I feel it maybe getting to that point now, though but hope I am wrong. The lumber business and the oil resourses we have that are being wasted due to a bunch of do gooders that have no idea how things really work is just plain awful.
It does not supprise me at all that the bolts broke. The PSY200 is such a stable machine on its feet that a lot of load must go through the Rotec. Interesting that it is on a Pierce tracked carrier. I know of one other machine like this. Big Creak, if the build plate is still on the machine can you please take a photo of it for me. It should be below where the cab was on the front panel. There was one on the trackframe too. Thanks for posting the Brochures Contract Logger. On the main pulling clutch panel there are cooling slots and it has a big air tank which seam to be later design changes. The rubber tyred machine has these too. You don't know when that brochure was printed?
When I took photos I was looking for the build plate but did not find one. The remains are really just a pile of scrap. The under carrage is really intact and if there is a plate on it I will look for it. It might take a week or two as I am laid up after surgery.
An interesting note to CL's post The View From The Top. For those who do not know the area, this is the Tillamook Burn. Probably the most famous forrest fire in history. At about 60-70 years of age it is comming ripe for harvest.A lot of logging in this area is thinning as the trees mature.This series of 3 fires had a impact similar to Mt. St. Helens. As a kid I remember miles of burnt OG stumps along Sunset Hiway Up in the Camp 18 area. When I worked for Nygaard, the Hook, Don Bruner told of doing salvage logging in the burn. I remember him telling that calk boots did not last very long on the steep rocky ground. Spruce Run Camp Ground would be in the lower right of the photo. It was a logging camp at the time of the fire which actually survived. The fire came down one side of the canyon and jumped to the other right over the camp. The camp still has some nifty OG trees. At the east end there is a walk in camp with a row of trees separating the road from the parking area. The Forrestry boys did not know this untill I showed them. That row of trees actually hides an old steam yarder sled. Right there on the side of the road in a park. This park is easy to find. Starting at Camp 18 head twords Portland about 2-3 miles To Oney's turn right on the Spruce Run road.
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.
Skagit mechanical interlock and drum reverser patent.[ Does the PSY 200 have the reversing double mains and the mechanical interlocks?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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,
Tsy 155 #s-5117 One more
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.
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?
do you by any chance have the contact info for these yarders or any others 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..
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!!!
I wasn't going to email you until I found and scanned the good ones! The 5 or 6 pics I've found so far are lousy (foggy, grainy, etc) and I have some great sunny/clear day pics but havent run across them just yet. Theyre here in one of these boxes so its only a matter of time. Trouble is I started organizing the pics to photo albums years ago, and now I have T-bird pics in 3 differnt boxes and 2 different albums (some in Longview Washington in my closet- some here in Juneau Alaska in my home office). Whenever I go down there I grab a few more boxes, but often didnt wind up with the pic I was after........ In time it will all come together. I've scanned/uploaded 450 pics out of 20,000 or so-- so theres lots to come over the next long time. Here's the link to what little I've added so far: http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/root
Thanks CL Looking at the pics on rainy days is my pasttime. My wife says I'm "Yarder Queer" Like I have said before you are a wealth of info, Thank you much. I will try to post more pics when we get back to work which should be in a coulple of weeks. Also I'm kind of looking for a grapple setup for the 155, so if anyone out there knows where one is i might be interested. I will have a contract next season that will lend itself great to grapples.
My wife calls it Logging porn
does anyone know who sells parts for thunderbird shovels these days?
Modern machinery sells parts for thunderbirds
thanks, i wasn't sure i'd looked at their webpage and didn't see anything.
Another Kiwi PSY200 Im unsure of the serial # on this one. These photos were taken ca 2009 when it was in Nelson. The machine is now near Gisbourne and up for sale again. Engine in this one is a 12V with 2 speed trans.
How were they as yarders? I have heard that they were not all that good.But never have worked around them to see for my self.
hey if it wasnt to big if a troubel could you pm me and ill give you my email? Im planning on making a TMY-50 and would like to have the specs of it. thanks
hey i was planning on biulding a model of a TMY-50 and was wondering if you could pm me and ill give you my email. thanks
There are a number of combinations of engine and transmission type which change the machines charactoristics. The over riding impression that most operators have is that these machines have high line pull. The 6 speed machines are also very fast. With the expanding track frame they are also quite stable. A good crew with a PSY200 will give a modern yarder a run for its money. What has to be remembered are that they are very old machines now. Some will have done over 40,000 hrs. They were not at the cutting edge of technology when they were built so it is all old. It is important to not abuse the inhaul interlock as it will overheat. To me they are a good simple and cheap machine that is not without its problems. For someone getting into logging they would be a good stepping stone as long as they are mechanically minded and not scared to fix things. Most of the components are still available and not too hard to source.
From my records I can definitely account for 59 255/6255's which includes 1 x 255B from Madill. However I think CL said that Madill had produced three 'B's in total so there's another two to add. Also, Ross Corp used the one S5# sequence for all their swingers and I have a gap in my records of 15 S5#nos around 1995 of which I'm not sure what models they were attributed to. My guess is that probably 7 or 8 would have been 255's. Your 5119 was the 25th produced - 5118 and 5120 also went to Weyerhaeuser too.
Tsy155 #s-5117 She is finally back to work. The new QSM11 and trans make it like a totally different machine. It now does most of the work below 1200 rpm. Gobs of low end torque
hey j&r i think i know that shovel.did it used to say mccanless shovel logging on the front of the cab guard?
Yea, it was Kelly's machine. I acquired it about a year ago. It's a nice tool for a cable side and was well taken care of. The yarder came from your area also about 4 years ago from Tony Leonardo.
i'm glad it found a nice home,it pretty much was just the loading shovel for us.i only ran it a few times but a good machine.as for the yarder i'm sure i've been around that one,Tony's iron is pretty well cared for.
I have pictures of S5214 from November 2009 at Mike Bruer's yard. Did you guys buy it and send it down south?
The last Thunderbird 6255 ever built- Cross and Crown (Bob Luoto) of Carlton Oregon ordered a new TB 6255 from Ross, and before the machine could be finished Ross had sold out to Madill. It came painting time and Bob was asked whether he liked tan or orange better. He picked orange and the machine was called a Madill 6255 and that was it. Ken Fallon was in the same situation with a Thunderbird TTY-6170. He picked tan and it stayed a Thunderbird TTY-6170. Madill later built 2 machines they called 255B's, but they were different animals altogether and never really took off. Here are a couple pics of the Cross and Crown 6255.
Nice pictures! Do you happen to have any pictures of the 255B by the way? It was on the Madill home page for some years, but the picture was of an 124... Did this machine have an extra skyline drum?
How cool.......questions can rattle around in a guy's head..........I wonder, or what did, or where did it go....or come from. One of those two 255B's just went to work here in northern California out of Korbel. My Son worked on it the first week. They put on new lines & guylines, went to go logging and one of the clutches was having issues, seemed the yarder may have been sitting for a while & the clutch was not engaging properly. They got her freed up & it's going great guns now. They parked a TMY 50 when the 255B went to work.
I posted some pics of a 255B over on page 54 of the Madill thread. Another forum member sent them to me to post. I belive they were taken in Southern Oregon, around Klammath Falls.
S5214 My mistake Jeremy - it was S5208 that I was referring to.
OK got it, I assumed that S5214 was for sale at Bruers? It was a Hopkes machine, not sure what the status is? He did have a 172 that was getting ready to ship to either NZ or Australia. SN 17228
Help Further to the above post, any T/Bird machine model and relating serial number (particularly post 1994) observed would be appreciated - piece by piece we may be able to complete the puzzle. Re Jeremy's post, 338 Yes, I have 17228 recorded in NZ now in the name of Stewart Logging
hey redwood climber, i thought that Boak was the only one around humboldt who had(which they sold about 8 years ago)a tmy 50.Green Diamond is the only one i know of who"s buying up madill yarders around here,and i thought they only had just the one tmy 45 track mount.
17228 Stewart Logging have a few youtube videos of 17228. They also have an 071. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6iiIwYbXiI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EJTOTxO39U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leSBNR_T_SQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxYcUIWiQOc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOsOCff2lLM
Nice videos, they are definitely in some rough country, plus doing salvage in a burn over cant be fun. Cool to see the machine in action again though, many thousands of miles away! Second machine I have taken pictures of that went down under.
Maybe you must stop taking pictures Jeremy, or you will run out of yarders there on the West Coast... LOL
hey cl,would you possible know of anybody selling a later model 1240 or 1242 in good shape?we have a '99 1240 now and we'd like another one.if you know of anything it would be a great help.
What was the largest T-bird shovel ever made?? Didn't JB Leonard have one??
1242bc
The largest shovel Thunderbird produced was the 1148BC- weighed 147,500 lbs. John Leonard had an 1146- weighed 130,000 (had the U.S. Side entry TB cab and a 46' boom). John had lots of Thunderbird shovels, including a bunch of 942's and 946's. I have pics of John's machinery, but havent scanned any of them just yet. John also had several Thunderbird yarders working through the 80's and 90's. People don't realize how big an outfit he really was. Sides from Queets, Quinalt, and Copalis clear down into Oregon.
The 1242 BC was much, much smaller and only weighs 108,000 lbs with a 42' boom. (The U.S. version without the rear-entry cab, BC guarding, and big fuel tanks weighed 104,000lbs). JB Leonard had 2 1242's. Nowhere close to the 1146's and 1148's in size, swing torque, reach, or horsepower. I'd better scan the brochures for these babies I suppose.
I would love some pics or brochures of both of these monsters. I work with a guy who worked for Ross until their last days under Madill. He really gets a kick out of seeing some of the machines he used to build.
There's a few here: http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/thunderbird__ross_corporation
I still see John regularly and even had him cutting on a job of mine last spring as he was bored and needed something to do. He said he just needed enough to be able to buy a steak dinner on friday....lol That man probably has more $$ than anyone will ever know!! I sure like John and have much respect for him.
As do I. He always had alot of logging going on. Several big Skagit yarders too- a dandy BU-84 slackline on hydraulic tracks I remember well. We all used to meet for breakfast every Saturday morning there in Chehalis at Kit Carson in the early 90's. Logger would come from Aberdeen, Enumclaw, and everywhere- kind of the 'Ross' breakfast sponsored by Rod H. Heck, we'd drive up every Saturday for it. Wouldn't surprise me at all if he was there next Saturday at 6 am........
Specs 1146BC Here is the brocure on the BC style 1146: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8809686/Thunderbird_1146BC.pdf
hey there cl., would you know anybody selling a later 1242 or 1240 that is in good shape?what is the last year they built them?i had a call in with rod h. hoping to get more info..
TSY255 in Tillamook Found a TSY255 in Tillamook Oregon today on my beach field trip, serial # S-5085. It was being repaired after a rollover. Anyone got a cab for them? Sounds like they may have to build one from scratch :-(
TSY6140 in Nehalem Next T-Bird I found today further north. TSY6140 serial # S-5186 Cute little yarder!
Here is more about the upset.. http://northcoastoregon.com/tillamook-man-hurt-in-logging-accident-p4328-99.htm
Yeah that would not have been a fun rollercoaster ride over the hill. No brown smudges in the seat though
Here are a few pics of that yarder working taken a few years back- the 'Wild Hog' can be seen there on the side. http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/image/133829856 She belongs to Sandy Grasseth and Sons there on the Nehalem River. He used to have a couple Skagit SJ-4's, a TMY-45, and some shovels around there too.
Great that you find some yarders on the beaches there too - great pic's Jeremy! The 255 cab looked bad, it's good to hear the accident was not fatal.
Thanks Torkel having fun down here relaxing, the timber industry seems to be still somewhat alive down here. Two logging sites within five miles of where I am staying and a constant parade of log and chip trucks going by. Yeah poor 255, not a pretty site to see. Good to see it will be working again sometime soon along with the operator!
L144 - Sproat Lake - TB 1146BC/1148 I have shown some of these pic's before. L144 seems to be a 1146BC with 1148 boom?
Went for a drive after breakfast this morning. Here's the first Thunderbird loader I've ever seen in person. Found it at a log yard by The Dalles, Oregon. (across the river in Dallesport to be exact).Man, these things were built hell for stout! Nice shot of Mt. Hood in the background as well.
That loader looks very well taken care oy. Probably never seen the woods.
Its obviously never been to BC.
Very true! LOL
Kiwi TY40 Another nice looking little hauler http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-f...nery/Diggers-excavators/auction-382110745.htm
Thunderbirds in Fort Bragg, CA Last summer made a trip down to the Bay Area to visit family and made a detour thru Redwood Country, while going down I convinced the family to head thru Fort Bragg and make a brief stop at Anderson Logging. No yarders in the yard but found three dandy ones at Roach Bros Logging right in front of the Anderson Yard. TSY255 unknown serial #, can't remember if It had no plate or I forgot to take a pic TSY155 S-5134 TSY6240 S-5203 in Madill colors?
And the rest of the pics
I talked to Gary Roach not too long ago, he has since retired and sold the 155 into NZ and the 6240 went just north to fortuna ca. To Leonardo logging
Thanks for the update. I kind of wondered why three nice yarders would be sitting still during mid-summer of last year. Still scratching my head why I.didn't get serial on the 255.
Tsy355 TSY355-5150 at Frank Beban Logging, Head Bay
Tmy50 5044 Thanks to Roadswitcher I can provide a bit of history to this machine. "Re TMY R5044 - Construction date, April 1987 - first owner, Jerry Van Damme (owned a number of T/birds), second owner, SP-Bud Eastman, California. It came to NZ in 1997 to Bill Kissal in Greymouth (I helped set it up, rained the whole time). I then heard rumours that it went to Nig Bryant in Nelson about eight years ago." Recently the machine was purchased by Speirs logging after it had sat for quite some time at Meed Engineering. It had been reposesed. Speirs are taking good care of the machine and it is currently operating in the southern Wairarapa.
How big is the wood in New Zealand anyway...??? I know alot of big yarders have gone there.....
The majority of the forest over here is radiata pine. We try to log it at about 30 years of age. Depending on the growing conditions the average tree will weight 2.5 tonne, this is about 0.6m through the butt and 30m tall. Some areas are short of contractors so the trees are getting a bit bigger. 3.5 tonne average piece size forests are around but anything bigger is not common. Our big yarders down here generally pull more trees per turn not bigger wood
Found some pics of a TMY-45 we had for a bit in the rock pit. Computer file says Nov of 2007. We had purchased it after trying a Skagit 747 and subsequently selling that to Walch after we decided it was bigger than we needed. Never rigged it up, had it all set up ready for lines before we realized our problem. Purchased it sight unseen knowing that the mainline was a split drum, but the A-frame boom resulted in us not being able to run highlead like we wanted. Cascade Trader subsequently financed it to a logger over in Sunnyside. It had the 903 Cummins, probably needed a new injector but otherwise seemed to be a decent machine.
Here is my 255 working early this week.
Hi Scott S Are you guys using the strawline as a tag line or are you sending back strawline for a line change? Roadswitcher would be interested in the serial # of your machine as he is missing a few # from his production records. Cheers
I like it Scott!! Is that an old Bighorn shovel loading??
We use what I call a Squirrel Block to hold the skidding line up out of the way of the processor on the landing, the straw line is used to hold it in place. Using a motorized slack pulling carriage if the line is slack it drapes through the "chute" and can slow the processor down. On this landing the 255 is on a perch about 25 feet higher than the landing. Serial # 5119 first purchased by Weyco, we are the second owner.
Yep, I picked it up last January.
I think I looked at that machine when Harv was selling it.
Thanks for update I have it as originally delivered November 92 to Weyco, Springfield Oregon division. Like the 'Squirrel block' idea.
You have any info on the TY-80 slackline machine delivered to Weyco springfield...???
According to my records, the Weyco Springfield TY-80, # Y8038, was the last of four manufactured. I have conflicting delivery dates of Feb 94 and June 94. Notes say that it had a T/100 tower and was a four drum machine. As I remember, they used the '70' drum set on the three slackliners, 36,37 & 38. # Y8035 was a high lead yarder that went to Weyco, Raymond division, Dec 90. Pete Dancer brought #36 new into New Zealand, mid 92 and #37 went to Pacific Lumber and Shipping, Randle WA mid 93 (ref post 264)
I am cutting for #38 currently, Have cut for #37 and know where #35 is sitting in my friends yard for sale. What is the main difference from the TY-80's and 90's??
Here is a better photo
The TY 80 has a lighter hoist than the TY 90. As I stated earlier, I thought it was the '70' drumset - have just checked my spec sheets and the horse power, speeds and capacities are identical. However, the rear drum on the 80 is slightly raised which indicates that RossCorp may have adapted it somewhat to suit the end mount tower. I'm also wondering if they reversed the skyline and haulback drums to suit the Skajit tower or was the tower sheaving altered to suit the drumset. Unfortunately, my TY 80 spec sheet does not include a drum layout plan. Is it possible for you to get a couple of pics of the drumset and the tower sheaving. Also, who are the current owners of #37 and #38.
I will try and get pics this week of #38 which is owned by Eric Krume Krume Logging Icc. Castle Rock Wa. I am not sure who owns #37 now.
Straight from my factory replacement TY80 book, the only diagram of the drumset.
I see 35 is sitting all by itself as of last Tuesday, the Skagit got sold I assume?
Yes, The 739 went to Arnold Logging. Username posted about it in the Skagit thread.
Yep, Ed Arnold bought it for use on the Condit Dam removal project. Took it with the 75' tube for $22,500. Should be at his shop right now, going to be onsite in the near future.
That's good to see the 739 has moved into some work.
I love all these pics. and brochures on these T'birds but where do you get more serious details and specs. on the machines I'm looking into a small clean-up and partial cut yarder and the 40 series seems like the ticket but serious info. is scarse. My main interest is in the TY40 and TMY40 but I can't find any good information on the different options and configurations of these yarders. Any idea on wherennto dig up what I need. Chris
Reply to username, post 435 Well done on the diagram – I marvel at the capacity of the forum to unearth such scarce/waning data, specs etc of these bygone companies and their products. From the diagram - yes, for mine, it is a reconfigured ‘70’ drumset with the haulback repositioned to the rear. I’m guessing it was raised a little to accommodate the altered input shaft arrangement.
Neat idea, I like it. How does it work with lineshifts? Do you just take the squirel block off?
If we just flop the skyline over to the next road we leave the carriage and block on. It hard to see from the photo but the block has a really heavy hinge on one side between the two sheaves with a 1" pin holding the other side secured in place with a molly. We lower the skyline, undo the molly, pull the pin and the block assembly is flipped off over the skyline. One man can do it easily. Our yarder engineer pulls the block up to the tower when drifting the carriage back to help keep line wraps to a minimum, he then lets the block drift back to just over the edge of the landing when the processor is working in the chute keeping the skidding out of the way. When the turn comes in the carriage bumps the block back toward the tower.
Ty-40/tmy-40 Here is the brochures and some measurements which you probably already have?
TMY 40 and Other 40's I had some of this info. but not all so THANKS. It is a start to my quest for more detailed information and specifications. There has got to be some more factory sources and history by serial number out there if one looks or gets help from people who have already been there. So again thank you, Torkel, and thanks in advance to other out there looking into this. Chris
My friend Rob Fritzie owned a trailer mount version of the 40. flopped it and sent it back to Madill. IDK who has it now.
Try whoever was the local Thunderbird agent at the time. Down here it was Goughs and they still have all their Madill and Thunderbird service manuals.
TSY255 rebuild 1 Found a TSY255 serial # S5106 over the weekend at Modern Machinery Portland this weekend on the way to Kennedy School McMenamins (great pizza and beer BTW!) So stopped by there this afternoon to ID and snap some pics of it.
TSY255 rebuild 2 Apparently it is in for an engine rebuild as you can see by the big empty space where an engine used to be.
I have cut for that yarder many years off and on. The Evensons own all their own timber and land around Clatskanie oregon. Great guys to work for.
Hey is that last photo Steve Rosin's 6255 in Tumut AU ?
do you have more pictures of TSY355 what a monster yarder
Yes - not sure if Steve still has it. A couple of years back his brother Peter was considering using using it up at Oberon.
where was that picture taken ?, these days it doesn't have the murial anymore. Steve was saying that this december he's gonna set it up in the yard once the tailhold digger is finished and get the Grapple going, then relocate to a new life in the hills : ) im kinda stoked to get involved with rigging it up for a grapple test run!
Is Donny Ward still running Yarder for Weyerhauser in PeEll ?
As I remember, that was about 20K east of Tumut on its' first setting. Yes, Steve has been threatening for years to try the running skyline/grapple - he just needs someone there with the confidence to carry it through which sounds like he has in your good self. I'm also well aware of Steve's disdain of logging companies and retirement away from it all - sounds like nothing's changed there. LOL
have u got the rite numbers for the 1st 6255 i have seen photos of a diffrent yarder with #S5214 on the tags
Not sure but we did all the hand falling on the farm up until May. I can ask but the name isn't familiar.
Realised I got it wrong when it was too late to edit - should have been #5208
Kiwi Logger, do you have anymore pics of your TSY6355BC ?
Yes have plenty of pics just have to dig them out, not sure if I have many of our 6355 up North though, I think it is parked at the moment with a broken mainshaft.
Anybody know of a 355 for sale in the Pacific Northwest?
Have you asked Harv with Bighorn?? He has one. I thought you were looking for a tube yarder??
Well kinda, but if you perch a "55" high enough you got enough don't yah? Didn't know Harv had one, I will pursue the lead, thanks. PM me if you are looking for a cutting contract here done below. Scott
I Have a few of pics of your one on the east coast. Kiwi
Great when you get a chance post them so everyone can have a look.
Anyone know how to upload photos ?
TMY50 in NZ. Snowing a couple of months ago
Kiwi's 6355
Heres a TY90 I found the other day. I had never seen a yarder of this size before, other than the TY80 that was sitting at exit 57 on I-5. So seeing this one, all rigged up and ready to log was awesome!!
More of Kiwi's Thunderbird TSY6355BC
Cool pics Jason! Where was this one at? Any idea whose it was, did you happen to grab a serial #? Thanks Jeremy
Jason, That is (Jeff Gould's)Diamond Timber's TY-90 from Castle rock Wa. It was owned by Tim Brown prior to Jeff amd os one of the nicest TY-90's around. Jeff is probably the best logger in the area and has more respect from me than I can explain. This was on the St.Helens tree farm for weyco.
Tim Brown aquired that yarder from Jerry DeBriae in 2005.
Thanks Probie and Haulback for the ID
T4043 I posted a few photos of T4043 some time ago. The other day I managed to get up and have a look. Nice little yarder. I wonder if anyone regognises their number of the tag.
Psy200 10570 This machine is currently sitting in Rotorua. It has been repoed and unfortunatly not been treated well. It has had the main drum broken in the usual PSY fashion. A quick fix was done by welding the slackpuller to the main drum. The reversing clutches have been disabled. It could be repaired but it is a shame it was not done properly to start with.
Yes I had a look at it before the truck picked it up as was parked on the side of the road , what a waste it looks like it has just been used and abused no gear lube nothing a real shame.
Where is the TMY 40 working? . We have no 36 ,will post some pictures when allowed.
4036 4036 in La Trobe Valley, Victoria in 1996, then owned by Tim Christian. As I recall, it came with a 50 foot tower. Can I ask who owns it now.
Razorback Logging Ltd ,Gisborne New Zealand. She does have a 50ft tower.
TMY 40 36 Yesterday Tokomaru Bay NZ
Logger's World Do you have an extra copy of Logger's World Sept. 1975, Vol 17, No. 4? Would you be willing to part with it?
this is jayden of hb logging hauler up in carterton Ive been up there and had a look up there a couple of time good hauler nice
O.K. I just went through the archives here and found that issue- An 'Alaskan Loggers' Issue. Gildersleeve at Whale Pass, Campbell Const at Naukati, Keith Bloom at Marble Island, etc. I am 95% sure I had multiple copies of this issue, but I only find the one copy with my 1975 set. I cannot break up the collection, but how about this- if there's a particular picture or individual in the issue you're looking for I'll scan and send that to you. Send me your particulars and I'll set you up (Private Message may be better than putting your info on the web here). In the meantime, I'll keep looking and if I can find a second copy of that issue I'll send it to you, no worries. Alaska Logging has been a lifelong interest of mine and I'm sure I had multiples of this issue....Now its driving me nuts! I'm in Juneau now and if you're close around here you're more than welcome to borrow this copy too- I'm not bothered by that as long as it makes it back home.
how do you upload photos ? cheers
Yes, that is the one. I am on Prince of Wales, and would love to have a scan of the cover, table of contents, and the Gildersleeve article. The whole magazine would be wonderful if you find an extra copy. Thanks so very much. I tried to look at your profile to get an e-mail but I was denied access. Is there another way to contact you off-line?
here r my pic they are of a tmy 40 running a shotgun carriage and note that they are user the tail rope and another guy line off to the left also there is very little lift so the scabbed the last off it
Sorry for the delay. Ive been away from the net. It is broken at present. The preload come of the tailrope bearings and flogged the shaft. Mine and Morepork's photos are taken up Mt D1ck, Wairarapa. I look straight onto their job from my back deck.
SO WHAT has HAPPENED TO JAYDEN HAS HE GONE BACK UP TO HASTING BECAUSE HIS PROCESSOR IS SITTING IN THE YARD WITH HIS SKIDDED
I dont know this person and I'm not endorsing them, but here's one currently for sale: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Loggers-Wor...250933040424?pt=Magazines&hash=item3a6cc65528
Dont know. Only meet the guy once
were about r u im in carterton costly street r u a log truck driver or something cheers
I'm guessing that's 4043
Tmy40 36 A few more pictures of 40-36
the tmy 40 that i photoed had a total of 7 guy line and they were only pulling chopsticks can someone tell me y so many guy lines wen ive seen a tmy 50 pulling big wood with 4 guy lines ? + the used the tail rope as a extra guyline
We run 4 out the back and normaly run 1 snap guy so as not to hinder loader from clearing the shute. Now and again we will put a snap guy out if we are getting a little out of lead just to finish a setting ,keeping the turns light.
but 7 seems abit over kill thy had to dg deadman for all of them and they only stayed at that skid for 3 days
Without talking to the operator it would be hard to assume why they had seven guys up on a TMY40 pulling small wood. But the likely scenario would be they could only get the deadmen in shallow so added support guys!! We often did this on a small landing if we encounted hard rock at a shallow depth or our guy angles where too steep!!You also mentioned they had no lift, this would create snags which will in turn put extra pressure on your guylines. A stich in time saves nine!!
cdc? where speirs left off?
close csquared speirs was on the other side one side is doc and one side is cdc speirs was pulling bigger wood and they were working for a different forestry manger. the tmy 40 was down there for three months the doc side is really small wood nothing but chopstick so pf olsen sent them down there becuse the wood price dropped and pf olsen didnt want to harvest the wood up north mt **** is really bad wood
Some old Pics of Kiwi's Tsy6355bc and TTY70 Thunderbird TSY6355BC and Thunderbird TTY70
Can anyone give me a quick over view of the differences between a TSY50 and TSY255 and a 6255???? I have know that the 50 was the one that set the pace for all of them but what was the difference???? Thanks
Skagit built the first GT-5's in 1965, and then followed with a smaller GT-4 in 1971. In 1973 the smaller-yet GT-3 was introduced, and that's where your story starts. These 2 bigger Skagit machines are a whole different deal and don't have that much in common with the smaller machines that followed.... It really started in 1972 with the Skagit GT-3, then the Skagit SY-717, then the Pierce/Thunderbird PSY-200, then TSY-50, TSY-255, and TSY-6255. Several of the same engineers worked progressively through this evolution from start to finish and on all these yarders. After Madill bought Ross Corp they built 1 more standard (Orange) TSY-6255, then made several design changes to the TSY-6255 (hyd-tilt service access, updated cab, horsehead 6280-style boom with all swivel-fairleads) and called these machines the Madill 255B. Only 2 255B's were built. Each was an improved version of the previous yarder and the run went from 1973 to 2003 (last 255B built). I'll gather up these brochures and make a comparison chart showing power/transmission and line capacities for each. The biggest single design change was the abandonment of the side-by-side mains of the earlier yarders in favor of the SL '3 drums-in-a-row' design of the TSY-50, introducd in 1984. The earliest TSY-50 brochures I have are 1982/83 'preliminary announcements' and actually show the TSY-50 being tank-mounted, rather than hyd tracks. The first TSY-50 was Serial Number S-5042 and was delivered to Pete Dancer Logging Inc at Camas Valley, Oregon on 8-31-1984. I have many pictures of this machine that I still need to scan for you folks. There were a total of 12 TSY-50's sold. Which machine did your friend end up with?? For pictures of all these different models you can look at my link below- look at the 'Skagit' and 'Thunderbird' galleries.
Madill 255B Thank you Mr. Grapple for taking us through the evolution of smaller swing yarders. Interesting enough I finally got to see in person.......and got to crawl all over the last 255B built. I know there were only two built, but it was soooo cool. I didn't want to leave. Yes, I got pictures, but the owners have not given me permission to post the pictures or there name YET.(I still do not know how to post pics anyway). I do have to say, she is a sweet looking machine! I love the huge tilting hood, and the huge access doors, making maintence on this machine much easier. She has Cat power & a Twin Disc tranny. The Hooktender says she will pull whatever you hook on her. I did notice the drums were inline, not side by side as you mentioned. I like the guyline location, with that huge hood & deck, it makes it easy to spool the drums. The drums were a little small in diameter, which always seems to lead to a flatened lower layer. The larger the drum the less line crush it seems. I also though it was interesting.......she had 2 bar grousers on the undercarriage, I had never seen that before, usually 3 bar seems to be the standard. I know lots of shovels are 2 bar, but yarders? I learned something new, cool. I like the individual swivel fairleads & the gooseneck boom. They were running a msp carriage, they have also run grapples on her. She sure was sweet.........I could go on and on......... Man, the things a guy would give his eye teeth for......
You must be talking about green diamond's 255,it's pretty sweet,I've driven past it on more than one occasion.
TSY50/255's An interesting feature of the TSY50/255/6255's, is their half interlock design, ie interlock only on the inhaul. Were Ross Corp the first to go with this concept.
It took me a few days but I finally found the old pics. Here's Ross Murray (at left) congratulating Pete Dancer (right) on the purchase of the new TSY-50 at the Eugene Show in 84'. Great old picture and good times followed for both companies involved.
Just picked up a TMY 45 trailer mounted yarder. Looking for specs. for this machine. The spec. plate is missing. Any information is helpful. Also looking to pick up rigging if anyone knows of any laying around.
TSY 6255 Oregon to New Zealand TSY 6255 SLR, serial no. S5214, believed to be the last built, ex Hopkes, then Brewer. Trucked back to Springfield/Eugene, it's town of manufacture, for cleaning and preparation for shipping.
I climbed all over it when it was being cleaned and readied for shipping at Acme. What a beautiful machine in fantastic working order. I bet my drool is still on it.... Scott S
I got pictures of it a few years ago at Bruers on one of my first yarder scouting adventures.
I heard stories about a guy who got badly injured while the tower and gantry were being lowered. Does anyone know what happened?
machine was sold to Huffman Logging in 1990 when they bought out Mckenzie's Hayfork Co.
Here she is taking a bath at Acme. Wayne and the boys did a good job on her, and she had no problems with border control at this end. Rusty, if you can dig out those old photos, it would be great to see her back in the day. She has no top rollers on her undercarriage, were they all built this way? Can you confirm year of manufacture? Where is Roadswitcher when you need him?
Last 6255 Looks like such a nice machine!
#5191 Another 6255 SLR down under in the Nelson area. Notice the extra tinwork and cupboard door around strawline drum area on #S5214
Nice looking machine . I never knew they made chokers so straight .Back when i set chokers 25 plus years ago we had inch and a eighth slinkys for chokers lmao
I was thinking they might be chains for as straight as they are!
More Kiwi 6255s Those funny foke down the South Island run chains. Here are some photos of the Holmes 6255 currently working in some nice timber just off the Rotorua to Tauranga Highway. It is Cat powered, has the three lever controls and does not have the tin work around the strawline. The serial number is S6208
#5190 Yes, indeed they are chains - as I recall, only used in the Nelson area as I can't remember seeing them used anywhere else in NZ or Oz. Anyhow, have included pic of #5190 to illustrate cab difference on #5214.
furpo that hauler is on the way to Tauranga aye i remember seeing it wen i was up there i stopped and watched it for a while but they were running a grapple on it can u remember wen u took those photos ???? cause didn't they flip there bully on one of there setups i herd
Holmes 6255 new in late 99 - good shot of straw drum area. Love those chains.........
Yes this is the machine you are thinking of. They were running the grapple on it. Don't know about their bully. The stuff that they grappled was creamy. The photos were taken a week ago and they have moved into a more difficult part of the block and they had been pulling over a big blind ridge. It could have been grappled with the hauler in a different spot but maybe they could not put it there. It is impossible to know without the information.
i was a few months ago helping a crew with fiber recovery and they were just down the road we could basically see them from where we were as a matter of fact we were doing some of there old skids looked like easy grappling cheers
S5214 Oregon to New Zealand cont..... Loaded for port Vancouver WA. Waiting on the dock. Goodbye USA Arrived safely but rusty at the paint shop, NZ
Nice pics, it was down the street from my office and I didn't even know it. When was it at the port of Vancouver?
July and August 2011.
Copy thanks, guess I missed it in the daily parade of windmill parts coming out of the port.
We own TSY 255 #5119, a OSHA compliance officer crept in to do a worksite inspection and informed me that our yarder was not placarded properly for the yarding system and line sizes we are using. We currently are using a "standing sky line" of 1" swagged and 5/8" swagged for the skidding line. I was told by the official that I would most likely have to get new placards and possibly a engineers certification to use this logging system. Insert properly presented swearing here, >.......< Anybody know where I can find the information I need to get the placards?
PM Sent regarding your tag.
Hey guys, Okay so i'm currently 13 and later on in life, i intend to start a ground based logging crew, then add (maybe) a Hauler crew. I was just wondering, are they're actually any Hauler companies still around and what machines do you actually need? like 2 Shovels, a buncher, processor and of course a Hauler. also, what are the cocsts involved in buying a new hauler? and most important, will they be worth it in 15 years time? I've heard that they're sort of being phased out, due to Health & Safety, Costs, Efficency Etc. Thanks
After a bit more research, i actually found Madill, and also found Bellis, whcih are apparently really good haulers.
Just wondering if anyone has pictures of Thunderbird roadbuilders in action, I pearsonally have only seen the brochures of these machines.
there are only a couple companies I can think of in NSW that run Haulers still one is AM forest Harvesting in Tumut and the other is RPS ? in Bathurst the main thing you will find with hauler crews here is finding people that are dedicated and want to do the work! with the hauler side we run a washington 88 and cat 235 tailspar total for bolth was $100,000 out of tassie, then hitachi zx300 w/waratah 624 processor, a digger with satco head to shovel up to the hitachi and forwarders to move logs and load trucks,quite a bit involved. My advice would be talk to Pete Rosin of RPS when you are of working age and work with his crew for awhile then go from there,he mainly uses a bellis 85 w/ standing skyline w/ maki carriage but is purchasing a TSY6255 and will use grapple and standing skyline system with it. If you search youtube under cable logging in oz I've got some video's of our crew working the hauler and such here in NSW.
We also used chains with hooks here in Norway until we went over to radio chokers.
We used a quick change over set up - rope for butts, chain for head pulling - for mine, chain was preferred for head pulling for two reasons. Firstly, you didn't kink/mangle your rope strops and secondly, if the tree head looked vulnerable to breaking, by using chains we would put a half hitch in first and then go about a metre towards the butt and hook up normally - this way if the head broke at the hitch, you still had a second go. Also, a few years back there was talk of 'auto' hook release - not sure what become of it.
Fortunately, my dad just happens to know Pete Rosin, he worked along side one of his Shear Bunchers for a while doing clean up on the Bushfire affected areas. thanks for your information, and i hear quite a few Tasmanian loggers are calling it quits and sending their gear to Vic/Nsw particularly BVL, if you know them. i know theirs 3 Haulers around here in the La Trobe Valley, 2 Tbirds, and a Madill. Nice video, and it looks like you bought that Washington 88 for a bargain! Thanks again!
Woops, sorry, it wasnt his buncher he worked alongside with.
Check out a company in New Zealand called Brightwater. They're making towers and are about to comission their first 124 cos they bought the plans to make them here.
fortronics make an auto chain release chocker same as their rope one just a different slider.
An electronic release choker is pretty neat but they will be really slick when they can electronically set themselves.
I dont know about. Are batteries cheaper than choker setters. Oh wait a minute, they are eaiser to get these days!!
Hi Mitch here, I randomly came across this on google. I work for Nig Bryant and he hasnt had this hauler in the last 8 years, he just bought it recently after it had a massive rebuild on it. The little thing goes hard, skylining, scabbing, high leading easy pulling up to 12-15 tonne (6-8 trees 2.1 piece size).
Tsy 155 #s-5117 Here are a few recent pics just outside if West Point Ca.
Looks like a nice January day to be logging! They don't build you California boys much of a road do they? Looks like it was punched in with a D4 and the rock was spread with a 5 gallon bucket.
TMY50 sn.5044 5044 in action, Wairarapa NZ
Tmy70 #7070 Currently being operated near Upper Hutt NZ. Cheers to the owner for letting us drive up. It would have been a long ride otherwise.
Tsy255 #5087 Another Kiwi yarder currently near Upper Hutt.
Log frog. My pictures of 5214 are burning a hole in my hand. I would hate to post them up before you put yours up.
Patience, patience.
You know us loggers dont have much of that
You know us loggers dont have much of that
Just a couple of pics from a bit of a different angle of our TSY6355 working in the Wharerata Forest just out of Gisborne, to the right where I took these were two 046 Madills and a 123 Madill working.
Come on Log Frog, I've been waiting for some 'UTD' pics too - time to extract the digit.
6214 tease
Boy thats one steep side hill!
S5214 Oregon to New Zealand cont....
S5124 Oregon to New Zealand cont... On site with it's play mate.
Quite a different setup than have seen with the 2 blocks on the Cat.
This T-bar setup with 2 blocks is used by most swing yarder crews in NZ Real nice looking 255 you have log frog. Where are you logging? I see the grapple in the pic do you grapple much?
Awsome Contract Logger Keep going
That is ?
What brand were did you get that machine
looks good log frog! 330 looks good, cleaned up well! bout time you got a Canadian on the crew again! How is the thumb!
6250 was sold as a better interlock design with helical cut gears which were quiet and stronger. But I've heard it's not a true interlock system and honestly with a small machine why would you care to use it. T bird made the 155 with I think a 60' boom and a side by side interlock drum system which I have heard was a great machine except for line capacity. The 155, 6250, 120 are newer gt3's for ten times the money lol. I spent a day with Harv at bighorn a few years back and watched that 6250 work, nice machine but they claimed it was too small. I also got to tour the madill shop just after they bought t bird and they had just refurbished a nice 155(the only yarder at the whole facility).
Wow logfrog that new yarder of yours looks a gem,be good to see some more photos of it yarding
So I'm watching Axmen, yes can't help myself, honestly its just to see the equipment. Anyway looks like the outfit out of Montana has a small T-Bird swing yarder, looks like a TSY6140SLR. Am it right?
S5124 Oregon to New Zealand cont... Journey's end.
Looks good Log frog, how have you found the machine so far? Have you flowen the grapple yet? Also is the machine full automatic or do you have to select your gears like the other birds? Is the machine spec for 7/8 swage mains and tail?
Just gone back threw this thread and found the line size 7/8 with the option of a standing skyline.. nice.
Great pictures everyone and an interesting thread. Thanks to all who posted as I'm not familiar with logging operations.
I have to admit that I watch it to, I like Shellby and his Looney Tunes antics! I do think your right about that yarder. The first episode that they walked the yarder in I belive I saw 6140 on the boom. I like how they tape over the machine names, and model numbers. Even the LOGGER AND PROUD OF IT stickers the Pihl, I mean Big Gun guys have on their hard hats.
Here's a little Thunderbird taking a break.
5124 at work
hey contract logger! been reading your forums for a while now and just decided to sign up. what do you know about the tsy 6140?
oops maybe your not around anymore
I think he has changed his name, and is still around. After all it is in his blood.
thanks i guess i will just wait for a reply from him.
the other 046 belongs to Mana logging, am i correct Kiwi?
Yes it does its a Trailer mount 046.
manual I have a operations, parts and service manual. I own one.
Anybody here ever replace a gear ring/swing bearing on a TSY255? Ours is getting sloppy... Scott S
Anyone know much about the thunderbird ty-45.
Hey kiwi, whos operating your 6355 now ?
Vintage Thunderbird Ads I scanned these for another project but thought you guys may enjoy them- May 1978 magazine ads.
Pierce PSY-200 February 1978 full page color advertisement featuring the new Pierce PSY-200.
Same guy that has been on it since we got it about 4 years ago , am not sure who is on our one in Northland??
Kiwi ohh cool. how is that machine running ? i heard there were a few problems with it
Yea big problem today as the engine just went so mechanics taking it out now.!!
woah thats not good . thats ol reuben whos running it ae
We recently picked up a TMY 50 and really like the machine. I have a question about the controls: On the left side of the dash, there is an air "flipper" switch. It is right below the lever that switches from yarding to traveling. It looks exactly like the switch they use for setting all drum brakes at same time. Hoping someone can save me the trouble of tracing air lines to see what this switch is for.
You are correct - as I remember, all drums except strawline. Do you have the #no.
Sorry about the confusion. The switch I'm talking about looks exactly like the "all brakes" switch, but it isn't that switch. I do have an "all brakes" switch, but it is located closer to the haulback control. The switch I'm talking about is right under the yard/travel selector. I'll try to remember to get a picture and serial number today.
Flipper Switch That's interesting - I don't remember the extra flipper switch in that left dash area of the 50/70's I worked on but I have just found an old hand sketch diagram that includes the switch that you describe. In that area there should be five drum maxis, a travel maxi, drum/travel switch and an emergency steering toggle switch. I notice in this rough diagram there appears to be one maxi missing so am wondering if the extra flipper is in loo of it. I thought I had a pic of the dash somewhere but can't find it - might jog my memory when I see your pics.
Kind of hard to see, but in the lower left corner is the mystery switch. It is below the yard/travel control and the left of the throttle. The "all brakes" flipper switch is up under the 4 maxi controls.
Fipper Switch Good pic and it has also raised a couple of possibilities for which I might have the answer. Firstly thou, I need to know, does the yarder have a slackpuller drum and is that the travel brake maxi between the strawdrum lever and travel/yard switch. Also, I found dash pics in the TMY50 brochure which are as I remember but differ somewhat to yours - the # no may provide some clues there.
The serial number on the tag says "R5036". Not sure what the R stands for, but I'm assuming this machine was the 36th TMY 50 built. Yarder does have the split mainline/slackpulling drum. The control lever on the far left of dash is for the strawline. The maxi control you see in the picture goes to the strawline drum. The travel brake maxi is on the far right side of the dash (I'll try to get a complete dash picture soon) The four maxi controls you see higher on the dash are from left to right: haulback drum, slackpulling drum, main drum, and skyline drum. The flipper switch directly underneath sets all four.
#5036 Thanks for that feedback. Firstly, the 'R' stood for rubber mount - they used 'T' for track mount. Now for some obscure reason, RossCorp didn't start their model #no's at 1 like Madill. The 90's, 70's and 50's all started at 35 (there is a 7034 around but that's a story for another day) Anyhow, that makes yours the second one built, out in Feb 84. Back to the flipper switch - I notice in the Pic, there is a button valve on the haulback lever - this is normally on the slackpuller lever and used to give full air pressure to slackpuller clutch for direct drive ie, dropline out and for taking up slack on inhaul - (the rest of time, the slackpuller is designed to slip) Now I remember spending a few days on a 50 way back that was plumbed something like this - all I can recall is thinking that it had been plumbed differently to suit a particular system. Taking that one step further, the mystery 'flipper' may be a mode switch which changes the way one or more of the levers or the button valve works. The TSY 255 has one that changes the haulback interlock position into a sky brake. What I suggest, try each lever individually in clutch on and water brake position and while in each position, flick the flipper switch and see if it changes its application - do it with the button valve too. Probably best to do while drums are stationary - get someone to watch WCBS and the slackpuller cutch. Also flip switch with motor off and listen for any movement. There is a possibility that it applies the straw clutch so that the lever can be pushed for braking rather than using the peddle but I doubt it and I think you would have picked up on that anyway. In conclusion, I hope the switch is still operable and hasn't been tampered with. Anyhow, look forward to results.
Anyone got detail shots and measures of a TY-90,I'm trying to build a model.
Thunderbird built some great equipment its a shame that Madill didn't keep producing the same models when they bought Thunderbird.
Ty90 A couple of shots taken while visiting PNW.
Cool pictures log frog,nice shot of the guyline drums in the first picture.
Thunderbird 738 Log Loader
Y9046 I have a bit of info for the TY90 fokes. I managed to get a few photos today of TY90 Y9046. This machine belongs to Alan Sinton and is on a Skagit carrier. Torkel; I have been back through the TY90 spreadsheet and will have to do some more investigating for you. The machine in post 82 as belonging to Olsen is defiantly not his. The Olsen machine is on a Skagit base. This machine most likely belongs to Sinton also. He has two, one Skagit, one Washington and since it is on the Richards transporter it is most likely his. The Olsen machine is on a T100 SP carrier So this leaves Y9042 with the 158 carrier and tower. What is the easiest way to tell the difference between the 158 and 208? I notice Contract logger said the 208 model tower on Y9048 has 6 guyropes. What would Y9042 have? Contract Logger; we are still trying to figure out which other TY90 we have down here. One you said belonged to Mike Plaas. This is the one which was rebuilt from a trailer to a self propelled carrier Which machine was this? Would be rude not to post the photos, enjoy.
WOW! GREAT find furpo, I had lost track of this one too. TY90 #9046 - This machine was mounted new to the Skagit T100 Self-Propelled just as it sits in your pictures. It was built in August 1985 and sold new to Haley Logging at Lebanon, Oregon. It worked there steady until 1994. In early 1994 Haley brought her in to Ross at Eugene where they made some minor repairs and gave it a complete factory re-paint; It was beautiful. I took these pictures that day in Feb 1994 and that's the last time I saw this machine! Looks good and thanks a million for the update and pics!
Thanks Rusty / Contract / Eric? Any luck with the Mike Plaas machine?
Furpo- "......So this leaves Y9042 with the 158 carrier and tower. What is the easiest way to tell the difference between the 158 and 208? I notice Contract logger said the 208 model tower on Y9048 has 6 guyropes. What would Y9042 have?" The Washington 158/208 carriers were nearly identical and it is difficult to tell what you are looking at without the original yarder S/N or the Washington ID/info tag at the guyline/tower controls. All of these 158/208 tower/carrier sets could be ordered with 6, 7, or 8 guylines from the factory, so there's no easy way to tell what you've got with the naked eye. I was told that Y9042 (sold new to Breymmeyer and was originally factory painted all-yellow, the only yellow TY-90) and Y9048 (sold new to Fred A. Moore) both went overseas at thier times of sale (1995/1996?). I last stood on Y9042 in 1995 (in Washington) and I last stood on Y9048 in 1994 (in Oregon) and both I believe were 6-guyline machines with possibly a 7th mounted on the tower. I can't find my pictures of either machine (I have them someplace, stored safely in an unmarked box no doubt) but I know the Fred Moore machine was pictured in one of the Thunderbird TY-90 brocures. The Plaas machine I believe is Y9063 sold new to Pacific Lumber and Shipping at Randle Washington in Sept 1988. PLS had it on a Skagit T120 trailer but it was pulled off right after the PLS auction in 1998. I need to make a phone call to verify that's the hoist but I'm 75% sure it is the one. I hope this helps but as always for every question I can answer there are 10 more that I still can't. Eventually we will have the complete history and all the pics in one spot I HOPE! Every new pic sure helps.
There were four TY-90's that were mounted on the Washington tower/carriers- Y9042 (new to Bremmeyer) went overseas and I lost track of by 1997 Y9048 (new to Fred A. Moore) went overseas and I lost track of by 1997 Y9059 (new to Wimer) currently in Cathlamet Washington and soon being moved onto a Skagit T00 trailer Y9065 (new to Wimer) currently in Chehalis Washington and possibly being moved to a Skagit trailer in the near future The Washington carrier is very difficult to move in the States (very heavy) and the tower, cab, and steering tires must come off for transport. I always liked the look of the Washington setup but it isn't very agile/mobile and I am surprised these machines held out as long as they did against the Skagit swap. Here's a pic taken a month or so ago as Thunderbird TY90 Y9059 comes off the Astoria, Oregon bridge on the Washington side, headed for Cathlamet.
I cant agree more. I try to keep a record of all the yarders I come across as one day they will be gone. Look at the cable cranes now. Ill have to get off my arse and take some pictures of the other Sinton and the Olsen machine. I know where they are. I also suspect some Kiwi TY90s have changed hands recently so need to do more digging
Sounds like a mission to move. We were always told you guys didnt have to worry much about vehicle weights. The plus for the Washington is the tower comes back over the driving axles so you have more grip for moving around the bush.
TSY 255 Belonging to Darryl Hutton of ANC Forestry. Yarder was recently acquired from Buffalo Valley Logging, as well as the Cat DFM, Tail-hold and a Skidder up the road a bit. Very wet as you could probably tell. And a very short pull. Also if anyone was interested, across the gully to the right in the last picture, on exactly the same terrain basically but a bit less steep and a longer pull was a Skidder crew. Just a bit stupid? Also, this same man owns a TTY 6170 which was working nearby, but i could not get any pictures as it was situated down a skid track, which after 130mm + rain was very wet. It's skyline was about 1.5KM across a gully to a tail hold dozer.
I thought JM Browning had one of the TY-90 on a Washington carrier?
That's Y9059, Browning sold it to Debriae. Just saw it a couple of days ago.
Thanks for the info,did Thunderbird make a lot of yoders?I have pictures of a Thunderbird 1240 yoader
Were there any TY-90 track mounts?
TY 90 Track Mounts No. I have conflicting and incomplete records but the breakdown is roughly two T/Bird SP's, three Wash 208's, one Wash 158, eighteen Skajit SP's and eleven Skajit trailers - thirty five in total. Have no info on Y9055 or Y9068. In time hope to rectify (#no's with pics where possible please everyone)
Post 616 PFS, on the subject of # no's are you are to get for the 255 and 6170 - beg and grovel if you have to.
Pierce PTY-400 Tower Yarder Built by Pierce and sold/supported by Ross Equipment, the PTY-400 was the big boy! The 8-guyline, 110' tower and carrier with Caterpillar 245 crawlers is clearly visible. The machine winchset was designed like a smaller version of a Skagit BU-199. The PTY-400's were sold to Alaska Pulp Company at Sitka and Ketchikan Pulp Company at Ketchikan. The KPC machine still exists (in pieces) and I'm working on aquiring a few of those pieces for my ever-growing collection. Shared pictures of the machine, my own picture of the ID Tag- Sadly, I once had the Owner's, Parts, and Service Manuals for these machines but due to a communication breakdown they were thrown away during a 'cleaning out the closet' incident at the Madill Kalama facility in 2004. I should have taken them home.... Not a 'Thunderbird' by name, but certainly an ancestor of the great Thunderbird line that would later develop. If this doesn't fit in the TB thread, I'm not sure where it would fit better- BUT like everyone else here I am open to better ideas.
Bit more TY90 info The other Sinton TY90 is infact Y9042 and I have some photos to follow. Just got to get onto the Olsen machine.
Post 624 Thanks CL for the TY 90 feedback. Interesting take of what Ross did re those two carriers, # no's, 9055 and 9068. I was beginning to think they were non builds. Anyhow that reduces the hoist numbers by two, back to thirty three. I still have a few minor detail gaps/confirmations for 44,45,52,63,64 and 67 to run by when you get settled up 'North to Alaska' (ah, what a great song by Johny Horton back in the 50's) Sorry, I digress - its a side effect of becoming less young. Anyhow as I've said before, I'm embarrassed now by the fact that I had all this kind of info at my fingertips ten years ago..............hmmm. Regarding the Pierce builds - Observing from afar it appears they were certainly capable of knocking up a solid yarder. One wonders if they would have been tempted to take up full production in their own right when Berger, Skajit and Washington were going through the hoop - they certainly would have had the inside running. In hindsight, maybe they knew what they were doing. It also begs the question for discussion, would have Ross Corp, if left as it was, survived recent times. Personally, I think they would have as they were diverserfying into the trash handling area. Purely speculation now.
Any luck on that 'mystery' 90
Speaking of TY 90's, here is Neilsen Brothers Logging's (Bellingham, WA) TY90 in the back ground behind an old steam donkey.
More of the steam donkey.
Ive asked around. Apparently one of the Rosewarne brothers has or had one.
I was thinking Rosewarne too - where are our North Auckland contributers when you need them.
Nice! A little old a little new, well new relatively speaking.
Here's a TSY 255 belongs to Wally Plikat. Only one ever with a high & wide UC. On this setting they were out about 1000 feet. Had a cat for a tail stump and one for a guy stump. Looked like it was a green up unit with regen surrounding it.
Tsy-6140slr Does anyone have some good measurements of TSY-6140 (specially width)? Or a user manual?
The loggers that cut the trees down at whareata forest should feel ashamed of themselves as they are not the rightful owners of the land or forest. Your bill should be in the mail soon haha :tong
Spam.... ^^^^^^^^^^
You are fairly missinformed as we harvest alot of timber in the Wharerata ( correct spelling) Forest on a daily basis for the forest owners and employ 23 good local loggers to do so.
Kiwi sorry you have the eco loons down under, need any more? We have plenty to spare.
his first post is to bag out people and a situation he knows very little about.......well done that man, shows just how low the level of the gene pool has sunk
Na we dont really have a problem over here with the greens as our timber comes from plantation forests. While some bag the hoops we jump through with the authorities generally it all works well. I read recently Wharerata Forest is part of a Treaty Negotiation. Im guessing they are part of that and have no idea how contracting works.
I am not 100% sure but the problem with the Wharerata is there are multiple owners, I am pretty sure HFF are harvesting a portion for the local Iwi, JNL have a portion that is in the process of a treaty settlement? and then there are all the smaller blocks?? But all up there are possibly 100 plus people get out of bed every day and head up there to work!!! Between the Loggers, Truckers,Roading,Forest Managers and Siviculture that one Forest is a big employer on the East Coast.
Them greens don't know nothing about life or logging,hey here is an advice instead of chaining your self to trees that are about to be cut down go and see places that were already logged guess what,the trees are replanted.Can you find Thunderbird brochures online?
I Know of 2 Machines up North of the Bridge. One is a TY90 Serial# 9058, a very nice Machine. I have some awesome photos of this Yarder working. The other is way up Spirits Bay
9058, that's probably the unaccounted for TY90 that we have been looking for in NZ - do you have any ownership/history details. Is the Spirits Bay machine a TMY 50.
Colin Rosewarne owns this TY90. He also runs a TMY70. The TMY90 further north is owned by Peter Mold. Will get serial# when im talking to him next. Paul Olsen also has a TMY90 working in the BOP. I beleave there is another 90 on the water to go to work up North.
I no of TMY-45 TMY-50 TMY-70 models,but I never heard of a Thunderbird TMY-90.What is that some kind of modification to the TMY-70?
I have a question for Contract Logger/Rusty Grapple,I was just looking at some pictures of Thunderbird yarders an I know that there were only 2 Thunderbird TT-90 built but I saw pictures of them at Papac,Nygaard and Hopkes Logging,now I know that Paoac bought their machine new and they still have it,but are the Nygaard and Hopkes yarders the same machine that was bought new and later sold or are they different machines because one is marked TT-90 and the other TTY-90.The question might be kinda stupid but when I don't know something i ask.
Thanks for that feed back - am wondering if Peter Mold's 90 might be #9043, ex Tasmania and I think ex Kiwi Logger. Not sure where that one is now. The Spirits Bay TMY 50 I was referring to was one that went to Peter Mold in the mid 90's, #5079 - good to hear he is still going.
No our TY90 I believe went to Nelson that was a7guy machine, I saw Molds when it was brought in and that was an eight guy machine with the heavy duty pole on it.
The thread is kinda dying so here are some pictures of JM Browning's Thunderbird TSY-255,or as Jay calls it the Mighty Mouse:
JM Browning part 2,setting er' up and starting yarding:
JM Browning round 3:
HarvestPro 355 Nice photo KiwiLogger. Im guessing this is your one. Stolen from TradeMe
Yip thats our 6355 this time last year actually.
Thunderbird TY-80 on a Skagit T-100 trailer Ex Weyerhauser Listing #:428730 S/N:Y8035
There were only 4 TY-80's built. 3 were slackline hoists, and one was a highlead hoist.This one as you can see is a highlead hoist.
Does anyone know of where I might find a used eaglet carriage for sale, also need the jacks for intermediate support.
There are some eaglet carriages here I will check out some more websites I know later http://www.mylittlesalesman.com/Inventory/Index/1/243/0/338586/New-and-Used-Eaglet-Motorized-Carriages-For-Sale?SuperCategoryID=0&advertiserID=0
I couldn't find anything else.
Pete Dancer brought a TY80 #8036 down here a few years ago with Thunderbird 840 log loader. The yarder is working up North.
I gathered some info on TY-80s: - Y-8037 (slackline hoist) went to Pacific Lumber and Shipping don't know what happened to it - Y-8036 (slackline hoist) don't know who the original owner was but in the previous post REDFOX said it went to New Zealand - Y-8035 (highlead hoist)that I posted pictures of I think it's an Ex-Weyerhauser rig but I'm not sure But what happened to the third slackline hoist?And an off topic question but what happened to the second PTY-400 that went to the Alaska Pulp Corporation?
I take it that NEW Thunderbird equipment is no longer available... What a pity, because they look like really solid workhorses, especially the Swing Yarders.
I don't check in here as often as I should but I just saw this; Here you go: Y-8035: Sold new to Weyerhaeuser (Raymond, Washington) on 12-7-1990. Currently for sale in Washington. Y-8036: Sold new to PND Logging (New Zealand) on 5-26-1992. Still down there somwhere. Y-8037: Sold new to Pacific Lumber & Shipping (Randle, Washington) on 9-8-1993. Currently owned by Weherhaeuser at Cosmopolis. Y-8038: Sold new to Weyerhaeuser (Springfeild, Oregon) on 6-2-1994. Currently at Castle Rock, Washington (and looks great)! Most if not all of these yarders can be seen in the Thunderbird Gallery @ http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple The ad below shows TY-80 S/N Y-8036 right before it shipped out of Eugene to NZ in 1992- Hope that helps!
Hi Rusty grapple. The one that came down under, was sold to a canadian guy who came here called pete dancer. he went back to canada after a few years, and sold it to a kiwi, **** prestage, who worked in BC canada for 20 odd years before coming home here. **** sold it to Havard logging from masterton who worked up here, then shifted it to the whangarei are of nz, where it still is. AFAIK.
pete dancer also bought a thunderbird stroke delimber and excavator for loading logs here too. both are sitting in whitianga
Heading north on i5 rice hill
The one in spirits bay is number 9054 and one on water is number 9039
Thanks - welcome any other details.
Colin Rosewarne is the one who owns 9058 and also owns the 70 number 7060. My name is Lars and I have just bought in the 90 mentioned above. Going to do a bit of work on it, changing the cab and a paint touch up. Will post some photo's when done.
Does anyone know anything about the history of North Fork Timber Company or Pls Pole Yard?
hey, check out the loaders, limbers and road builders thread, might be some gear you recognize.
Hi Lars - tried to send 'PM' but no luck so are you able to 'PM' me. Ross J
Does anyone have pictures of Y-9042 Y-9065?I'm scratch building the TY-90 build records it will be realy cool when I'm finished,you will have a S/N , date of manufacture , carrier and owner names for all the TY-90.It's going good so far but I'm missing 17 S/N s and pictures of 11 rigs,including the above mentioned Y-9054 and Y-9058
The 90 S/N 9054 belongs to Peter Mold. Can get some photos of it from Pete. The other one S/N 9058 I can get some from Colin. I know Nigel Kelly in Nelson has 2 90's. Will give him a ring & get the S/N
Thanks for the info man I apreacheate all the help i can get and I'm looking forward to those pictures and other info.
Lars, we have an unidentified TY90 featured in post 259, page 18 of this thread. I think Furpo got it from from an advertisement - I'm thinking it is Peter' Mold's 9054 as there was a TMY 50 for sale too with it and I know Peter has/did have #5079 - are you able to confirm and also verify my records of TMY 70, #R7049 with your name pencilled along side it. With your 90, there will be eight in NZ. On a personal level, I think our paths crossed briefly when Gough's delivered a TY45 up your way in 1995 - I was travelling around with them at the time. Is it still about.
I will talk to Pete tomorrow,and yes we did own 7049-7077 and still own 7060-70101-70105-5134.I do remember you ,but i think it was in the winter of 1994.I sold that TY45 last year.Good to hear from you , you have a great memory
Are there any other TY-90s in Alaska except Y-9044?
Does anyone know the S/N of Bighorns TY-90?What was the S/N of the first TY-90 ever built?As I said a few posts back I'm skratch building the TY-90 build records and I realy need your help.After 4 days of work,26 rigs + 2 Ross SP carriers and 19 S/N-s I ran out of pictures and info.And then my computer broke down 3 days ago (I have a copy of the build records on a USB so all is not lost).So somebody please help me I cant do this alone.
Ok I wolud like to thank everyyone that helped me on my project and everyone that posted in this thread.I have a problem,with the informations I the serial numbers go from Y-9035 to Y-9069 and that would be OK if the two Ross SP carriers werent counted in so im missing two hoists their serial numbers would probably be Y-9070 and Y-9071???Does anyone knnow anything about that?
This here is Y-9040 has been repainted and some modifications have bean made,since I only recently found out the S/N I use to think this was Y-9069 and that it was sold to Bighorn so it only shows how important S/N are. Again does anyone know anything about Y-9070 Y-9071?
Johno, you are correct with the TY 90 #no range, ie Y9035 through to Y9069 but there was no Y9070 or Y9071. Not quite sure why you are missing two - have you factored in that the two T/Bird SP's effectively had two serial no's each - one for the carrier and one for the hoist - (Y9051 hoist Y9055 carrier) (Y9050 hoist Y9068 carrier) Re Y9069, I have Mac BLo in one set of records as the first customer and Weyco in the other. Y9040 looks OK. R J.
Y-9069 was bought new by MacMillan Blodel and sold to DeBriae in 1999,and yes I counted in both the hoist and the carrier for the 2 TTY-90.
This yarder in these pictures is Y-9069 and was the last TY-90 ever built (sold new to MB, then DeBriae and recently sold to Bighorn). Y-9040 was sold to Ober new (on a Berger SP) then pulled off the Berger, set on a Skagit T-100SP and sold to Nygaard who still owns it. I posted pics of Y-9040 on several occasions and this is not it.
Here are 2 pictures of TY-90 Y-9040 when Ober was selling off in 1989. Wasn't long after the hoist was pulled off the Berger.
That list you have was always being updated by parts guys as an owner would call in with a serial number for parts purchase. Weyerhaeuser took over MacBlo later and a parts man changed the owner/name from MB to Weyco on the list at some point R.J. The machine was still at Sayward, but MacBlo became Weyerhaeuser so they changed the name on the sheet. When DeBriae bought that machine it was still red, white, and black MB colors. Here are some pics I took when DeBriae bought her-
The quick & the dead.
I am curious, what kind of reach do you get with the baby tower there?
600 metres of skyline & main.
Be a good machine for alot of cockies farm woodlot blocks then. And alot easier to move than 'big sister' behind her Is that 600m with 7/8 and 3/4 ropes ? Got a haulback drum ?
3/4 skyline & 1/2 main swage .Haulback is 1200 metres of 11mm reg.
Whats wrong with the tmy45 in the background logboss1?
View attachment 96401 Not sure but has issues . Was being leased by some fools who where trying to log what should have been a good block. Owner repossed his gear after not getting paid. Fools never came back . Left a horrendous mess ,hundreds of tonnes of unpulled wood , rubbish & rope everywhere . Left a loader buried to its counterweight on the landing . Fools got some more iron from somewhere and moved to another job . We have been hired to clean up the mess & finish the block." Leave the S_ _ t we will do it " has been our saying for years.
Ty90 TY90, Dexter Oregon. 'Shortened' tower version. No tags I could find.
I think that that is Wilapa's TY-90 they bent the tube on their rig so low that when they cut it of,it wouldn't eaven reach the cradle when towerd down.
TY90 in Dexter The TY90 belongs to Dave Penegor as well as the Skagit setting with it. There is also a couple of strokers there that are his and two Thunderbird shovels.
That's S/N Y-9037, delivered new to International Paper at Gardiner, Oregon in September, 1984. That poor girl has been sitting there broken for a long, long time now- 10 years or so..? The tags were pulled when IP shut down; I've got pics of them someplace. They are safe and warm. A link to the RB Auction brochure for that sale- https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=b65e...#cid=B65E7D5E9159A16C&id=B65E7D5E9159A16C!172 Here's the machine on the RB Auction cover-
You mean these?
355 s5095 This is Lew Prince's 355 on site roughly a week ago. I dont know the history behind this machine, however, it has had the drum reversing shaft pulled out of it and the wet brakes added a la the 255 set up. It has also been repowered with a late model Cat. Nice machine. Enjoy
Furpo, according to my notes here that machine was sold new to Canevari Logging at Fortuna, California in May of 1989. It would have been the 3rd TSY-355 built and I don't know anything about it- it's history or ownership succession. It looks like it's in good cosmetic condition and has survived life well so far. I wonder where and when the mechanical/brake changes took place?
Thunderbird TY90 S/N Y-9067 at work near Cathlamet, Washington in 1991. Setting was in the Cat Creek area on the Elochoman River. Loading is a new Koehring 6644- a very popular machine with DeBraie and other loggers of that period; DeBraie had several of these.
Here's a couple more old pictures of Thunderbird TY-90 S/N Y-9035 seen working on the upper Elochoman River in 1990. This was the first TY-90 built and sold new to Jerry DeBriae in early 1984. Again, a Koehring 6644 on loading duty.
Rusty grapple, I am unsure as to when the brake changes occured. I remember Brett Henderson (the hauler guru down here) telling me about a 355 that had been converted because something went wrong with the reversing mechanism. I assume it was this machine so it was done down here. I have possibly seen this machine from a distance before. There was a 355 sitting at an engineers at Taupo earlier this year. This could have been when the new CAT was put in her. Lew has been logging for a long time so my guess is that he is a long time owner of this machine. I understand his son is running the crew.
Modern Machinery has stripped a TSY 255 for a rebuild, Scott S
Heard about that from Facebook, Is that yours Scott? I haven't had a chance to cross the river and stop by Modern yet.
Not mine, this one is in Rochester. Scott
Ok someone told me there was a tsy255 at Portland Modern as well.
That one was most likely mine, we were having the swing bearing replaced a couple of weeks ago. It turned in to a bigger project with some cracks in the frame, a bad idler bearing, cracking swing pinion teeth, $$$$$$... Back to work with it now. Scott S
Got it, guess it's the time of year for T-Birds to get worked on. Found at TY80 all torn apart in Longview the other day.
Does anyone know the S/N of this yarder?The owner is Nielsen Bros. Logging of Sedro Woolley Wa.
That would be Y-9045. Sold new in 8/85' to Bob Hild (Pacific Logging at Marysville, Wa). The machine was shipped to Alaska to Hild's 'Alaska Pacific Logging' operations at Craig/Klawock where it stayed until they closed the Alaska operation. Alaska Pacific had several other big yarders in the arsenal up here including another TY-90 or 2 and some Skagit 739's, along with smaller yarders of various shapes and sizes. Bob owned 'Diamond Yarder Manufacturing' (with a couple other people) at the time, and the 2 larger Diamonds (DT-425 and DT-8000) were put to work in Alaska initially as well. Bob also had a couple of partners in Alaska Pacific. Lots of great history and could go on forever! The Alaska Pacific name can still be found around Craig/Klawock and the big beautiful Alaska Pacific Lodge they built at Port Saint Nicholas outside of Craig still shines; I actually enjoyed a short stay there only a month ago on a trip to the Island. When Alaska Pacific retired the operation, that yarder was sold to Aaron Weaver, and later Dave Nielsen bought it but I think there was an owner between Weaver and Nielsen. I'm almost certain there was but I can't remember who right now. As you'll notice the tower still reads 'Alaska Pacific' today. I have pics of that machine going back to new, somewhere. The hoist was purchased new but the Skagit T-100SP was already owned by APL and was rebuilt and painted to match the hoist. I believe a BU-94 was pulled off that T-100SP to make room for the new TY-90, but can't remember for sure. The mating and painting operation took place at Coastal Machinery in Marysville which was another Hild-owned enterprise.
I Spy with my little eye.....
Could that be a Washington or Allied Feller Buncher? Howdy Mr JeremyM70, I must have gone completely through this Thunderbird thread for at least the 15th time. I always find something new. Any way, on post #52 you have several pictures of a nice looking T'Bird TSY-6255 SLR.........but what is REALLY interesting to me is the fellerbuncher next to it. I can see two sets of tracks.....on the same side of the machine, I believe it is either a Washington feller buncher (they only built two), or the outfit that bought the rights to build it after Washington Iron Works went broke. Allied built a dozen or so of these feller bunchers according to Mr. Grapple. Did you happen to take pictures of it while you were getting pics of the 6255? I would love to see them if you do. I don't know where they'd go, I suppose in the feller buncher thread.......Mr. Grapple did say he would start a new thread dedicated to this feller buncher.....he must be soo busy....I sure would like to see'em if you have any. Thank you Sir.
Redwood Climber, I'm interested in those machines as well. Looks like Komatsu/Valmet have developed and tested similar technologies, though it appears these machines are not in current production. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFyPMuTOhDM
Komatsu 911.5 X3M I have seen several of these machines working in Germany, maybe they are also used in GB? Link to the present version: http://www.komatsuforest.de/default.aspx?id=74496 The tracks are a bolt on on the final drives/instead of boggies.
I found this article about Pacific Logging some time ago: http://www.forestnet.com/timberwest/archives/Feb_01/ready.htm And also this article about Madill acquiringn Ross: http://www.exvere.com/transactions/ross_corp.htm I also got some pictures of the shops and a TMY-70 being built but I CANT' UPLOAD THEM!!!!!! :bash:Banghead I vould have posted this stuff earlier but my internet conection failed on sunday afternoon shortly after my post about the TY-90.
Also the TY-90 records are coming along great,but I'm missing pictures and informations on 10 rigs : Y-9036 Y-9042 Y-9052 Y-9053 Y-9054 Y-9056 Y-9057 Y-9058 Y-9060 Y-9062
I found pictures of 2 mistery TY-90 working at Weyco PeEll??? I suspect this one is Y-9057??? I don't know or eaven have an idea about the S/N of this yarder
I think I've seen the John Deere shovel in the second photo. I think that might be either Willapa logging or Colburn logging. I've heard they are both doing a lot of contracting for the lazy W and Hancock Resources.
What are you on about? Looks like cream!
Tsy-6140 slr I am out for a TSY-6140 SLR (or 6240). Need to be an SLR, it's basicly written in big letters on the boom. Anybody knows about one for sale?
I know there was one in California. But i don`t know whether it was SLR .It was in little town call FT Bragg just about 200 miles up from San francisco. It is tsy -6140
I think I have found the last remaining Kiwi PSY 200. So the list goes: 10504 - Currently for sale by Gene Phelam. Was Darryl Huttons machine (HT Contractors) 10510 - For sale as a parts machine with 10504 10517 - Currently owned by FOMS, previously Andrew Barnes and then Ross Davis 10530 - Harvest Pro Gisbourne 10532 - Currently NZ Woodlot Harvesters (not sure what is happening as they just went bust), prior to that Tony Bowman, then Gary Hancock. 10570 - Apparently Tuckey Contracting has just brought it. This was in Gisbourne for some time. Previously it was in Nelson with Moutere Logging. There has been at least one more in the countrey. This was a rubber tyred machine that has wreaked at Rotorua Forest Hulage a couple of years ago. I never got the number.
I had to load up the pics on my backup hard drive, since I recently wiped and started fresh with my laptop. It was an Allied ATH28 and I will throw a few pics over in the buncher thread. As I remember hearing that machine was donated a year ago or more to the Camp 18 museum on the Oregon Coast and in fact I drove by there yesterday and saw it sitting there. No time to stop and get pics though.
A couple of Thunderbird yarders in Salmo BC. The TY40 is used frequently, the other one not so much....
Here are some pictures of a TSY 255 that I have been operating lately.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqFVxTQM2wM&list=ULTZwHJQ9zzcE&index=21 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZwH...tch?v=RP-1LQq3SgY&list=ULTZwHJQ9zzcE&index=22
Some of the modifcations, added a Kobelt single leaver rigging control valve out of a Cypress 7280 also boom stoppers to name a few. There you have it 255 Grapple Yarder [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP-1LQq3SgY&list=ULFqFVxTQM2wM&index=21ATTACH]97803 [/ATTACH]
Murk100, very nice job! are you doing this without a spotter? camera? who builds those grapples? what application does a machine this size fit best? skid length? unit size? do you do it if you can't have a tail machine? is it mostly hand fall? the insurance cost of ground guys in yarding go up again in washington this year to $20/hr, this stuff is going to have to be used more and more, currently the most common yarder uses motorized slack pullers. i will ask more questions later........................theironoracle
just going back through this thread and came upon this picture. I was running holmes loggings' other tsy 255 (Sorry no photos) at the time they put a learner on the new 6255. like most kids he was allergic to grease guns or any maintenance so the top swivel sheave ended up seized and jammed off to the side after swinging...........and he didn't notice until red hot lumps of sheave and haulback started raining in through the open top window and into his lap.......new haulback and sheave required. some time later he ended up on the 255 ( I had been given a brand new 527tsk to run, once again no photos) and wonderboy pulled the 255 over onto its side by working outside of his guylines....... he doesn't work in forestry any more
Tsy255 TSY255 I found on the Oregon North Coast a few weeks ago.
Been for a bike ride to find this machine over christmas. This is 105070. Im a bit stumped on the serial number. I suspect someone has added an 0 to the end of it so it should be 10507. The air tank has a build plate on it with 1978 which would fit with the 10507 serial number. Anyone know how many of these were built? I would love to get the build records. Still a bit of work to be done but it is looking much better than when I last sore it.
Ty45 ba138 In the same forest as the above PSY200. Hope you guys enjoy them as it was a 19km round trip on the bike.
Is that our old 200 we moved up to our workshop in Maramarua from the Coast. If it is its looking pretty good I havent seen it since the rebuild.
Na. This one is in Upper Hutt. It is the one that come from your way and sat at Cables Rotorua for a while.
Big ask for a little yarder
starting back under a 6255 at wheeler logging Whiteswan WA worked under it before lots of power love it. I set chokers under it
holly ----!!! where is that thing sitting If im not wrong its up day creek in skagit county
That one is up near Acme, I've heard there is another one up near Day Lake. Also heard there is a old lowboy truck up near Oso near the Granite Lake potholes.
thanks for the info hope it gets saved
I hope you're getting a damn good rate for that clean up
Thats got day rate written all over it!
I thought that too...
I was thinking I could have a guess at which contractor left that behind and that hes been doing it for year around the country. Does the front hace have wood on it?
How far are you reaching there to me it loks like about 1200' ?
Its close on 430 metres to the backline ,but the gulleys about 200 metres deep. The little T-Bird is maxed out but we'll get most of it ,the edge tress are going straight over the other side never to be seen again. And we are not doing it for free .Leave the **** we will do it.
Great week, fantastic weather, the rigging crew were in their t-shirts today! Scott S
Just curious why the TMY50 has air over hydraulic controls on all of the drum clutches. The only thing I can think of has to do with the cylinder size that engages the friction and the fact that hydraulic pressure is at least 10X that of air pressure. Band brakes use air the whole way. Is this a common design on other yarders?
Do you have a buncher or hand fall?
On the TMY 50's and early TMY/TTY 70's there was not enough room for the relative size air cylinder. From TMY 70, #7073 on, they redesigned the clutch and changed over to air. Not sure what was on the TSY 50's or the other small T/Bird yarders but the TSY 155/255/355 swingers etc and the TY 90 were all air.
The majority of this unit was bunched. Scott S
We had a fan blade break, I can get the radiator fixed but can't seem to find a fan. Anyone know what was used on a TSY 255 with a Cat? Scott S
New to this forum, have only just found it. So a little late to the party on this one. The PSY 200 that Moutere Logging had I used to operate before Dale Ewers (owner of Moutere Logging) brought it from his brother- Mark Ewers (Neudorf Logging). I don't know where Mark got it from. I'll have to scan a couple of pics of it. This machine needed a little love, but could still pull wood. The spar was a little twisted, detroit engine, it didn't crawl as fast as it should. At one point the sight/temp class on the hydrualic tank went dark from heat. I operated this unit on Green Hill, Mount Richmond Forest Park and in the Moutere Forest all in the Nelson area.
Tsy155 #s-5117
Hi Paul Welcome to the forum. When Moutere sold that hauler it went up the East coast. The story goes they had to walk it across a ford on the way as the bridge could not handle the weight. It poped a track motor either in the creak or close to it. They replaced the track motors and it now walks fine. After it came back from the coast it spent some time at cables rotorua. One of the jobs that was done there was to replace the track brakes with rebuild units from 10510. Are you still working in the Nelson area? I have heard Dale is going to have a go at droping trees with his grapple carrage.
Furpo you have some go info there. Am I still in Nelson? No, I'm now in Langley British Columbia. I left the bush 10 years ago. In 1998 I started out with Moutere Logging, then to Wanganui with Mangoihe Logging, then Neudorf Logging back in Nelson, then Wood Contracting (Ross Wood). I miss working with some of the thunderbirds. I got to work beside a PSY200, TTY 6170, TMY70, TMY50, and a little TTY 40 (I think it was a 40 or mayby a 45). The PSY 200 was the only one I got to operate, easy to learn on with only the main/tail/strawline working. Tag line was never working. Ross Wood had a interesting Madill, the only rubber mounted 171 built made.
Just a quick reply as it is getting late. Did Mangoihe have the Madill 120 when you were with them? The rubber 171 is now in Northland with Montana Logging. There are some pictures of it in the Madill thread of this forum.
TSY 255 bones @ Modern Machinery in Washington. Scott S
No Madills, all Thunderbirds (about year 2000). I looked for the 171R, started last page and went back to page 50, then started on first page until about page 32. A lot of pages, my eyes have gone square.
The forum has a search function. Took about 15 sec to find. Page 36, HeavyEquipmentForums Here is a photo of it on its side HeavyEquipmentForums
As it happens, I was standing beside the 171R about this time last year. I didn't have the presence of mind to take any pics unfortunately...
Kiwi; got any pictures of your new 70 yet? Heard it will be up Bidiford way some where. Might be a good bike ride.
No pics worth putting up here, put it that way... LOL I'll see what I can find.
kiwi, Is your 70 the one that was sitting in rotorua in the back of the transporters yard. along with a worn out hitachi processor and purple 228 komatsu?
Mangoihe did import a used 124 (#12413 I think) around end of 01. I have it down as being onsold now.
Indeed it was. You're on to it. It has a Cummins motor now though. Sorry I took so long to reply, I forgot to come back to this the other night...
What do you know about the thunderbird tty6150
I had a little bit to with Mangoihe's 6150 when it came in - what info are you after.
oh just anything really, pics bit of info. im working for a guy who runs one on the east coast nz at the moment and just wanted to know a bit about it.
Will try to get some scanning done during the week
what is the bigest cat engine put in a tsy6255
We have a 3406B in our 255 if that helps.
yes that does thank you
TTY6150 - Loggin_it reply A couple of pics of TTY 6150 (#T5100) at FIME 98 logging show at Rotorua just before it was delivered to Mangoihe. There's a better than average chance that this one is yours as I'm not aware of any others down this way. I have a spec sheet scanned but isn't very clear when reduced to 640 pixels - work in progress.
does any one know the history of tsy 6255 serail# s-5167
TTY 6150 Specs Have split spec sheet into two files to try and make it readable - here goes. Also, have noticed a mistake in the heading, 'TSY', and as I remember, they only had four guylines.
Tmy7040 Roadswitcher; Mangoihe do have a 120 now. There is a photo of one of their new diggers with the 120 behind it in one of the NZ Logger magazines. This is an early TMY 70 that I suspect has had a 5th guyrope retro fitted onto it.
Tsy255 s5121 Enjoy
Good shots of the 70 and 255 - worked on both - the 70 when it originally came in over here (Oz) and the 255 when Jake Rua got it in up near Hicks Bay - couldn't quite make out the signwriting on the cab but it's different to what Jake had so I guess it has a new owner. Also, there were at least four 70's that I know of down here that had the extra guy drum added by RossCorp.
This machine has a TMY 50 serial number, and was apparently stretched and converted at Ross Corp before heading down to NZ. Apparently still has 8v71T power plant.
This Machine in photo is a TMY70 #7040 owned by a Contractor in the Waikato. Mangoihe do have a Yarder Serial #R5065. A 50 with a 70ft Tube. We have another like this in the South Island R5078. Does anyone know if this was a Customer request or just what was available at the time?
Thats interesting. Apparently R5065 (which I mistook for the 70 pictured) went back to Ross for a refurb, whilst there it was decided to stretch it and add the tube. Other mods include extending the hydo oil tank, to accomodate more oil for the tube ram.
R5065 Yeh Froggy, after a brief moment of self doubt, I realised we had to be referring to different yarders. Pic is of R5065 on delivery to Ken Robertson back in 93. He only had it a short while and sold it to Ross Davis. I also had a bit to do with the delivery R5078 to Les Tressider. I'm pretty sure both machines had been converted to 70' for previous owners back in the US before coming down under. We often referred to them as TMY 57's. R5065 also had the extra retro guy drum.
Roadswitcher, having worked under them, how does the '57' stack up against the 70? Has 5065 had an engine upgrade, or still running the 8V71T? Did it also get a tag line?
In operational terms, no problems with the 70' tower on the TMY 50. I guess if one was considering the change over it would come down to a cost benefit exercise - personally, I would be reluctant - the TMY 50 is a pretty well balanced yarder as it is. Both 5065 and 5078 had their original 71 series jimmys in when they came to NZ and this is one area I would certainly consider an upgrade to the 92 series when an overhaul was due. The extra 'giddy up' is quite noticeable in 4th and 5th gear on the 70's. They also had the standard production Tagline drums. Actually, I've only come across one TMY 50 (I think #R5044) down here that didn't have a Tag drum and it maybe working around your area. While on the subject of upgrades, I also have mixed views about adding an extra guy drum to the earlier four drum machines. In the four drum configuration there is plenty of line capacity whereas, if you look at Furpo's pic, when the fifth drum is added, you end up with the three middle drums with vastly reduced line capacity - can be a pain sometimes. Short extensions on stanby are a must.
Excellent info, Roadswitcher. Yes, 5044 is ours and doesn't have a tag drum.
Does any one have pictures of a thunderbird tsy6355
Here's a pic a 6355 and a 155 at the Oregon Logging Conference in Eugene last week. They were both for sale by Acme Manufacturing. No tags on either of them, but I believe the 155 came from Northern CA and the 6355 from Southern OR.
Thanks you so much Jeremy m70,I built a 1/50 scale model of this machine back in the summer with only 3 photos,i took the measurments of a madill 124 thinking it would be the same as the 6355.i have three questions : does any one have specs on this beast,and what kind of undercarriage does it have,also is it close to a madill 124 in size?
Recycled Madill 044 Haulback Fairlead, works perfect....
Hello all you heavy equipment people! I'm new to the post, my husband and we use to pressure wash,paint,detail and do the lettering on alot of thes old yarders,it was quite a job,some of them say "painted by kevin sproul" on the door. Dose any one remember "Jack Smith", in pleasant hill oregon? kevin use to do all his equipment,then we found Murry, and got the auction equipment all ready for sale,dose any one kow how to get ahold of Murry? I was the blond that road the elephant in the first auction in coburg oregon " they joked around and wanted lady Kadiva" so it was my nick name for a bit,would like to get ahold of him if any one could lead the way that would be great!
I have been looking to remodel our fairlead, anyone else have suggestion for a 255?
Some more boom modifications Top pic is #5121. The boom had the complete make over at Madill before coming to NZ. This machine is the same yarder as in Furpo's recent post, 778. Bottom pic was Winstone Allnut's #5141. Although not that clear in the shot there is also a swivel fairlead added for the front main which eliminates the reverse bend. From memory, he had them fabricated locally in Nelson (NZ).
We bought the Fairlead for $500.cdn, 2 days fab/weld to install...you can see the problems we ran into with the old style at least it wasn't a new line. I'm thinking yarding down hill swinging to get the log caused the haulback to run up and over the roller??? Oh well fixed now and fairly inexpensive....you got me thinking about the front main now Roadswitcher
Exactly what I was looking for thanks.
Has anybody got the "real" weight of a 255 with all the lines on? We are moving past some scales for the first time and my low boy driver is concerned. Scott S
I'm looking for some info and specs on TSY 155 swing yarders - in particular S5142, a 1994 Model that was originally sold to Gall Logging. What would a comparable Madill machine be? Any info would be much appreciated.
If my memory serves me wright....101,000.lb with lines. boom ang gantry another 7000.lbs We had about 2500 ft haulbck on the drum...
Thanks Murk, we will be pulling it across the scales later next week. Scott S
For everybody's info our TSY 255 with a 3406 Cat and perhaps 700lbs of rigging in the toolbox, 3000 feet of 1" swaged on the "haulback drum, 2000 feet of 3/4 swaged on the main drum, and 4500 feet of 9/16 swaged on the front drum weighed 121,000 lbs. Good thing the scales were closed.. Scott S
Stole this pic off trademe of Ian harveys 355
looks awsome in black insted of dull t-bird tan
awsome colors
Thunderbird TY-90 S/N 9053 bought new by Shade Tree Logging
is that the smaller size of the 6355?
We are looking at purchasing a 6355 after owning a 255 for years. The machine is bare with no lines sitting in yard here in Oregon. While we are really familiar with the 255 system by appearances the 6355 drum set has us baffled, gears are on both sides of the drums? Is it possible to run any drum independently of the others? We can slack line with our machine, can it be done with the 6355? Can you shotgun with it? Thanks, Scott S
Hi Scott I cant answer your question about slacklining and shotgunning as i dont know. The extra gear train down the other side of the drum set has two advantages. First is for the counter rotation of the two front drums for open or closing a grapple or letting a drop line of an MSP in or out. With the 255 you have to spool the rope off the out winding drum on the wet brake. The second advantage is that when out hauling the machine is still interlocked which is faster and burns less diesel. This is what is called a two way interlock yarder (i.e. inhaul and outhaul). The 255 is one way interlocked (i.e. inhaul only) so you have to drag the wet brake on outhaul. Are you going to keep the 255? If so my opinion is that you would be best doing your skyline work with the 255 and getting into grapples with the 6355 as this is where these machines shine.
6355 Just adding to Furpo's reply on the question of slacklining and shotguning. Standard ex factory, not capable due to insufficent braking and they are not control plumbed for either of the above. You can operate each drum individually by way of isolation valves. Interesting to note that the early 355's up to around 1995, had an extended 255 drumset of which were set up for shotgun.
6355 Scotty, did you happen to note the #no of the 6355 in question.
I was told it was the last one built, I didn't get the number. It's in the photos above with the 155 at Acme. Scott
Looks like there was only 4 6355's built, 2 of them being the BC model. One went to NZ, two went to BC. The one you are looking at might be S5162 and I think Huffman and Wright had it before?
S5162 Jeremy, is there any way that we could get that comfirmed as I don't have any ownership detail against #S5162.
I think Wayne said it was from Huffman. It really is in pretty good shape the best I can tell but won't suit our purpose if we can't shot gun sometimes with it. Scott
Scott, can you check in with Wayne and find out? I don't know him really well.
He is in New Zealand right now and we have been playing phone tag,
Does anybody know anything about the TY 80 currently on Craigslist? http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/bfs/3749712026.html Scott S
I'll bet it is Y8035 that Wallace Sand and Gravel owned or used to own. It was sitting alongside I5 at MP57 for years. It was owned by Weyco Raymond or Cosmopolis initially, there should be more detail about it in this thread somewhere.
Y8035 Trivia Question Could it be that TY 80, #Y8035, was the only two drum 'high lead' yarder that Ross produced at Eugene.
Anybody have information on TSY 255 serial # 5084 Thanks, Scott
Not much (if you don't already know), customer: International Paper - Delivered July 1994
I agree with you - Y8035 is the only highlead I can find produced by Ross. I would btw call it a three drum - main, haulback and straw.
I mistyped the serial # it's 5088. Thanks, Scott
5088 was bought new by LC Logging in May of 1988.
According to my notes and looking at the pic, 5088 might have a Berger undercarriage.
Need help with Madill Yarder We have a used Madill 009 or 046 and not sure if we have all the parts. We need help setting this up for digging gravel in a gravel pit. Is anyone out there who knows how to set this up or lead us in the right direction??
That is 5080 it was bought new by Zwight Logging of Yakima Wa in June of 1987. It was mounted on a Berger rubber tire carrier,before the 255 they had a M-5 Berger swing-yarder on that carrier.
Hey Scott this TSY255 just sold to Chase Carleson out of coosbay today...the TSY6355 is looking better and better.....if you can get your hands on it before it heads to NZ!
If I could just figure out how to slack line with it like we do with our 255.....
My old T/Bird workshop records concur with your 5080 details. However, they also specify that 5087 and 5088, both sold new to L C Logging, had Mark 5 Berger undercarriages. I'm just wondering if I've got a typo or if they indeed did use the Mark 5's initially and were later replaced for T/Bird undercarriages.
In response to TorkelH: If I call it a three drum unit in the ad, everybody keeps asking where I'm hiding the extra drum...
So, what day did you want to come up and check it out?
Any idea what year it is? Scott
I believe Username can assist and so can Ramsey http://www.ramseycoinc.com/Yarders.htm
Looks like December of 90 Scott.
My build records also say that 5087 and 5088,were both sold new to L C Logging but have no information on the carriers and are missing some locations.Except for 5080 (Later transfered to Caterpillar tracs) I know of one other 255 on rubber tires but i dont know the S/N and that one was on a Beall SP Carrier.If 5088 and 5087 were on rubber they couldn't have bean on Berger rubber tire carriers,there were only 4 or 5 Mark 5 Bergers built and only 2 of them were on rubber tires the Zwight machin was scraped except for the carrier wich was used for the 255 and the other rubbermounted Mark 5 is still around.So if they were on rubber tires they were on a dferent brand of carrier.
The deal fell through, it's back on the market. Scott
#s-5167
yarder is owned by wheeler logging I know it came from norcal
Is this Wheeler out of White Swan, WA? What area do they normally work?
yes we are working on satas pass on hwy 97
Cool, can you post some more pics?
I've got a few from last year but I'm wait to go back to work there. starting Thursday under a LS-98
Hi Crissco Nice looking 6255. I particularly like the first shot through the trees. Looks like you guys are in some nice timber. How do you guys have the MSP rigged. Looks like you are shotgunning with it are is the haulback off doing a line change?
no we were changing roads running in the haulback. We coradore log on the Yakima reservation. we average about 12 loads a day.
Is the msp ok to gravity log with, by the way, I mean since it will tend to come to far in against the yarder before you get the dropline in?
Im not sure I do know they slack the haulback/running skyline and swing as the turn hits the road.
Shotgunning with a MSP Carriage I've never heard of anyone trying to shotgun with a msp carriage. It doesn't mean it hasn't been done. The big problem I see is that the running skyline (haulback) holds your carriage in place as you slack your dropline and when yarding your turn to the carriage. Without the haulback holding the carriage in place, I envision the carriage all over the place..........dangerous for life and limb. It's much like having a motorized slackpulling carriage with no haulback and no skyline clamp. I've had to run one with defective (worn out) clamps. It just becomes an expensive drift carriage.....
TMY 155 on Parker Logging inc. side near Pysht.
southside enterprizes tmy40 at washugaul working under it right now not to imprest. sets up like a big tower pulls good though.
to many guy line for such a small yarder
LC logging's 255 was on rubber new, sold to a logger in the Roseburg area who converted it back to tracks. They only bought one 255 though so I wonder if the 5087sn is the SP carrier?
Yeh, I recall talking to the logger that imported 5087 into NZ at the time and have vague memories of him relating to the updated undercarriage. Also thought that Berger was mentioned. However, it was over fifteen years ago but I am still in contact with him so will see how good his memory is. It also raises the question as to if LC logging only purchased one 255, was it 5087 or 5088. On the SP carrier, I have 5090 down for that and who knows, it could have been 5087's cast off......... Where's Ken Nicholls these days - he would probably have the answers.
5087 as it is today For reference here she is from a recent photo. I posted a few more previously in this thread.
Rubber tired TSY255/S5087 I think I once read that Ross made 2 TSY255 on rubber tired carriers, but most people in their right mind seeing the pictures of that carrier would find it most likely they only made 1:tong. So then maybe this is S5087 and S5088 together?
T/Bird Rubber 255 - Torkel I agree Torkel - it looks somewhat complex compared to one I saw in Oct 89 at Rosscorp (pic). In my shot I'm purely guessing that's either an M5 or a Pierce undercarriage.
TSY 255 on rubber, recently in Napier NZ, awaiting next job. Machine is syndicate owned, serial number hard to read. S 50?0 as best I could see.
Mr. Roadswitcher do you have any info on that TY-90 in the picture? The 255 in the picture on Bell or a Pirce carrier.The M-5 has a diferent cradle for the tower which also servs as a goosneck. Here is a picture of the 255 on the berger M-5 http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/image/133244897 and here is a picture of a 255 on a Bell SP carrier that could be the same yarder as in your picture http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/image/134136282
TY 90 enquiry Regrettably Johno I didn't take the opportunity to note any such info on the day. Provided it was new and working back from the build records it might be Y9067 but I'm not sure if 9067 was a trailor mount. Otherwise I think it would have to be a used 90. On the plus side, from the recent discussions, there would be a good chance that the rubber 255 in the shot is one and same as in log Frog's recent 857 post. I have S5090 with a Pierce Undercarriage (not a T/Bird as I mistakenly wrote, post 853) The problem with my old workshop records is that they are on very fine printed deteriorating fax paper and the notes are in a kind of brief shorthand. The only hint I have as to which 255 was on a T/Bird rubber mount as in Torkell's post, is S5074. It has SP by it in the notes. Does this sound right. It was the first 255 built and sold to Red McKenzie.
The TY-90 does look a lot like 9067 it could very well be 9067 all the little details match.9067 is trailermounted it is on a Skagit T-100 HD trailer.It was bought new by Jerry DeBriae Logging than sold to Tim Brown in 2005 and than to Diamond Timber it is the yarder in posts 237,238,239 and 471.
Scans from the factory book for TY-80-2D #Y-8035. See there Torkel, even the factory called it a two drum machine View attachment scan0003.pdf View attachment TY80_2.pdf View attachment TY80_2_1.pdf
Counting all gear driven drums seems to mainly be a Madill-thing. I agree fully with you about using 2 drum on that machine!
back at wheeler
G&C Logging's TY-90 Thunderbird SN Y-9052 working in the Oregon coast range in the late 80's.
Do you know who is the owner of this yarder or maybe whats the SN? It was on the cover of Loggers World in June 2000. https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd....0x720/485621_498076510264215_1979955380_n.jpg
Hey Johnson, I too would like to know Serial # on that TY90 you found on Facebook. I do know it is not 9042 as this is owned by A.G Sinton. 9054 is working here for Peter Mold up The top of NZ. I gotta learn how to post pictures! 9058 is here working for Rosewarne Logging. I have found another TY90 working in the Sounds, owned by Pelorous Logging but don't know its #. Hope this helps
REDFOX, im guessing it is 9049. It was for sale for some time.
Thanks for the reply furpo, I have 9049 down as Kelly Logging? Along with 9043.
ALRT still owns and logs with this machine in NW Washington.
Thanks again! Nice pics!
I dont think 9048 was converted I found a pictureof it from 2 or 3 months ago and it was still on a Washington Carrier.I looked thru th whole Thunderbird thread ut can't find the 942 pictures could you possibly repost them or quote the post? I also found this on 9042 (Bremmyer's yarder) kinda confuses me becouse you said it is still on he Washington????
942 Shovel The pictures of the 942 shovel are on page 28, post #408 of this thread if that's what your looking for. She is a real beauty....I drool over her quite often.
Typo I'm looking for pictures of a TY-90 Thunderbird yarder SN 9042 guess I forgot to put in a zero there.That 942 is a nice shovel but I like the 1240's beter.
Does anybody have a accurate # on how many TSY 255's are working in Oregon? I know of ours, Browning, Fallon, D&H (2), Evenson, Bighorn, any others? Scott S
Pickel out of canyonville(I think) but it is working in northern California. it was built new for Boak logging.not sure if that helps.
I forgot the 6255 owned by Cross and Crown, Scott S
For me this is awesome.
Ty9042 Sorry Johnson; I sent you on a wild goose chase. I never posted the photos because they are crap. Here they are.
Those pictures aren't that bad I managed to find a picture of this yarder on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151410065297776&set=o.342403075834916&type=3 I also found a picture of another TY-90 in NZ: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=659067667441798&set=o.415996705084144&type=3&theater
Those are both photos of 9042. I have a bit more info on the Olsen / Skyline Harvesting TY90. It is obviously not 9048 if it was still on the Washington carrier a couple of months ago. The Olsen TY90 has been in NZ for about 15 years and was imported with no ID tag therefore the identity of this machine is unknown. It does still have the carrier tag which is A116. I assume this is a BU739 number so would have been BU739-A116. I could get the engine serial number if anyone has build records which for which we could track the machine by that method.
Hi TorkelH, how's it going with your Thunderbird project, did you get a machine? Sigurd
Hello Sigurd! It's very hard to find machines for sale. I have been looking at a beautiful machine in northern California, very nice but price almost same as when new. At the same time it showed up couple of very inexpencive Norwegian built Owren yarders in BC, so I bought one of those and imported it back in May... I am in the progress of mounting it on a Volvo A25C articulated frame truck. I also hope to buy one additional Owren that is for sale and pair those two up with a John Deere 1470D harvester and 1710D forwarder. Hopefully I will be able to earn money enough on this so the next one (in a year or two) will be a Thunderbird!
Who ended up with the TY-90 of Craig Carter's from Montesano?
Leonardos TSY-6240SLR It is several pictures of this machine on the forum from earlier. This is the second of five totally produced 6240's and serial nbr S-5203, delivered in March 1999. This machine was originally in Thunderbird colors and was built before the Madill take over. I am not able to tell the big difference between the 6140 and 6240.
Tsy-6240slr cont...
The bulidrecords don't say anything abouta a Craig Carter but a Del Carter of Elma (8 miles west of Montesano) had a bought a new TY-90 (Y-9058) mounted on a Skagit T100 HD Trailer and it ended up in NZ working for Colin Rosewarne.
Would love to see some pictures of the progress if possible Sigurd
Sigurd, I will upload some pictures as soon as I have, under the thread "Small Norwegian built yarders".
Not a Thunderbird per se, but an older Kobelco running Thunderbird grapples. Hiett Logging, Skagit County, WA, 8/22/13.
That's a Komatsu
Oops, typing faster then I was thinking.
Rosewarne TY 90, Serial Y- 9039 NT Engineering is a engineering and mechanical workshop based in Whangarei, Northland, NZ. We are heavy involved to the logging industry in Northland and repair and refit alot of log haulers in the area. I noticed alot of people were asking about the work done to Lars Rosewarne TY 90. NT Engineering carried out this work and I can answer any questions you may have. From the photos you can see we removed the cab and fitted up a new tilt cab on the oppitsite side to were the old cab was fitted. New control systems were fitted and all drums removed checked and the machine has been working coming up a year now.
Rosewarne TY90 Another photo, new to forum website.
I have just come across an interesting use for a TMY 50. An organization called the Long Now Foundation is building a clock in a mountain in Texas. I believe it's called Clock One a clock built on a huge scale to run for ten thousand years. What I had heard was that Swaggart from eastern Oregon was the owners of the Thunderbird. The website where I found this was Longnow.org/clock/
Y-9049 was sold to Gale Contracting and was rebuilt. https://m.facebook.com/groups/34240...019795539909&source=48&__user=100004396633607 https://m.facebook.com/groups/34240...019795539909&source=48&__user=100004396633607 https://m.facebook.com/groups/34240...019795539909&source=48&__user=100004396633607
Ok did some more research you were right it is 9048 the post about 9042 being converted got me comfused.Skagit SN are same for all models A116 could be the 16th of any model ever made but that is not the yarder sn its the sn of the carriers and has no conection with the hoist sn.
Yeah Im still drawing a blank on it too. Hopefully there is someone out there who remembers the machine leaving the states. Maybe a process of elemination is required.
There was only one as far as I have been told more log of sweet home owned it I can't remember who has it know
Love this mite try it on our tmy50
Two blocks with a ring in between will work okay, we have done this several different ways. Scott
TY-90 in NW Oregon.
Pretty pictures looks like rows toward the bottom of the one picture. Is that the tops and limbs are they left for erosion control? With no road along the ridge they must move the lower anchor point to be able to reach the trees for the yarder to pull up. Since never seen this in operation makes for some pretty silly questions, I know. Will have a better idea come summer time when I get to see this in action.
The ground down lower was disturbed because they grabbed what they could with ground based equipment (grapple cat and shovel). They will work radially around from the point the tower is at, moving their tail holds and rotating the tower to keep in lead.
Thanks that cleared one more thing. Kind of thought they had to move the tail hold around, but looking at the pictures and seeing the size of the area and to get the logs from where the picture was taken to the yarder looked like it would be kind of tough to move a tail hold up to that point. It sure will be interesting to see first hand and oh am I ever looking forward to it.
Thinking about a permanent move to the PNW, or just a visit?
Going to start with a visit, and see what it is all about. I sold my house on Christmas Eve, thou still have a shop to keep my junk in. Seeing all the pictures of the machines and the country has my interests peaked. Old enough I should retire, but enjoy working. Going to be different this year, cutting back on work and adding a lot of enjoyment of sight seeing. I have been very lucky always having more work than I could do, so will be hard to tell some people no this year.
Stop bt Madsen's in Chehalis. Probably the biggest saw shop in that area. Harbor Saw in Aberdeen is smaller, but neat. Pick up a used PNW 066 for the trip home. Stewart's meat Shop in Yelm (southeast of Olympia) has some great smoked salmon, beef jerky, and some killer smoked pepperoni. Go during fishing season, and get someone to take you fishing in the back woods for trout. Good stuff. I need to get back out that way myself.
Thanks for the places to stop by and see. The smoked salmon sounds mighty good, but then so doesn't the other meats. Some trout fishing would make for a good time. First have to go to Florida, to my sister's place. She as a few carpenter jobs for me to do, and some warmer weather that I sure will enjoy. Kind of going from one corner of the US to the other. Sounds like it will be a good year, with a lot of new sights to see.
just saw this for sale. details say serial #S5190 has not worked for seven years http://liveimages.industrysales.com...25&padcolor=ffffff&aspect=FitWithin&width=300 is a bad photo maybe someone who knows how to drive a computer properly can go to the site its on and get a better one. its on constructionsales.com.au in the forestry category
Looking for some scale drawings of a Tsy 255 or6255
The new plaque for the TSY 255 Modern rebuilt and sold to Greenup Enterprises.
Thanks Scott. Looks like it was sold to Shusters Logging in Willits, CA in 1990. Did you get any more pics?
Thought you guys might like this..
Pulling the trans out of a 255 Maybe they will let me come back to reinstall it after its been rebuilt.......TIO
seymour inlet bc.946 and a 355
TSY 155 Looking to replace/repair the Haulback and Mainline sheave at the top of the boom. Does anyone have or know where we could find one? Would like one so we could switch out and keep running while the worn sheave is repaired.
TSY 155 Looking to replace/repair the Haulback and Mainline sheave at the top of the boom. Does anyone have or know where we could find one? Would like one so we could switch out and keep running while the worn sheave is repaired.
We had sheave built for our TMY 50 by an outfit named Mechanical Design in Albany, OR. They machined it out of a solid block of steel. I think it cost around $1000.
Tsy-50
From BlitzTransport.com use to be a great sie for logging and trucking pictures but looks like they shut it down Weyco PeEll yarder 440 SN 9057 Weyco PeEll yarder 449 SN 9052
I cut for WEYCO Pe Ell for many years and know those machines well.
Turns out these 2 are the same machine Willapa Logging has it today (Cowlitz Log before them and Jerry Sorenson before them),there apre some recent pictures of it here: http://www.mylittlesalesman.com/ForSale/Details/1009974/0_Thunderbird-TY90-Yarder
Pic test
Off topic, but here is the psy200 I used to operate in Nelson NZ. Been a while to get these images up.
Hello Paul L I'm guessing that this was #7 which at some point was owned by Moutere Logging in Nelson. The current owner is Graham Tuckey here in Wellington. I posted a few pictures up a while ago. Can you provide a bit more history about this machine?
It was Dale Ewers. Before that Mark Ewers had it for a few years. Beyond Mark I don't know where it came from. I think this one has had many owners and operators. It's not great or pretty, but will pull enough until you can get something better. Tagline drum did not work so we only highlead or scab. Mark had this psy200 plus a 071 when I worked for him.
A common problem with them is that they break the flange out of the main pulling drum. This machine was repaired by welding the drum flange to the slackpuller and is still like this today. After it left Nelson it spent some time in Gissy then sat at Cables in Rotorua. Tuckey picked it up from Cables. Ill have to ask Bruce Ewers if this machine was one that came in with Derrick Woods as he brought a whole bunch of them in.
getting a repaint
L jepson had the TY-90 before sorenson got it. I have worked under or cut for that yarder for every owner it has had.
Wake up thread
Paradise ea. Beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing. d.d.
Murk,would this be your seat at this time?
It is, last couple of years. Were up above Horne Lake on the Beaforts, Island Timberlands area 3700 ft. coming down in a week or so before the white stuff comes. Moving out to Beaver Creek again good winter show.
124 255
Does anyone have any information on a Thunderbird 946? I work on the Illinois river and have seen one. I have seen it at various times either on a barge dredging or doing salvage work. I have recently seen it on land unloading barges. It has a boom and two stick configuration. I am having trouble finding information about it. Thanks for any info!
946bc was made for logging In British Columbia.good hoe chucker nice machine to run.
Steve Malloch on the 124 and Danny Malloch on the 355.golden bc 1996
155 and 946 Sullivan river golden bc.Dale Malloch running the yarder Steve Malloch on the 235c backspar,Stephen Benson on the loader and Dale Erskine bucking.1995
#36 second to last built.my favorite shovel to run ever
1st. post. I have been following this forum for some time. Lot to learn, different from flat land digging. I am especially interested in the older equipment and the history.
In regards to Thunderbird Log Loaders set up as Processors/ Harvesters, are these machines worth the hassle of fixing up and operating compared to today's new machines? The few TB's that I see come up for sale are early to mid 1990's machines that have generally 10,000 t0 15,000 hours on them, heads are usually Waratah's or Ketco's; how many hours do these machines usually survive to? I really have no idea... However, the nice thing about these machines is that they're relatively inexpensive and have the older mechanically operated / minimal computer interface Cummins engines, which are far better in my opinion than the new IT4 and so on engines of new machines. I'm a sucker for older iron, especially specialty built pieces with Cummins, but if someone was to go out today and purchase a loader/ processor combo, would an old TB still compete, or should they look at a Madill, or more efficient CAT, JD, etc. products?
The 1240 that I posted a picture of would most definetly compete with late model shovels,and would make a seriously wicked processor.as far as I could tell there is no computer or brain.very easy to work on .the 3306 cat engine runs like a champ.and not as hard on fuel as big cat or deere shovel.parts are getting harder to find but you can still search around and get them.and the cabs on the 1240 and 1242 are just as nice and laid out for operator comfort if not better than a new Deere or Cat(in my opinion). If a guy could buy one and have it new lived or a complete rebuild,it would smoke any of the new ones.but then again that's from an operator not an owner who has to pay for it
It's my understanding that TB's are usually nice machines, but I've never been around logging operations or equipment, everything I hear is word of mouth from you guys on here or other operators. I'm sure finding specialty parts for twenty+ year old machines isn't a walk in the park, but I doubt it's not impossible. I know most of the components were fairly universal (like the Caterpillar undercarriage) or could most likely be substituted with something else I would imagine? I didn't realize some models had CAT engines, I thought they were Cummins for the most part; again a nice feature since parts for those older 8.3 CTA's / big Cummins are easy to find and generally very reliable engines from my experience. I'd be curious as to how the Madill's stack up against the TB's, probably the most similar machines nowadays; I mean TB was dangerous enough back in the day for Madill to buy them out and then stop production.
1240 with south star qs630
Craig Carter's TY-90 is headed back to the harbor from NZ as Colburn Timber bought it. Colburn also bought Tim Brown's TY-90 too.
Hall back,man good to hear from you. Are you getting a yarder again?
Curious if I could get a bit of information regarding the log loaders and processors that Thunderbird produced. Hoping to find out what years the machines were produced roughly, start to finish there about. And if I recall correctly, there were phases where the in-house machines were substituted for 'import' models due to production issues correct? They were Hyundai (?) machines I believe?
Here is our latest updates, Topping line all from a burnt Madill 122. Fairleads were done last summer all 3 are from Madill 044s haulback fairleads, the slackpuller is from #47003 it lives another day...
Hmmmm,"Murk" heard that name before. Where have you been?
Oh I've been around to busy working and grand babies...
That is all good. Just need to know you are around
Things we have to do some days...Still here Blk prince
Well glad to hear you are still here. Especially after that move
Murk100-Are those photos taken on the HWY 37 power line project around Dease Lake? Sure looks familiar.
TSY 50 Yarder It is my understanding that the TSY 50 was the predecessor to the TSY 255. Does anyone know the differences / updates between the two machines? We currently own a TMY 50 and are contemplating trading in for a TSY 50. Having the machine on tracks along with the 3 walkover guylines should make setup much quicker. With our short sets and low volume per acre, its not uncommon to move and set up at least twice a day. Serial number of the TSY 50 we are looking at is 5053. Anybody know its history? Any other thoughts or comments on the TSY 50 would be appreciated
This is my grandfather shovel, he was a headloader for weyerhaeuser out of the Cosmopolis yard. I thought I had more photos of his shovel, as well as his sideloaders (ran by "little guy". Last time I saw Little guy was at Craig Carters funeral, anyone know what he is doing these days?) but I cannot seem to find them. Im going to visit my grandpa this weekend, I will try to find some more pictures and the model number.
Here are some pictures with the yarding drums. There were originally only going to be two drums with 5/8ths, but my grandpa insisted that they add a straw line drum for the guys in the brush.
These are great pictures. I like the kenworth picture pulling that machine around on the lowboy I have a soft spot for c-500's. That picture of that shovel with the lines out pulling logs would look great on a shop office wall. Thanks for sharing....TIO
Here is a rare bird, looks nearly extinct but not quite!
Thanks for sharing. I remember 20-ish years ago bidding (unsuccessfully) on one like this at an auction at Cowlitz Stud? Maybe it was this one? This looks a lot like an 840/842 loader I worked on in years past. It had a cummins m-11 engine in it. TIO
This one belongs to Jerry Debriae, I think he has had it since new and I believe it has an 400 cummins if I remember right, it is the only Thunderbird roadbuilder I have ever seen. I have no idea how many were built. It has spent the last several years in the pit loading trucks and I guess there are several side boards laying around because the bucket is only slightly narrower then the box and the controls are not that great anymore.
Boulder Bill .
Picture taken in the top of Cameron shop yard The garage sale had started The HDX frame in the background is or at least was H59 A 1973 HDX Conventional The 988 was one of the China Creek DLS machines being sold. The log loader was a MARS Contracting machine also the front end showing the 849RF Kenworth ramp truck they used
Here is an update on s5087. The old girl has had a lot of love lately. Latest is an upgrade to the slew motor mounting
There were a few of the big Tbird road builders made. Most were converted into shovels as they had so much power that they tore the booms off of them easily. Jerrys is the last one in existence
Yessir, I am in the process of getting a BU-94/T-100HDSP as we speak.
S5087 getting a bit more love. This time sorting the chaincase leaks, new strawline bearings and cleaning all the grease of the strawline clutch.
Thanks Murk. Been keeping an eye on what you have been up to. Loving the boom and tower upgrades. Are you guys auto shifting the transmission? Been thinking about that for our machine. We are not the only ones down here running the grapple on the 255. The Olsen machine has been grappling for quite some time and is the first I know off. Last I seen of that machine it was still three lever too. Lou Prince has been grappling with his as well. We are not as far ahead with the modifications as I would like to be as we have been getting on top of the maintenance first. Do have a grapple camera on the way. Does anyone happen to know the brand and model for the travel controls for the 255? I have a leaking one. I wish the Thunderbird parts manuals had the OEM part numbers for these things and not the Thunderbird ones. Also have the files for the profile cutter if anyone is interested in coping my slew mounting.
There was a road builder in a chip yard in chehalis wa. I think it was about 6-7 years ago.they had several Thunderbird shovels and the one road builder.everything they had was beat like they were mad at it so it could have been scrapped since then
Most all of that iron came from JB Leonard. He used it to the fullest!
Hello Furpo, that would be a handful operating with the 3 levers. I have a Falcon Grapple camera for about a year now and loving it. We have had no problem with the swing motor mount lots of problems with the gear reduction though. With the trans Twin Disc monk.. I can shift up on the fly like 3rd through 5th but no down shifting without backing off on the throttle to hard on it.
Removing the wheeled carrier and fitted a tracked undercarrige
Found ty90 9043 https://touch.trademe.co.nz/listing/view/1434224456
Looks good guys. Back at work is it?
Any owner history on number 9043?
I got word yesterday that a TY-90 on a T100 HD self-propelled carrier was laying on its side near Forks. Sad to see another one go down.
Little Yarder BIG wood, I see what you mean guys pain to upload pictures... doubles ?
Hi Murk, not sure if you get same format as me, but on multiple pictures, once they've done their % downloading bit and are all lit up the same, I just hit the top right "insert every image as a... full image" button once, and that brings them all up. Maybe you're clicking all the "insert" buttons, plus the top one as well? Great pictures anyway, doubles are fine! All the best mate.
Damn Murk, Looks like we need to trade units!
Haha thought you would like these big cedars... I will be loading a few of these biggies with the yarder, 3800 won't lift them, off hiway trucks so shouldn't be to bad... I'll get some pictures.
Hallback,did you learn anymore about the Yarder falling over? Hope all came out ok. Were there any pictures? Merry Christmas To You and all others on this site. Bp
I did. No injuries but the outfit has had a bad run of crashes lately. It's too bad as they are a great outfit too.
Good no one hurt. Sad about crashes. Hard to make a living when things are good so this just sucks
Hopefully this photo works. Was trying out the panoramic mode on the phone. Enjoy
Just a quick question. The 6355 operators manual states Pull clutches are hydraulic operated, 26” dia x 7” wide internal expanding BFG located outside of main frame. Machines with S/N S5188 and previous use air-operated, 36” diameter x 5” wide internal expanding shoe style. So how many machines were built after S5188?
Furpo that picture worked great, nice setting. I like the red shed, who is that used by- truck drivers, or fuel cans and saws etc? I can see some other grab frame in distance on the road, the thing I love about seeing pictures on here is the smaller details in the corners of pictures. Cheers mate.
Cheers John The little red shed is for the q.c. (quality control). All our export and sawlog grades are checked and branded. We call it the safe zone. It's not usually up against a surge pile from the processor. Two of us went out and got ahead. It is handy it that if we move or change the skid around you just pick it up with the loader and move it. The other one is a fuel tank.
Here's a quick pick of S-5108. Some nice mods on that one.
R.I.P. Mike. May you be yarding big turns on easy ground now.
I remember it being said back in the 2008 era that these new Tier 4 engines would never work on a yarder because of all the idle time punctuated with the yanking on the throttle. Now that 10 years has passed, what has been the actual experience with this?
Hard question to answer because there are so few new yarders. Most of those are just rebuilt enough to work for a couple of more years or so until the government decides whether or not they will drop the hammer on what can be run.
S5087 heading back to work
S5087 heading back to work View attachment 181939
Look great Furpo new paint is always nice.. The one I've been driving is due 5 years now #S5130 All you need now is a topping line winch and the Kobalt rigging control valve.
Great pics Murk. Which part of BC is that going on at, mate?
Cheers murk How do you find the kobalt valve compared to the rexroth valve? The system in our machine is based on the rexroth valve and it works ok. We are looking at going down the plc control route with a new cab. Lots of other updates as well as the paint. All the tower pins have been line bored, trackframe plating has been done, polycarbonate windows, air conditioning, air dryer sorted, last of the oil leaks sorted, new diesel tank (old one kept cracking) plus a few other things. Definitely have an eye on your gantry upgrades. Time to pull some wood now though
What is the attachment on the bulldozer blade?
Saw my first thunderbird! It looked like a 942 or that size. Just outside of Eatonville WA heading towards Rainer. Didn’t have time to stop had the whole family in the car. It was loading a shovel side on the side of the road. Big machine! Not really a thunderbird question. But their were quite a few slash piles that we passed that looked like they were a few years old. What is the standard protocol for slash piles? Leave em burn em chip em? What is the replanting process like these days? Have really been enjoying following the history of these machines.
Most of the time guys will try to burn them or just let them rot down. Personally on our place we try to do as much as possible mechanical planting, most company ground I’ve been on in NW Oregon is all hand planted through all the slash.
Depends on where you are at on the slash piles. On the Washington coast forests I see them with black plastic over the tops in the summers. They try to burn them when the rains come. East of the Olympics they generally just leave them in place to rot. I haven't been out in the woods to much lately but replant used to take place in the late fall through winter. Last I saw, that was taken over by the latinos working cheap. There are loggers here that know far more about it than me.
(Ken) Huffman Logging Fortuna Ca bought out Mckenzie in 1990 and got the Tsy255 s-5074,838 on carrier s-8310 and Tmy70 t-7046, quit contract logging in 1995, believe machines went to Worldwide Equipment in Eugene.
I am looking for info on a Thunderbird swing yarder model 155 serial number 5115 please. Thank you.
Only thing I’ve found so far is that it was built in nainamo oct 1992 and sold to Weyco cosmopolis division.
Ok, that's what I needed! Were the 155's good for grapple yarding?
Sorry I’ve never worked around one not sure that’d be a question for Russ Smith at Modern. Do you want his #
I have Russ's number. Thank you though.
Hallback,there is a fellow on here running Thunderbird here on the island. Murk 100. If he sees this he will reply. Watch to see what happens
The 155 is a great little machine for both grapple and msp work. There are a couple of 155 machines down here doing so. The 155 is different to the 255 in that it is 2 way interlocked. With the 155 I would look at replacing the pull clutches for the Goodrich type oil bag clutch as the thunderbird internal band clutch does not like the constant engagements they get when grappling. It is not a necessary upgrade it just makes the machine a bit more durable.
Spotted this ty80. Think it is the only one in nz. What is the spline on the end of the shaft for? Was it an option to have the strawline on the other side?
Yes, it was optional to have two haywire drums. What is the SN of it?
There were only a couple of those ty80 Slackline machines built. Eric Krume has the other one here in Southwest Washington.
just realized this ty-80 is on here. im thinking its Y-8036. Don peacock owned it at one point. I'm told those guys have it for sale now.
even putting grooved drum sleeves on the old thunderbirds.
Didn't he take it back to NZ with him when he left Woodland?
I guess I can post this now that the deal is solid.
Grapple yarding is in our future
Videos always appreciated.
So tell us more about the Thunderbird, when you have time. Looking forward to seeing it at work.
It is a 1990 model TSY 155. It has a 55 foot boom it has Detroit 8V-71 T power and an Allison Transmission. It is setup to run MSP running skyline or grapplw yard. It is not designed for standing Skyline yarding in its current configuration.
Hope the ole girl produces well for you.
Me too. I hate buying used equipment but realistically we don't have any other options for yarders unless you want to spend a million and a half.
Right on man looks good to me !
That's The WEYCO machine parked at South Aberdeen, is it not?
Correct. Sitting at the old Bay City yard.
Is the TSY 155 headed to the shop for at least a check over before being hauled into the woods?
Yes, it will be gone over before yarding.
Does anybody here have any information on a 155 or ever worked around one? I cannot find any information on one or anybody that has worked on one.
Guess you have the operators manual?
Ha! I wish!
Here is a site in nz with a 155 manual http://www.logpro.co.nz/handy-information/hauler-manuals/
Thank you!
I couldn't find the tag this time. I know it has one as I have found it before
I have a couple of contacts down here who are grapple yardering with the 155 and I am running a 255. You will love grapple yardering.
1 highlead and 3 TY-80 slacklines were built. One is currently with Krume (Castle Rock, Wa), one is currently with Dancer (Camas valley Ore), and the 3rd went new to NZ and has always remained there. The slackline machine Krume has (SN Y8038) was new to Weyerhaeuser in Cottage Grove Oregon The slackline machine Dancer has (SN Y8037) was new to PLS at Randle, Wa then bought by Weyco Cosi from PLS in 1998. Dancer picked it up a couple years ago. The slackline machine in NZ (SN Y8036) was sold new to PND Logging in 1992. The other (and first built) TY-80 (SN Y-8035) is the highlead machine that Weyco Raymond ordered new, currently with Wallace at Toledo Wa.
Only one serial number appears on my printed list after S5188, and it is S5189. There is no owner or ship date shown, so at the time my list was printed, it may still have been new in inventory. My digital list shows that it went to Finning in September of 1999. There is no record of who they sold it to. Finning was the Thunderbird dealer in Canada so it ended up in BC somewhere after that.
The last yarder leaving Weyerhaeuser Cosmopolis, the end of a long & prosperous era. Sad to see that door shut but excited about our future with #477, now just named Cosi in tribute to her homage.
Here is a bit of history, who else here has "Graduated" Thunderbird school?
I spent a long day and early evening changing a pump in a Komatsu with Jerry many year ago. Later he took over the service manager job from Mike Knight who was moved over to the truck boss job. Is Weyerhaeuser Cosy shut down now? Are they still working the woods in the Aberdeen area?
No, Cosi is still running but they just call it Weyerhaeuser Aberdeen Timberlands now. They have no more yarders and no more boots on the ground. It was bittersweet moving that yarder out of there today as I was happy to get it but sad for the conditions why I was able to get it.
I've worked with two generations of mechanics out there and guess that I'm a third generation. I haven't been out there in about ten years so wonder what the fourth is and the fifth generation will be like. I agree about it being bittersweet and having a lot of feelings of nostalgia for my years of running in the service truck down on the harbor. I met a lot of really good people out there. Worked on machines in the saw mill when I started, down at the sort yard shop and the woods shop for Cozy before I moved out of the truck and on to my own path. Lots of jobs in that area lost in the last twenty years.
I lied, it has a Cummins 10.
Today I received Factory manuals that have never even been opened for Thunderbird swing yarder and 800, 900, 1100 and 1200 series loaders. I am beyond grateful and thankful to have received these. They are in mint Immaculate condition and I found these inside of them as I thumbed through.
"No delicate computer chips here...you can fix it yourself"
Didn't realize TB made Shovels that big... I know they made beasts but dang! Any pics of Road Builders on those larger carriages?
I have seen them in transit. They required overload permits and pilot cars.
TY 90 - overhauled and returned to the forest (Waimanu, NZ) Overhaul by AP Plant and Machinery and others Gisborne, NZ https://www.facebook.com/Stewart-Lo.../photos/pcb.4328002903880508/4328037473877051
Looks good! They obviously don't have any height restrictions when moving because that cab doesn't look like it tilts? The one thing I do not like is the main line and skyline sheave/threading at the top of the tower how they changed them.
What’s the difference from a TSY 155, 255 and a 355
Thank you..
What’s the difference for a TSY 155, 255 and a 355
What’s the difference from a TSY 155, 255 and a 355
Thank you
I am old enough to remember when TVs and truck cranes had a cable/ lead on the remote control. 255 on a cable remote control.
155 & 355 are running skyline machines for MSP & Grapple use. 255 is a standing skyline machine. Each is larger than the other
Hallback, if you have the time, could you tell us a bit about the terms you are using. I think I understand that a skyline is the line that supports the rigging which is suspended on it. I could be wrong. What is a running and standing skyline?
A standing skyline is just that it is the skyline drum of the ardor which is the largest running line on a yard or held stationary in the air. It is generally run these days with a motorized carriage such as a Boman or an acme or an eagle. You can also use a conventional drift carriage on there and slack it down out in the brush set your chokers raise the skyline and pull the turn in but that does not get used very often anymore with the advent and popularity of motorized carriages. A running skyline system is basically like a high lead logging system with your haul back running to the tail end through a single or double block and backup hooking to either the back of an MSP carriage which is a mechanical slack puller or or a grapple. You then have 2 main lines coming off the yard going to the MSP carriage wis a speed carriage with a short line called a grub line And a drop line that runs through the MSP. When you you send the rigging out and the rigging slinger blows a stop you stand on the break pedals, it is all done with a single lever control for the clutch & brake frictions
Thanks, for the explanations! I'm basically a mechanic and have seen these things while fixing or looking at machines on the landing but it wasn't to a level of understanding what was going on. Basically I was more worried about staying out of the way and safe. So a standing skyline is attached to something out in the cut area and it basically can be pulled tight or let loose to change how high off the ground it is. I've seen plenty of operations running the carriages on the standing sky line. Sometimes they used a carriage which had the main line hooked to the front and the haul back line hooked to the back. The yarder operator used the haul back to pull the carriage out to the trees and the main to pull the carriage back to the landing. The carriage had its own drum and line which was run by a small diesel engine. I saw this set up used for pulling in logs that were on the hill above the yarder. If I understand it, a running skyline goes out to a pulley wheel and then back up to the yarder so two drums are involved? I seem to recall seeing butt rigging that used that type of setup years ago. I also remember some of my contemporaries who spent years working for Washington Iron or some of the other forestry makes talking about interlocked machines. Is this what they are talking about? I think I've seen a mechanical slack puller once or twice but didn't really understand all the lines. What I saw one time looked like a carriage with no motor. There was a main line and an extra line that went through the device. The extra line carried the chokers and was raised and lowered separately from the main line. I'm sure I'm wrong about some or most of this stuff.
Yes, you are right on all concepts. Running skyline machines usually have three drums in use.
Is there a specific skill set involved for the operator? Does that make for a busy yarder operator or does that depend on the brush crew? Are there machines with more than three drums?
We drove down to Astoria yesterday. On the return trip I spotted a big Thunderbird Swing machine working on high ground about half way between the bridge and Naselle. It was steep too.
That is Hubster Logging out of Eatonville.
NZ TTY70 project with a bit of government money to grease the wheels, conversion etc around 7 minutes into the video (Ballpark costs are in the first half of the vid, multiply by 0.67? for US $equivalent at the time last year) Lobby DARPA to program the Atlas robot to run a chainsaw for defense purposes?
With all the automation, will a cold beer be included? Pretty soon it sounds like you can log successfully and profitably from the comfort of your own living room. Only people left will be the shovel runner (now that dates me) and a few log truck drivers. But, with autonomous trucks even they can potentially drive from the comfort of their own living room. A very fascinating presentation. Will the machine grease itself automatically and not spread grease over everything and everyone else? Forget boots on the ground and hands on the wood. I want slippers on the feet, manicured fingers on the few remaining controls with the operator's station in front of the fire place. And, a beer in the hand that isn't busy counting all the money rolling in.
I'm all for automation and mechanization. Monday we had a chainsaw and cut off saw stolen Tuesday a they couldn't find the keys to the crew bus and and this morning the crew bus had been stolen by whoever had the missing keys. I'm absolutely done with these cull piece of **** rigging rats. Gawdammer bring on Thursday & Friday!!
I hate thieves, and the problems they cause. Then the judge lets them go, which really burns my rear.
If anyone is interested a friend is clearing out some of his logging equipment. Right now is cleaning up a 736DL Thunderbird with a DM3500 head. If interested I will give you his number.
We just purchased that yarder it made its way back to oregon when wayne vandam at acme carriages brought it back to sell
This is our TMY40 we purchased recently it spent most if its life in NZ until making it back to oregon around 2014
I saw that ARE or Crowley whatever the hell one of those equipment hawks down in Oregon had that listed
Yeah ARE has it listed my dad wants to sell it but I want to keep it
Did you guys just buy it or have you had it? Your prior post made it sound like you just bought it
We bought it a few months ago
Thunderbird TSY 155 swing yarder, grapple. Owhango NZ. Looks like a farm woodlot. This area generally grew pine woodlots/ small forests later than other areas as the local bureaucrats and hill farm lobby tried to keep the large forestry companies out of the area. Mute the sound.
Looking for some info on a TTY70. Anyone know anything about #7050?
Glad to see ya here Toby
Thunderbird and crew. Glenduan?, Nelson, NZ
Unfortunately a local company is selling everything, I remember my dad hauling logs in the 90’s for them and always liking there custom painted thunderbirds
Allen and gibbons. I talked to Rick three or four months ago about their 6355
I-5 auctions is where you can find everything they are selling at auction.
Not me, I'm selling off my logging gear. I'm not dumb enough to buy anymore
I went down and looked at everything after the last load went out for the day and it’s always hard to remember just how big those shovels are
About 13-14 years ago we were buying some 1240 parts from them and my boss was trying to talk himself into buying a couple of those 1146’s from them.
I seem to recall someone here saying that the Thunderbird TY90 Serial number is stamped on the Chassis somewhere. We have one here with no build plate. We have the plate for the Tube. Just wondering if someone could help me out of where to look. Thank you.
Post a couple photos of the machine & your location and I bet some of us could figure it out off of that as well
Having problems uploading a pic, but we have a tsy 50 that has a broken track drive sprocket it is welded on we welded the chunk back on but wondering if anyone would have an idea who would have something like that. Sprocket is 27 tooth and i believe 6.75" pitch.
Is this the old Chapman style undercarriage?
Maybe has the 90degree drive motors with the bevel reduction it looks like. Never seen it on anything else other then pics of thunderbirds
With the Thunderbird yarders did they stamp the serial number somewhere on the machine other than the serial plate? in NZ we have two different TSY6335 with the same serial number on the serial plate.
I don't know about Thunderbird but at Madill we often stamped a serial number on components after they were fitted up so when we did the final assembly we got the part that had been fitted. That is the joy of hand made parts. They are all slightly different. Very strange to have the same number on 2 different number plates tho. d.d.
Usually if that happened on a Thunderbird machine it's because somebody used that plate to get one made again. Most likely it had a missing plate and when they had one remade they copied the serial number. You may find the serial number stamped in the main deck plate underneath the boom.