1940's Logging. Wow! Big trees, big mills

[Tractorat]

When I was a kid, you were taking your life into your own hands when you drove on the logging roads coming down out of the mountains in Or and Wa. Those logging trucks would come down those those little curvy logging roads at 50mph and faster. If they ran over you, they wouldnt even stop. Most of the time I dont think they could even see you. Used to hear a lot about someone getting flattened, or having a load of logs roll over onto a car.

 

[BIGNASTY]

When I was a kid, you were taking your life into your own hands when you drove on the logging roads coming down out of the mountains in Or and Wa. Those logging trucks would come down those those little curvy logging roads at 50mph and faster. If they ran over you, they wouldnt even stop. Most of the time I dont think they could even see you. Used to hear a lot about someone getting flattened, or having a load of logs roll over onto a car.

Could have happen very easily and no one would have been the wiser

 

[Tractorat]

Yup,
In the early 70's I was coming down a mountain road over in the olympics driving an almost worn out 1965 vw. Logging truck chased me almost all the way down. I was tearing asss down the hill and he was right on my bumper all the way. If I had made just one small mistake, that would have been it. And it was foggy so I dont know if he could even see me.

I finally made a very quick sideways movement and got out of his way. If I had had a gun, I would have tried to find him and end his driving days. But I didnt have a gun, and couldnt drive that fast anyway. I just dont know how he stayed on the road with that load at that speed.

 

[Superdawg]

Below Kings Canyon in California is another lesser known canyon called Mineral King. Many years ago, the first half of the 25 mile dirt road was shared with logging trucks coming down loaded. I remember going uphill with my old 86 Ford 2wd extra cab diesel and meeting a loaded logging truck coming downhill on a road that is only 1 1/2 lanes wide. With a steeeeep dropoff on one side, I climbed up the side of the hill with one side of my truck and let the logging truck take the outside. The outer dual wheels on the truck were over the edge of the road and had air underneath as he passed. I still remember it well.

 

[NIsaacs]

Cool video, thanks! For those that might be interested, the movie "Sometimes a great notion" is a good logging movie. Also a small tidbit: the spring boards/platform the log cutters used that were up off the ground was to get above the huge swell of the tree base.

In the log woods the loaded truck has the right away, always give him the best half of the road. In the case of the road being too narrow to pass, you learn to back up really fast:-laf

Nick

 

[Jim W]

Are you the SOB that came up with the 518? If so, thanks. That thing would pull a house off the foundation. When I bought mine it had been abused and neglected.It was from the mid 70s and Had 10,000+ hrs on it.It never let me down, although I did curse the winch from time to time.

No; the concept tractor was designed and built in Peoria IL. I started to work on skidders in the early 70's at the Aurora plant mainly hydraulics and sheet metal. I than designed the 518B/528B cab and operator station along with hydraulics for those models. I transferred to Decatur to work on Large Mining Shovels and then back to Aurora to work on the Large Wheel Loaders; these where 18yd size machines and up.

Jim W.

 

[speycaster]

Mack Thermodyne. I drove one so I know the spelling.

 

[NIsaacs]

Mack Thermodyne. I drove one so I know the spelling.

Yes, the Thermodyne was in reference to the Mack Diesel Engine. I have lotsa miles in a B-61 with the ENDT-673, 205hp/560tq. Since it was turboed, at high elevation it would out pull the Naturally Asperated-220 Cummins

Nick