2021.12.04 "Extra" Pic

I'd like to see the tractor that pulled this old winch around!
Puzzle: https://jigex.com/8zZni

I always thought they pulled themselves? At least in the woods.

I know some guys that make model ones and set up a demo at the oregon steam up.

Yup

On skids- they just played out the cable, attached it to a tree, winched up to that tree, then repeated the process until they got to a new stand. There used to be a video online of one crossing a rapid river- what a commotion when that cold water hit the boiler that musta been!

The engineer AND the fireman stayed at their posts through it all.

Is that what was called a donkey engine?

Pete

I believe so. I couldn't remember. Use to have one at our local fairgrounds sitting by the street. Don't know if it's still there.

(quoted from post at 08:34:45 12/04/21) Is that what was called a donkey engine?

Pete

Click to expand...

One use of the term "donkey engine" was on the old multi-masted cargo schooners. They didn't have very large crews so they had steam engine powered winches that they would use for hoisting and sheeting sails and also for raising cargo up out of the holds.

forgive me if this is long winded. I enjoy learning history and agriculture from many state and countries on this little website. Todays photo of a logging donkey seems common to me as several exist in local
parks and museums but i realize these donkeys are primarily a west coast item so i might share a few photos. Also, even though the steam engines were phasing out in the 20s and 30s, need for logging donkeys
were still strong so the conversion to diesel engines and steel pipe instead of wood runners became necessary. Also, at the great oregon steam up is a newer logging donkey which is an interesting
conversatoon starter even here in the pacific northwest as it is powered by a cummins 200, but also is equipped with a twin disk brand torque converter. and yes, logging donkeys were not made to be moved
very often so steerable axles were unnecessary especially considering the weight and rough terrain. the donkeys were used to bring logs to a central location for loading into trucks or trains, but in some
instances, donkeys would be placed a mile or so apart along a specially made road and the logs would just get drug down these roads in log trains till the next logging donkey hooked onto the train of logs
and pulled another mile or so. logs were placed in the ground lengthwise as runners for the other logs to slide over and also to keep them in line and one the road. a great deal of time was spend hooking and
unhooking pulleys and cables around corners and such, but it was still a stead form of transportation compared to overloaded trucks and overworked animals. also used were log rafts and wooden log flumes

a few more photos of steam logging donkeys and also the log skid roads. You can see the large chains connecting each lot to the next as the skid load worked its was along from one donkey to the next and to the next. and dont forget that the steam from the donkeys also powered the drag saw pictured below

you are correct, out back near the logging museum and the steam crane, there is diesel powered spare tree but there is also a miniature steam powered high line logging where they load small trucks and trains.
scale model steam donkey logging at oregon steamup

Then came the D-8 and in a few hours a mile of road for trucks could be built.