Old Cable Machine

Originally would have been steam powered

[@hillbillytrucker8347]

I wonder how many men it took to operate that machine beside the operator at the control station. Those machines were tough and so were the men that operated them. Thanks for showing the old iron.

[@kevingilbert9695]

This beast is an excellent find. Not much exists anymore in the 100+ year old range. No " will it start" mess here only great history 🤘

[@Oliver66FarmBoy]

Ruston Hornsby started as a stand alone outfit then Bucyrus bought them out and it became Ruston Bucyrus.

[@georgerenton965]

As a “ Young up and coming “ as the truck bay mechanics would refer to us apprentices back in the early 70’s at Cummins Ontario I entered the program about 1971. At 14 my first summer job was as a parts runner ( a job they created for me ) at Harper Detroit Diesel. Saying that my time was taken up around engines. All my close friends were into music, listening, and playing it. Other kids in our circle, the ones more free spirited all made the pilgrimage out west “ Going to thumb a ride to Van man “. I was signed up for 4800 hours so nose to the grindstone. As soon as I could get it together, the west beckoned and in a previously 1966 Chrysler 300 myself and a friend who soon after became best man at my wedding set off to do what every Canadian should do. go on a road trip. With a tent trailer in tow, we followed the sun. When we where kicking around the lower mainland one camp we set was up near Hainey on the old Dewdney Truck Road. One day out on an adventure I noticed there was some logging activity going on at Stave Lake just above the dam. There was boom storage there, and where doing a log sort. I got up early one morning, leaving Jim to slumber and headed over there to observe. The logging outfit was Simpson Brothers. I got talking to a driver who was picking up there and taking them to a mill in Whonnock where they had a log dump. He brought me down there to meet up with another truck driver Bill Eaton who drove a 66 KW LW-924 or the likes with water cooled brakes. Bill drove up the mountain to the steel spar where they where actively logging. Bill didn’t say much, but he was popular with the ladies along the route, they’d be out in the yard tending the garden, or hanging the laundry, old Bill came trundling along, give then a short toot, and tip his hand as a wave in truck driver fashion. When we left the road, it was straight up, and up. The only time Bill ever broke character is when one of the boxes jumped out of gear ! Bill didn’t expect that. The higher we got there were traces of snow in the draws, this was mid July. When we got to the summit it was a brilliant day, lots of patches of snow around, and wondrous scenery, mountain ranges, and lakes, in typical BC fashion. There was a problem however that couldn’t be ignored. Black Flies. Between your swarm, and the other guys swarm, we were lunch. The steel spar was brand new, still had all it’s windows, nice and shiny. In short order we were loaded and down we went. That Cummins 335, with a T-590 turbo, me with my feet half way up the fire wall to stop from sliding forward of the seat, it was a long trip down to study the rawness of the road build, with switchbacks, and log bridges, and me wondering how much water was left in that tank mounted across the frame rails. I didn’t know much about Jake Brakes when we left to go on that trip, but I knew the A to Z by the time I got back. Back down to Whannock, said goodbye to Bill, waited for my connection ride in the new 74 Western Star, back up to my car at Stave Lake, and the camp site, let’s say Jim could have been happier to see me that afternoon. He had thought of reporting me missing. RIP Jim. Soon after I got my ticket at Cummins I left. Drove for a couple of years, then bought a Cabover Kenworth, drove )that for a few years, then in 82 bought a new KW 100 VIT. Hauled meat and produce all over the continent. I was born in Scotland, dad drove his whole life there starting with horses. By the time he was 16 he had his heavy goods license, but found other work when we settled here in the closing days of 65. I was fairly steady hauling pork skins to the Mexican border at various location, and there was a bad freeze one year, that killed everything in “ The Valley “ I snagged a load of frozen orange juice concentrate in 45 gallon drums. Dad was with me on that trip, and we headed up to Vancouver with the load, and took a couple of days off while I got my feelers out for a reload. One of the days, I took my dad up there to Stave Lake. I just felt I wanted to stand on the dam, and take in the memory of my trip up the hill. Just to the west of the dam, is where Simpson Brothers had there shop. It was disheartening to see the equipment sitting there along the roadside, that new 74 Star, it had that west coast patina that comes with Mother Nature adoring everything with green moss. I hadn’t expected to see that outcome, but it’s a hard life for logging equipment, and the men who age with it. While I stood on that dam, I could hear men working with power tools somewhere in the woods, and I noticed a bloody great church ! It looked very old. I thought “ WTF “ I don’t remember seeing that before ? I went to take a look, when I could see in it, the floor was dirt ! Asked one of the worker in my disbelief of what I was looking at, he said it was a set from the remake movie We’re No Angels staring Robert Dinero, Shawn Penn, and Hoyt Axton, Hoyts mom wrote Heart Brake Hotel I heard. I think Bogart was in the original. They set the dam up as a State Line Border Crossing in the remake. The carpenters told me the church structure was sold, and was being moved somewhere up near 100 Mile House to a ski resort to be made into a restaurant/ bar. Thanks for your time, I still live back east, I worked out of Vancouver (Annisis. Island ) for 15 years, drove that 82 KW for 26 years, I’m 71 this week, and still drive ( part time ). Let’s do it all again ! Thanks Skadill ! I know where that comes from.

[@mfreund15448]

“She is not mining big” No but she is woods big!!

[@bobconnor1210]

I see a magneto so she’s gas but, yes, diesels were around back then. Working in a steel box full of cables that could snap at any time and cut you into gory little pieces is a terrifying thing.

[@benterbieten9540]

Every time that you crawl around a piece of derelict equipment in warm weather I expect you to be swarmed by yellow jackets. Down here they would own that it and you would have to fight them to get in it.

[@walterlamb4756]

What an incredible find! Not much equipment of that vintage around anymore! Thanks for a great video!

[@MrJanaRobi]

That is pretty cool to think about . It makes me wonder .

[@ericdeziel4771]

What a great find . Lots of engineering went into creating that machine a hundred plus years ago . Thanks for another great video 👍

[@skadill]

Thanks 👍

[@lisakigar4432]

It's Amazing the stuff they used compared to now. 😊

[@davidtipton7234]

Those were some tough guys back then. Couldn't you imagine running that thing with a 200 degree engine running right behind you.

[@ncpcast]

WOW, that old Dorman engine, bet when it was running, was smooth and sound great. what a find,

[@Akl335]

Thanks again Todd for another great find

[@hurricanedaniel]

that is one rare machine there, i hope it gets saved some day. Ruston was around at the start. they sold all over the world. they mearge with the USA to make sales in the US area market, thus becaming Ruston Bucyrus after Bucyrus and Erie merged. i have a book on the history. there is alos a bloke in england that can date the machines history from the serial number.

[@iBackshift]

Wow, rite big. Super interesting find. Hahaha, Justin [PA mining] would say "and here we have the name plate where is says...."

[@shopdog831]

With Ruston you typically think of small locomotives

[@mikejackman4416]

Wow so cool ,,,,someone needs to restore it,,,sadly I believe it would be cost prohibitive so great to see

[@Graveltrucking]

Better take it home you need some more yard art for the end of the driveway 😂

[@austinwagoncompany]

Neat old machine, thanks for sharing it with us.

[@jeffbee2337]

Interesting manufacturing tells from 1913 (casting and rivets) - before welding became the norm. Looks like they were proficient with cast iron.

[@rbgking8889]

Thanks, would be great to see it running again.

[@georgerenton965]

I can just imagine the sweet smell of old grease. Catnip!

[@Jdigger4130]

I would give a toe to have this! just a property and rope shovel away! AMAZING relic

[@davida.p.9911]

She's a big ol girl!! 👍👍

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Wild rig. Blessings

[@kevingilbert9695]

I'd love to run a cable machine 🤘

[@skadill]

I've always wanted to try one to experience life generations ago.

[@Cheezwizzz]

Imagine the noise in that cab!!

[@tootired76]

I bet Matt from Diesel Creek can get this running!!

[@rickbray7100]

Magneto is in it. She may start up with a bit of love. Be a good one for those you tube guys to see if they could get her to run

[@tttco]

So cool!!!

[@Dave_9547]

That is a rare find and a long way from where it was mfg.

[@garymcdonald6529]

Excellent video!

[@skadill]

Glad you liked it!

[@jusportel]

No hook rollers on that machine.

[@edmcelhone4501]

i think 1913 would be steam

[@skadill]

it was converted

[@vw4x4]

You should try a "will it run" on this one...

[@skadill]

Knowing the outcome, I'll skip straight to the next find.