Yosemite Lumber Company Logging Inclines With Jack Burgess

Рет қаралды 936,844

3 жыл бұрын

#trains #logging #YosemiteLumberCompany #railroads
The Logging inclines of the Yosemite Lumber Company were dramatic tracked inclines that carried felled trees on rail cars down or up very steep grades to the mainline where they could be transported by the Yosemite Valley Railroad (YVRR) to the lumber mill at Merced Falls for further processing.
This extraordinary presentation contains hundreds of rare photos and film clips of these amazing engineering feats in action, and is narrated by Historian and Author, Jack Burgess.
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Пікірлер: 762

@TheJagjr4450 2 жыл бұрын

My Grandfather received a color 8 mm video camera for high school graduation in 1940 the videos are something to behold...

@winstoncampbell1776 3 жыл бұрын

The Shay locomotive was originally built by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio. My father was a service repair technician with the company for Shays. The company was bought by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and became Baldwin Lima Hamilton building cranes and power shovels. My entire family except mother worked there for different periods of time. In the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Michigan is another Lima Locomotive, one of the largest steam engines ever built.

@laughton57 2 жыл бұрын

A Berkshire? Is the large engine a Berkshire. IIRC, Baldwin/Lima built them.

@andyharman3022 2 жыл бұрын

I went on a search in Lima, Ohio for remains of the Lima Locomotive Works many years ago. None of the works buildings exist anymore. But I did find a Shays locomotive on display downtown.

@francisschweitzer8431 2 жыл бұрын

Northern Illinois Railway Museum has a working Lima Shay #14

@bruceb3786 2 жыл бұрын

Great story.

@wvboy0311 2 жыл бұрын

There are 2 or 3 shays at cass scenic railway in wv

@another_unique_username 3 жыл бұрын

Man, you’ve outdone just about everyone else on KZfaq with this. There was only problem as I saw it, it ended way too soon

@robertnewton8555 3 жыл бұрын

As a retired logger, I found this video very unique. Excellent job in the making of the video. People these days don't have any idea of the hard work that went into these logging jobs.

@tsgmultimedia 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@terrystotzheim9719 2 жыл бұрын

Amen to that!!!

@MrGaryGG48 2 жыл бұрын

My grandfather started in a logging camp about 1920 in northern Washington and then British Columbia, and eventually in Southeastern Alaska. He worked at one logging job or another for the next 50 years. At the beginning of that time he worked with the draft horse teams that pulled the logs. Eventually he operated the steam donkey engines that replaced the draft horses. The steam donkeys probably made the work even more dangerous due to the increased power the steam engine produced. Grandpa talked about the injuries and the men killed when a steel cable would snap and went through anything within range like a modern day weed eater! I believe the bulldozers came in during the md-thirties but I'm not certain of the dates. Choke setters had one of the most dangerous jobs in the business. They were the new guys that fastened the steel cables around the downed logs, and if they lived long enough, they moved into slightly less dangerous jobs. For a logger from the early 20th century to survive to retirement with all his limbs intact was an accomplishment. My grandfather was born in 1898 and passed away on October 14, 1990, in his early 90s. He still had all the limbs he was born with. He said he'd been very careful but was also pretty lucky. Grandpa and I spent many hours talking after he had retired, about his history. Those fascinating hours could easily have come straight out of one of Jack London's stories! You're certainly right, Robert. Unless you've experienced it or had exposure to one of the men who lived in those times and survived the extremely dangerous life, you just couldn't grasp that reality.

@terrystotzheim9719 2 жыл бұрын

@@MrGaryGG48 that is sooo awesome! Glad you had your grandfather for such a long time!

@MrGaryGG48 2 жыл бұрын

@@terrystotzheim9719 Thanks Terry. I appreciate the thought. He was a very warm person when I came along... a bit stubborn! My dad said that's genetic among the Swedes...all the while, my Mother was standing behind him nodding her head with a smirk, quietly agreeing, "he got that right!"🤣👍

@gillafunk 2 жыл бұрын

What an absolutely phenomenal presentation. Exemplary descriptions. Stellar media content. Beautiful model display design. Well done. Just perfect. Mr. Burgess, my hat goes off to you, Sir.

@thomasbritton640 2 жыл бұрын

I'm 70 years old my friends and I used to hop freight trains that ran through the town I grew up in have been a rail all my life this is a great presentation well done never realized how logging was done on the gre!at northwest ill say it again what a great 👍 job !!!

@kenmunozatmmrrailroad6853 3 жыл бұрын

Both the story of the railroad and the model are astounding.

@bobpaulino4714 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible engineering for the time period -- even regenerative braking! Wonderful layout. I look forward to seeing more.

@garyhartley3680 2 жыл бұрын

dynamic breaking

@aprilgeneric8027 2 жыл бұрын

@@garyhartley3680 he said the logging company put the power back into the electric companys grid, dynamic puts that excess into resistors that get fan cooled as heat waste. looking at the truck sets i do not see any motor components to be able to dynamic break. also with the cable and the cable engines there's very little reason to invent dynamic breaking for their set up. i did see some swirl on the inside of the wheels sets tho but that looked like helical gearing, but again none of the photos showed any electrical motors, so i imagine it is possible they did, but i can't tell from the photos.

@denjhill 3 жыл бұрын

I have a hard time imagining the amount of labor required to construct one of these operations. From roadbed building to hoist house construction to all the ancillary structures. Amazing. Great video.

@LarryWGrant-dw6jo 3 жыл бұрын

I always enjoy watching Jack Burgess and I like learning about logging operations. Thanks John!

@barbaravickroy7563 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this video....so interesting...l'm in my 80s, and Yosemite is a huge part of my girlhood, so tho living in the Ozarks now, a trip down memory lane is most welcomed.

@miker2002 3 жыл бұрын

What a wonderful history and engineering lesson....along with Jack's mindblowing research and modeling!

@yvfan 3 жыл бұрын

If you are interested, you can see my entire layout on KZfaq at kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e653nr15sdelfI0.html Jack

@charliemessenger6537 3 жыл бұрын

My grandfather worked there in the late ‘30’s. He ran a donkey at one time. He had his knee crushed loading either a flat car or a truck, I don’t recall. Not a convenient place for a major injury. Thanks for this video.

@nigelphillips2682 3 жыл бұрын

What a great presentation. Learned a lot about mountain logging.

@johnortmann3098 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! to both the original and the models!

@yvfan 3 жыл бұрын

John...if you are interested, the video of my entire layout is at: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e653nr15sdelfI0.html You'll need to copy/paste the link. Jack

@johnortmann3098 3 жыл бұрын

@@yvfan Thanks. I'll check it out.

@nwpioneer2551 3 жыл бұрын

What a fantastic layout. So much more than the regular bridges, tunnels stations, etc.

@thomasgrider6697 4 ай бұрын

That's pretty neat.👍🙂..I'm a sawmill worker myself..trimmer operator..and..i like seeing and learning the history of this type of work from back in earlier times..

@klausvonschmit4722 6 ай бұрын

I’m guessing, those lumber log bridges was the inspiration for the Lincoln log kits we all enjoyed during our early years!

@cavemanballistics6338 2 жыл бұрын

The color movies are so clear for the time!

@deecooper1567 Жыл бұрын

As. Child growing up, my father worked in the logging industry. He was a Jack of all trades…. Meaning he did several different jobs from running heavy equipment, climbing trees, cutting down, even hauling to the mills. I remember the ponds overflowing with logs waiting to be cut or transported somewhere else. I was only allowed to go with him at certain times & had to stay in the truck. A Very hard job & many accidents. Thank you for sharing this. 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

@floridamike2930 2 жыл бұрын

I have stood next to a Shay at the Pennsylvania lumber museum. Very cool machine. All wheels are driven.

@stevenbaty6247 3 жыл бұрын

Truly enjoyable. But the best part was the final minutes with the models. Wow.

@yvfan 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Steven...If you are interested, you can see my entire layout on KZfaq at kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e653nr15sdelfI0.html Jack Burgess

@garydionne1357 10 ай бұрын

Wow that's awesome, blessings to all those men , yesterday and today, and this is proof that a logger man can and always will survive, loaded truck at the 18 coming down,

@jamesmoore3346 3 жыл бұрын

Our little town was founded during the early days lumber business. We have an original Shay locomotive set up next door to our chamber of commerce. It was owned by one of the founding family's and was given to the city as part of this towns history.......pretty neat locomotive...

@alanmydland5210 3 жыл бұрын

Where would this be at? I want to come and see!! I live west of sacramento

@keenanmcbreen7073 2 жыл бұрын

Those are so steep, holy crap.

@jayn9559 2 жыл бұрын

I absolutely the logging history, wood, wooden antique wagons, where nails and hard work were king

@loganpe427 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, a world I'm fascinated by but have never had the opportunity to get involved in, wonderful!

@kevinmills8437 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome Steam Shay.

@tsgmultimedia 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@tracynation2820 2 жыл бұрын

An excellent video. Hello from the Tracy Mountain Railway in Colorado. 💙 T.E.N.

@steveskouson9620 2 жыл бұрын

Ephraim Shay. He designed some really interesting locomotives! Current day truck drivers call those bulkheads, "headache racks." Seems that they prevent headaches, if the load shifts, unexpectedly. steve

@OdeeOz 3 жыл бұрын

One of the Marvels of Engineering Construction for its time. Thanks for sharing this with us all. 💯👍👏

@rafenatho5406 3 жыл бұрын

Finally something worth watching on you tube!!

@randallparker8477 3 жыл бұрын

My Grandfather was a millwright on the various logging operations in the central valley and Sierras in those days. He helped build some of the inclines and the flumes from Sugar Pine Lumber coming down to Madera. He also was one of the mule skinners on freight wagons up into the hills.

@yvfan 3 жыл бұрын

I have a friend who researches and models the Sugar Pine Lumber Company.

@tracymesser296 2 жыл бұрын

That’s cool having this grand history in your family’s past! I’d want to know everything that happened!! Cool stuff!!

@wilbur9416 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the history. And cool reproduction of the History.

@todddavis1033 2 жыл бұрын

You sir are a historical genius hats off to you

@yvfan 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Todd... Jack Burgess

@jamesleem.d.7442 2 жыл бұрын

Absorbing account, great photographs, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

@tsgmultimedia 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@AndyProper 3 жыл бұрын

Climax locomotives are so gorgeous and so kool looking.

@shaunroberts9361 2 жыл бұрын

Absultly Outstanding.

@terrystewart2070 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Jack that was great!

@bobschwarz3133 2 жыл бұрын

Outstanding information. Good old Yankee ingenuity. I love it. Thank you so much.

@Iancad1 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely fascinating!! I lived in Groveland back in the 1980's and remember the mighty sugar pines so well. You have done a great service by recording the glory days of California logging. KZfaq at its very, very best.

@johnmoyer5515 2 жыл бұрын

Love the history, I pulled 8 16"x 10' logs ea 365 ft lots of fun. Sawdust is my glitter.

@Vrod1432 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome history lesson ! Thank you John and Jack.

@jamestommasin6542 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Jack, enjoyed it.

@roberts3942 2 жыл бұрын

Outstanding history lesson about the men, equipment, and organizations that helped to build our country. Kudos!

@guillermoszittyay4969 5 ай бұрын

Excelent job! Very good fotos and beautiful model in HO scale!!! Thank you, that is a very entertaining presentation. From Rosario Argentina.

@1GirlieGirl 3 жыл бұрын

I was just in Jackson Hole & we drove the Teton Pass to Victor, Idaho. The most breathtaking scenery. The mountains are crazy steep. This is incredible.

@tomedgar4375 5 ай бұрын

Wow! Great presentation, thank you

@robertmarcotte4652 2 жыл бұрын

Great job recording all of this for the sake of history. And presentation of the video 👍thx

@JoeRocket-sf6qs 2 жыл бұрын

The tracks like a rollercoaster.

@haroldchoate7497 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, that was a very entertaining presentation. The engineering involved in these systems is very impressive and sophisticated. The distance, weights and volumes were huge. They apparently operated for close to 40 years. The scale boggles my mind. Again thank you,

@yvfan 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Harold! I totally agree with you! I was a civil engineer as was the designer of both inclines but he also was able to design the wire ropes used on the inclines as well as the loads on the rollers between the rails at the top of the incline as a loaded car started down the incline! Jack Burgess

@P61guy61 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent. Thank you for posting

@tsgmultimedia 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

@P61guy61 3 жыл бұрын

@@tsgmultimedia I really did. Pretty crafty folks back then.

@godngunclinger 2 жыл бұрын

🤠👍👍Two thumbs up ⭐⭐⭐⭐four stars❣OUTSTANDING❣

@pnwRC. 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. THANKS for sharing!

@tsgmultimedia 3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome, and thanks for watching!

@HappyHarryHardon 2 жыл бұрын

The 6” Crosby in Cass is my favorite whistle ever. You know that one I’m talking about.

@travelingman484 2 жыл бұрын

This movie was absolutely priceless to me. I was never one for the lumber railroads history and never really understood how they worked. I am totally taken back by the incredible ingenuity and backbone of these railroad men. This work was not for the faint of heart for sure. Thank you for a great education.

@georgeantonaros5580 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely a Fantastic Presentation of America’s History !! 😊

@skydiverclassc2031 3 жыл бұрын

It always amazes me just how much preparatory work went in to getting the logs out to the mill. Hoist houses, rail lines, bridges, trestles, cables, all that stuff. At around 13:00, I would imagine that wooden bridge would have to be removed at the end of each season for it to be useful as lumber. It would rot pretty severely if left out there for a few winters until they were done with it. Have you ever heard of the Diamond Match Co. railroads in Butte and Tehama Counties in Northern California? Very extensive railroad system up til about 1953; now replaced by dirt roads. A good book called Matches, Rails, and Flumes details the history of the railroads. It featured a double incline, meaning the loaded cars were let down one side of Butte Creek Canyon, and then hoisted up the other and hooked into the mainline to Stirling City. Thanks for the presentation and the history lesson.

@elonmust7470 2 жыл бұрын

I've walked some old switchback track beds going up a mountain in Pensacola North Carolina. I'm a timber faller so it was very special to actually see remnants of old tie logs buried in the ground! Found a full jar of moonshine later that day lower down on the mountain.

@keithsorrels6903 5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much on your excellent presentation about logging and especially inclines. I visited a Diamond Match incline remains on Butte Creek in Butte County CA some years ago. It was certainly not nearly as long as the one in incline, CA, and seeing it raised a lot of questions that you answered. I also was able to ride the cable car incline on Lookout Mtn just west of Chattanooga TN. It was interesting to see the cable and supporting structures in action. Your modeling looked real, amazing. Thanks again, k

@yowser8780 3 жыл бұрын

My uncle worked several inclines in Humboldt County (Pacific Lumber Company) back in the late 1930's. Always good stories out of him. A green kid, he had to hang onto a block on the log cars when the crew rode the incline up the hill... senior folk got to lean on the bulkhead.

@bernardc2553 3 жыл бұрын

OH man I'll be Re-watch ing this 1 !!

@mygarden365 2 жыл бұрын

Thank You for presenting this video.

@phillipstephens3079 2 жыл бұрын

Hard to wrap-your-mind around this feat…in simplicity of thought, easy-peasy job where logs are just moved downhill to a sawmill operation 🤷🏻‍♂️💁‍♂️. The scope and complexity of this is simply MIND BOGGLING…😳😵‍💫😬 Wonderful presentation showing such engineering brilliance, build skill AND operating/ maintenance ingenuity…👏🏻👍🏻👊

@gregmoore5905 2 жыл бұрын

Just watched this in amazement. My grandfather & partner were in the lumber business in Orange, Texas and western LA in the late 1800s & early 1900s (Lutcher & Moore Lumber Co.) Their railroad operation brought yellow pine logs to the Sabine River mill at Orange. However, the land there was flat; they certainly didn't have to contend with steep inclines. Thank you for this presentation.

@giulius7176 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice!! Great Info......Thanks for sharing.

@tsgmultimedia 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@deeppurple3489 2 жыл бұрын

That was a real cool presentation! Thanks so much!!

@hsmallwood40 2 жыл бұрын

thank you for your time to put this video together...

@popps2502 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! Great presentation! Thank you for your time and work in making this video, injoyed watching.

@orchidhouse297 2 жыл бұрын

I was absolutely enthralled by the history wrapped into the video.. What impressive engineering.

@curtesamoangelos5995 2 жыл бұрын

Watched from Yosemite Kentucky. Locally pronounced as "Yoe Suh Might". This little town also had inclines for logging in the 1870's through early 1900's. Special engines and cabeling. I completely enjoyed your presentation and modeling. Just fantastic. Thank you for sharing!

@yvfan 2 жыл бұрын

The incorrect pronunciation is typical outside of California. It is the Indian name for the valley where they lived... Jack

@johnbarham7718 3 жыл бұрын

Yes I really did enjoy the presentation.

@tsgmultimedia 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@nomoremr.niceguy4778 3 жыл бұрын

I grew up thinking the men who logged the Pennsylvania Pine Creek Gorge were badass. But this is on another level. Great film.

@hamiltonsullivan6563 3 жыл бұрын

Loved this video John

@feminazislayer 3 жыл бұрын

This was way better than any history channel show. Great job.

@kimrok1 2 жыл бұрын

I dont know , he didnt talk about aliens or bigfoot

@ailo4x4 2 жыл бұрын

I grew up on the San Joaquin & Eastern (SJ&E) with all its inclines used for building the local dam system. It was great exploring the old tracks in my '47 Willys as a teenager!

@rossmurphy7675 3 ай бұрын

Thank you, thanks Jack, this is the best videos i have seen on this type of logging. I absolutely loved the photos and video as well.

@yvfan 3 ай бұрын

I'm glad that you liked it so much. Jack Burgess

@johnanthonygreen4684 Жыл бұрын

Very informative, and excellent presentation. Thank you.

@derrickanderson4932 2 жыл бұрын

What a great presentation! Dave.

@wideyxyz2271 2 жыл бұрын

just watched it again...fantastic!

@Palmit_ 2 жыл бұрын

Utterly fascinating. I can only express my genuine thanks.

@dgarvin57 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for creating this great video. I was thrilled to see pictures of my great uncle Jim Law. I visited him many times growing up and was always fascinated with his home at the bottom of one of the old inclines nestled next to the Merced river. My grandfather, Bob Jirsa, was a conductor on the YV from the 20s until it shut down in the 40s. Sad day when they ran the last train out. My great grandfather (Jim Law’s father) worked for the lumber company and raised his family on top of the incline in a tent cabin during the season. Story is told that my grandmother would ride the empty cars down to the bottom. She met my grandfather Bob Jirsa riding on the YV and had a wonderful life together. So thank you again for helping appreciate what their work life was like.

@yvfan 2 жыл бұрын

Dan... Thank you for your kind comments. I have been researching the YV for the past 50 years and first met Jim Law in the early 1970s. We would visit Jim every time we visited Yosemite NP and he would tell us interesting stories. I have built an HO scale model railroad of the Yosemite Valley Railroad and it includes most of the buildings which were in Incline including Jim's house, the station, etc. It has cast figures representing both Jim and his father. They are included in a KZfaq video of my layout: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e653nr15sdelfI0.html You might find it interesting... Jack Burgess

@ricardohuante4729 11 ай бұрын

I got to go to sugar pine railway in Yosemite and got to ride one of theses shay recently and it was a great experience

@livingadamman7994 2 жыл бұрын

WOW the wonders of days gone by, some bloody nice logs there well worth the effort !

@cdouglas1942 2 жыл бұрын

What a treasure those old photos are. Give life you your excellent oral description. Your HO efforts not too shabby either. Well done, thanks.

@georgecothran4760 5 ай бұрын

Very nice Model railroad, you put a lot of detail into it.

@joakiminnala2264 3 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for the very interesting film. Very nice model railway.😃👍👍

@yvfan 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks...if you are interested, you can see my entire layout on KZfaq at kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e653nr15sdelfI0.html Jack

@1musicsearcher 3 жыл бұрын

What a great video and narrative. Jack, I love your photos, they really show what “when men where men” meant.

@michaelsouza3582 3 жыл бұрын

One of my favorite drive's from Turlock. You nailed it.......

@Peasmouldia 3 жыл бұрын

Sometime a great notion..(with apologies to K. Kesey and H.Ledbetter). Excellent. Many thanks from the UK.

@cadmanchannel 5 ай бұрын

That was great! Thank you for sharing.

@dginia 2 жыл бұрын

Amazing story. Outstanding production. Today, Jimmy Mullens would be a transmitter engineer for a TV station. They are loners, too.

@PapawMule 3 ай бұрын

That is one interesting film..!

@rgs455atw 3 жыл бұрын

Added this to my favorites .

@richardbrooks3569 2 жыл бұрын

Beautiful models and very interesting history.

@yvfan 2 жыл бұрын

This video was only about the inclines. The first video I did with the same videographer was on my whole Yosemite Valley RR layout. It is at kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e653nr15sdelfI0.html Jack Burgess

@davidhansen4471 3 жыл бұрын

that was worth a 10 star count thank you

@ThomasWLalor 2 жыл бұрын

This was MY pleasure to view. Thanks

@bigblue6917 2 жыл бұрын

I must admit to having a soft spot for Shay locomotives. Nothing like that was used in the UK, though some of the Welsh narrow gauge double ended Fairlie locomotives on the Ffestiniog Railway came close. I must admit to doing a double take on the camelback locomotive. I thought someone had placed a signal box on top of the loco. Thanks for the video, Jack. Loved it.

@BrilliantDesignOnline 2 жыл бұрын

Not only was this incredibly interesting and educational, but the photos and your models are incredible, especially the guy signaling from the roof of the caboose and the line shot with the canyon photo in the background.