Rusting away on Gabriola
I’ve seen all sorts of things rusting away on Gabriola, but this is a first for me. What is it? My primary consultant on Things Mechanical says it’s a steam engine — perhaps a steam-powered tractor, or a steam-powered plough, or maybe just an engine that was hooked up to something and used in place. I’d love to know its history.
If I ever buy a large section of property on Gabriola, I hope it will come with something interesting like this under the brambles.
Filed in Gabriola Island,history,photos 2 Comments so far
2 Responses to “Rusting away on Gabriola”
qmackie on 02 Feb 2010 at 9:09 am #
My guess it is some sort of steam donkey engine used for historic logging pre-1920 or so – lots of power needed to yard large logs around the place. The power plants for that process needed to be a little bit mobile but basically sat there and brought the logs to them, though in some places actual railroads were built into the woods and steam locomotives were run on those. Just a guess, there might have been other needs for a large steam engine – for example there is a huge steam powered bulldozer ca. WWI, rotting in the woods near Port McNeil.
Let me plug my brother’s books wherein you will find everything you need to know about logging on eastern Vancouver Island.
Island Timber: http://www.sononis.com/book071.stm
Mountain Timber: http://www.sononis.com/book145.stm
Gabriolan on 02 Feb 2010 at 11:45 am #
Thanks, qmackie! That’s just the sort of information I was hoping somebody would provide.
Your brother’s books sound excellent; I’ve ordered the Island Timber one. (Though not from the publisher – they want me to print an order form and put it in the mail? How can a publisher do business without an online ordering system? Sheesh.)