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[RedMF40]

Saw this today. Looked like a good idea until forklifts came to be widely used. Roadside feature now, if nothing else you can hop up on the seat and get a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. This from a brief search about "Ross Carriers."

Roots of Motive Power
In 1913, Harry B. Ross built the first straddle truck at the Stetson-Ross Machine Works in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Ross’ invention revolutionized the movement of lumber around mill yards, and would be replicated in later years by Gerlinger, Hyster, Yale, Caterpillar and a host of others.

At one time, this equipment was “state-of-the-art,” being preceded in the movement of lumber around the mills by cart or hand, and succeeded in later years by forklifts. Lumber was placed in units on carrier blocks which were designed such that the machine could straddle them for pickup and movement. The gangly machines were produced in a wide variety of styles which included from four to eight wheels, and could be modified to raise and move containers, metal products, cars and much more.

 

[JD Dave]

The fruit industry experimented with straddle trucks 60 years ago when everyone went to 20 bushel bins. The idea was to save time transporting lots of bins out of the orchard quickly. The problem was that the the straddle trucks were so heavy, expensive and cumbersome that the idea never caught on. Now, most operations use self-loading trailers which are 1/3 of the weight and size.

 

[DoubleO7]

As the data plate says on that particular model, made in Benton Harbor, MI.
Which is about 7 miles away from my hometown for my first 40 years.
Ross Carrier which became Clark Equipment which produced the Michigan line of heavy equipment.
Eventually morphed into AUSCO (Auto Specialties Company) that supplied many automotive companies with the old stanchion bumper jacks and the screw type bottle jacks on every vehicle of the era.

 

[jwal10]

My hometown Dallas Oregon. Gerlinger Carrier....James

https://www.willametteheritage.org/carl-gerlinger/

 

[RedMF40]

My hometown Dallas Oregon. Gerlinger Carrier....James

https://www.willametteheritage.org/carl-gerlinger/

Interesting read, thanks for sharing. The explosion at the repair shop must have been a terrible thing to experience. A testament to the human spirit that he focused his energies on inventions and innovations after that.

 

[jwal10]

I remember the old buildings still there until they built Safeway and the old LaCreole lumber mill and pond were leveled. The old buildings were right on the railroad tracks and they had sidings to run the old logging steam engines in. I remember them taking the engines to work on them into town from the hills west of Dallas. There was a huge trestle right south of town. Gerlinger family also started Willamette Valley Lumber....James

Willamette Industries

At its peak in the 1990s, Willamette Industries owned or managed 1.7 million acres of timberland and operated more than a hundred wood products manufacturing f…

www.oregonencyclopedia.org

 

[jwal10]

More....James

About Us | Gerlinger | Material Handling Machines | Steel Straddle Carrier

We appreciate the opportunity to serve our customers and we are committed to being the leader in the quality, design, and manufacture of straddle carriers.

gerlingercarrier.com

 

[jwal10]

More....James

Dallas Historian

dallashistorian.com

 

[jwal10]

More....James

Straddle Carriers | Gerlinger Carrier Co.

Gerlinger Straddle Carriers are great for general material handling supporting loads in excess of 60 ft. long under transport.

gerlingercarrier.com

 

[RedMF40]

This one looks like the model I saw on the side of the road. Sign says, "Do not walk on lumber." Maybe they should have one that says "Watch your head."

Went down a real "rabbit hole" with this. Potlatch, which is noted in the photo, saw the beginnings of the huge Weyerhaeuser lumber company. Some additional reading:

https://www.potlatchdeltic.com/Page/ViewPage/12