Reaching Great Heights: Repowering One of the Largest Yarder Towers in the World

What piece of equipment is possibly strong enough to haul a five-ton tree through the dense forests of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula? Capable of pulling heavy logged trees from more than 5000 feet away, the Berger Yarder Tower is a true force in the forest, making logging and timber transportation easier for Dahlgren Logging Co. in the heavily wooded forests of Forks, Wash.

Weighing in at 160,000 lbs., and towering 110 feet above the forest floor, the Dahlgren’s Berger Yarder Tower is the second largest yarder tower in the world. This heavy-duty tree hauling machine is equipped with a back-up camera system, a 48,000 lb. tower that extends from 78 feet to 110 feet long and a main cable drum that houses 5000 feet of 1.5 inch diameter cable. The tower also has a completely unique feature: it can be operated from two separate stations, making control a priority in its challenging tree hauling task. The tower is key for the Dahlgren’s out in the field, and when it came time for a repower, a Detroit Diesel S-60 from Pacific Power Group was the premier choice to power this legendary piece of equipment.

Hauling heavy trees from the forest requires an engine that can handle heavy stress and long operational hours, making Detroit Diesel engines from Pacific Power Group perfect for the job. Detroit Diesel engines are renowned for their exceptionally reliable performance and superior construction, making them well suited to the challenging conditions in western Washington. The 630 hp S-60 remanufactured engine selected for this tower provides the performance, smooth operation, low maintenance and extreme power and torque that will be required for this application.

With the power from the Detroit Diesel engine, the Berger yarder tower is well equipped to take on the tough terrain around Forks, Wash. The Berger Yarder Tower is in its final testing phases and is on course to be back to work in early 2017.