OK, you've cut down a forest giant. Now how do you haul the huge log out of the forest?
Steam-powered log winches were the answer until 1945, when they were replaced by mobile bulldozers.
Winches were placed at strategic locations along railroad lines. They were moved to a new work area when an area was cleared.
The steam winch crew was typically five men. Long ropes were run to the fallen logs by men called "ropeys." The ropey and steam winch operator communicated using whistle signals. See below.
Winches could only pull logs in straight lines unless a pulley system was installed anchored around the base of still-standing trees.
The "breaker-out" was the man who set up the pulley system to get the logs to the haul line.
"Skiddies" were the men who moved the logs once they were on the skid. Sometimes an additional winch was used to get the logs over the skid and onto the rail.
Winch drivers also had to operate the fire for the boiler. Larger crews had a two-man "firewood team".
"Ropeys" were also called "whistleboys". They pulled on a light "straw line" to operate the tractor whistle.
Whistle speak
1 whistle = stop!
2 whistles = pull on!
3 whistles = give me rope!
4 whistles = emergency stop!