STERLING'S SUNKEN CATERPILLAR RD6 WINTER FREIGHTING CAT

DECEMBER 2005

    I HAVE DECIDED ON THE KING OF OBSOLETE'S WEBSITE TO DEDICATE A WEBPAGE ON THE FINDING AND SALVAGING STERLING'S CAT. HE SUNK THE CAT THRU THE ICE IN 1958 WHILE HAULING FREIGHT FROM LYNN LAKE MANITOBA TO BROCHET MANITOBA. STERLING SAYS HE WAS THE LAST GUY ON THE SEAT IN 1958 AND HE WOULD LIKE TO BE THE FIRST GUY BACK IN THE SEAT AFTER 48 YEARS UNDERWATER. I HAVE TOLD STERLING THAT WE WILL BE SUPPLYING A NEW SEAT CUSHION FOR HIM TO SIT ON SINCE THE OLD ONE WILL BE WATER SOAKED. SO HERE IS A FEW QUICK PICTURES OF THE SINKING AND ATTEMPTED SALVAGE OF THIS CAT IN 1958. STERLING FIGURES HIS WIFE HAS HID THE OTHER PICTURES ON HIM WHICH WOULD GIVE US MORE DETAILS. WITH LESS DETAILS THE ODDS ARE GREATER THAT WE DON'T FIND THE CAT AND THAT AN 80 YEAR OLD MAN IS NOT HEADING OUT ON A FROZEN LAKE TO DRIVE A WINTER FREIGHTING CAT AGAIN. WHILE HIS WIFE IS A HOME IN THE SOUTH WORRYING ABOUT HIM LIKE SHE DID 50 YEARS AGO.

HERE IS A COMPUTER GENERATED AERIAL SHOT OF THE SINKING FROM A FELLOW WHO GOES BY THE HANDLE OF "DROTT 150" ON THE REDPOWER BB.

ANOTHER SHOT BY "DROTT 150", I THINK HE KNOWS HOW TO WORK THE COMPUTER OR ENJOYED HIS CHILDHOOD ETCH-A-SKETCH TOY.

THANSK "DROTT 150" EXCELLENT PICTURES

KoO

HERE ARE THE DETAILS WE KNOW FROM 1958 AS STERLING REMEMBERS

#1 THEY ARRIVED IN KINOOSAO SASKATCHEWAN AT 4:00 PM

#2 THEY HAD CREW CHANGE ON THE ICE IN THE DARK AT 6:00 PM

#3 STERLING DROVE THE CAT UNTIL CREW CHANGE AT 12:00 AM

#4 WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW FAR THEY TRAVELED ON THE ICE BECAUSE STERLING REMEMBERS THE TIMES AND EVENTS. SO A CAT TRAIN TRAVELS ABOUT 3-4 MILES PER HOUR AND WITH TIME ALLOWED FOR CREW CHANGE AND FUELING WE CAN GET A GOOD IDEA OF THE LOCATION.

#5 AFTER CREW CHANGE, STERLING HAD A SNACK AND WENT TO BED, SHORTLY AFTER HE FELL ASLEEP THE DOOR OF THE CABOOSE OPENED WITH A FELLOW SHOUTING "WE ARE IN WATER". THE WATER IS HIDDEN BY THE SNOW AND SITS ON TOP OF THE ICE. SO WHEN THE CAT TRAIN FINDS WATER YOU FIND A CRACK IN THE ICE. STERLING LOOKED THE SITUATION OVER AND THEY UNHOOKED THE SLEIGHS EXCEPT THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE CAT. WITH STERLING ON THE SEAT OF THE SINKING CAT THEY TRIED TO PULL THE CAT OUT BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO. STERLING SHUT THE CAT ENGINE OFF WHEN THE FAN WAS SPLASHING IN THE WATER AND THIS IS HOW HE BECAME THE LAST FELLOW ON THE SEAT OF THE SINKING CAT. (OK, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD WANT TO BE ON A CAT THAT IS ALREADY SINKING THRU THE ICE.)

#6 THE NATIVE GUIDE WAS ASSURING THE CREW THAT THIS WAS SHALLOW WATER. BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE 120 FEET DEEP.

#7 THE CREW WENT DIRECTLY WEST TO SHORE AND CUT DOWN 2 TREES TO MAKE AN "A" FRAME TO TRY AND LIFT THE CAT OUT OF THE WATER. IF WE COULD FIND THE 2 STUMPS THAT WERE AXE CUT AND LARGE TREES WHICH ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH. FROM THESE STUMPS WE COULD FIND THE CAT STRAIGHT EAST OF THE STUMPS.

#8 WITH THE "A" FRAME IN PLACE THE CAT WAS ALMOST OUT OF THE WATER WHEN ONE OF THE TREES BROKE BECAUSE OF BUTT ROT. (THE TREE ROTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT) DOWN WENT THE CAT BACK IN TO THE WATER TO HANG UNDER THE ICE BY THE LIFTING CABLE.

#9 THEY LEAVE THE CAT AND RETURN HOME BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY COULD DO. IN ABOUT A WEEKS TIME THEY RETURN WITH BIG TIMBERS FROM THE MINE IN LYNN LAKE TO SALVAGE THE CAT THAT IS HANGING UNDER THE ICE.

#10 WITH THE GOOD TIMBER "A" IN PLACE THEY START HOISTING THE CAT OUT OF THE WATER AND THE CABLE BREAKS. THE CAT IS GONE AND THEY NEVER TRIED TO RECOVER IT AGAIN.

SIGFUSSON CAT SALVAGE PAGE  "new add January 3 2006"

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