Lost and Found – Slate Quarry Edition

It’s been too long since the Lost and Found portion of this site has had a solid entry but that is all about to change in a big way. Still reaping the bounty of my trip to slate country in Granville, NY I bring you a collection of old quarry trucks left to return to nature.

Everything you see in the gallery below resides at an active red slate quarry. At one time or another they were used in the daily operations of the pit. As you can see there are three heavy model International dump trucks in various states of disassembly. The all sport the ComfoVison which places them solidly in the 50’s to the mid 60’s as for as age is concerned. One of the Binders is even sporting a wheel with eight spokes. Heavy metal for sure. The story goes that one of the IHC’s started up by itself one night and drove over a cliff face. The owner arrived the following the day to the sound of a truck running in the distance and was surprised by what he found. Sound like something from a Steven King novel if you ask me.  It would have been great to view these trucks in their prime. They represent a look that at one time all dump trucks in the Northeast resembled. Once again I ask the scientists of today, where is my time machine!

Four Euclids also reside on premise. Of the group I found the yellow one to be the most entertaining. Its backup alarm is a bell attached to the rear hub. I’m willing to bet this warning device no longer meets approved safety standards but fits this truck perfectly. There is no way you would hear it over the straight pipe exhaust!

As Clarence pointed out the machines resting in the weeds represent the progression of technology over the years. The heavy equipment begins with cable driven machines that eventually give way to early hydraulic units eventually reaching excavators of the modern era. Dump trucks start with ex-road units that transform to Euclid haul trucks that give way to modern 6×6 off road machines. What a collection of amazing old iron! Stay tuned in the coming days to check out some of the machines still in use!

The epic variety of trucks is brought to you courtesy of Clarence and his willingness to show me the local attractions of his home town. Believe it or not there was stuff I didn’t photograph. There was simply too much! Just one more reason to return in the future.

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