Posted by Sherman in Idaho [72.47.153.29] on Monday, December 15, 2014 at 15:43:01 :
Don't know if this has been posted before, but thought I'd pass it along. It's actually a movie made by the War Department, during WWII. Lots of good footage of cable-rigged straight-blade cats, dipper shovels, and plenty of Dodges and other trucks. Some things I didn't know included large temporary bridges built of native logs by the engineer battalions, the fact that the army took over operations of the White Pass and Yukon Railroad, and the fact that they built the pioneer road in the dead of winter so as not to have to deal with mud, knowing that it would get washed out come spring. Also interesting to see the riveting of bridge trusses, where they would toss a casually toss a glowing rivet to the men who would buck it in place.