Skip to main content
Go back

Steam Donkey

A railcar partly loaded with wooden poles is being loaded by a steam engine. A man is standing on top of the load guiding the poles into place. The steam engine has a long boom with a hook.

Courtesy of Doris and Linda Kirchsteiger

The introduction of the “steam donkey” or “donkey engine” in the early 1900’s, along with the arrival of the railway created new possibilities for Lumby’s forest industry.  In Lumby, the steam donkey was affectionately called “The Goose”.

Poles and lumber could be processed faster, loaded faster and shipped to customers faster than ever before.

The donkey engine often had a “donkey house” built on skids.  This was a primitive shelter for the crew.  Scrap lumber from the mill fueled the donkey engine’s boiler.