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.

#11 THE "KING OF OBSOLETE" MEETS STERLING AND TALK ABOUT THE SALVAGING OF THIS CAT FOR 3 YEARS. BUT NOW WITH MODERN CAMERAS AND EQUIPMENT I THINK WE CAN GET STERLING BACK IN THE SEAT AFTER 48 YEARS.

"THE PLAN" AS WE CALL IT

(IT COULD BE PLAN "A" AND END UP AS BEING PLAN "Q" )

#1  PURCHASE UNDERWATER CAMERA-- DONE, BOUGHT ONE IN LOUISIANA

#2  PURCHASE A FISH FINDER-- DONE, BOUGHT ONE IN MINNEDOSA, MB

#3  PURCHASE A SATELLITE PHONE WHICH CAN CONNECT TO MY DELL LAPTOP SO I CAN SHARE THE SALVAGING WITH THE PEOPLE IN COMPUTER LAND (NEED HELP HERE ON WHICH MODEL)

#4  PURCHASE GPS WITH TOPO MAP VIEW SO THE GRID PATTERN CAN BE MARKED -- DONE, BOUGHT ONE IN MINNEDOSA, MB WITH ANTENNA FOR ON TOP OF CAMERA SHED.

#5  PURCHASE GAS POWERED ICE AUGER WITH 10" AUGER AND EXTENSIONS AND EXTRA BLADES.

#6  GET CAMCORDER TO TALK TO COMPUTER FOR DOWNLOADING THE PICTURES AND MOVIE OF THE SALVAGE AND THE SEARCH FOR STERLING'S SUNKEN CAT. ORDERED EXPENSIVE LITTLE PIECES OF HARDWARE THAT SHOULD WORK, BUT THAT IS WHAT THEY SAID LAST TIME. SO MORE PIECES ARE ON THE WAY THAT MOST LIKELY WON'T WORK AND TAKING A BIG HAMMER IS NOT THE ANSWER I'M TOLD, LOL

#7  TOPO MAPS OF THE AREA HAVE BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD BE HERE SOON I HOPE UNLESS THEY ARE WITH THE PIECES FOR THE CAMCORDER. LOST IN THE MAIL.

#8  WHIP UP A CAMERA SHED ON A SLEIGH FOR ALL THE EQUIPMENT TO BE HOUSED FOR WARMTH AND PROTECTION FROM THE GREAT WHITE NORTH.

#9  MOVE ALL THE CATS AND SLEIGHS TO KINOOSAO SK WHICH IS THE START OF REINDEER LAKE. THIS IS WHERE STERLING REMEMBERS THE START OF THE EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE SINKING.

#10  TEST THE EQUIPMENT OUT ON A SUNKEN SEMI TRUCK WHICH THE LOCALS KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT IS LOCATED.

#11  ONCE EQUIPMENT HAS TESTED OUT OK, THEN HEAD OUT TO WHERE STERLING THINKS THE SUNKEN CAT IS. START DOING A EAST TO WEST GRID PATTERN TO TRY AND LOCATE THE SUNKEN CAT.

#12  ONCE THE CAT HAS BEEN FOUND, USE SATELLITE PHONE TO CALL STERLING TO TELL HIM WE FOUND HIS CAT. THEN UPLOAD THE PICTURES TO THE INTERNET OF THE CAT IN 120 FEET OF WATER FOR THE PEOPLE OF COMPUTER LAND TO ENJOY

#13  HAVE A VICTORY BEVERAGE TO CELEBRATE.

#14  RETURN TO THE "KINGDOM" AND GET THE SALVAGE EQUIPMENT AND THE "HANG-MAN" TO RECOVER THE CAT.

#15  SALVAGE THE CAT AND GET IT ON THE ICE AND LET STERLING JUMP IN THE SEAT FOR THE BEST PICTURE EVER OF AN 80 YEAR OLD MAN WITH A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE. THEN DRAIN ALL THE WATER OUT OF THE MACHINE BEFORE IT FREEZES.

#16  DRAG THE CAT BACK TO THE "KINGDOM" FOR A FULL INSPECTION OF WHAT 48 YEARS OF WATER HAS DONE TO IT.

UPDATE DECEMBER 31 2005

THROUGH A STRANGE SERIES OF EVENTS WE HAVE FOUND 2 OTHER GUYS THAT WERE WITH STERLING WHEN THE RD6 CATERPILLAR WAS SUNKEN. SO WITH THE NEW INFO FROM THESE FELLOWS SHOULD HELP US FIND AND RECOVER THE CAT. STERLING STILL CAN'T FIND THE OTHER PICTURES OF THE SINKING BUT THIS WILL NOT SLOW US DOWN.

UPDATE JANUARY 03 2006

WE HAVE BORROWED TONY' TRACTOR BB TO POST IDEAS AND COMMENTS. SO HEAD OVER AND ADD YOUR THOUGHT, I'M USING THIS BB BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO REGISTER JUST TO VIEW THE TOPIC.

http://www.tonystractors.com/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=ih_gen;action=display;num=1136257998

ALSO A FELLOW IN CALIFORNIA IS SENDING US THE CABLE FOR RAISING THE CAT. WHICH IS VERY NICE SINCE WE HAVE NO BUDGET FOR THIS PROJECT.

UPDATE APRIL 2006

WE HAD A VERY WEIRD WINTER WHICH MADE FOR NO ICE OR VERY LITTLE ICE. UPON LAST REPORT OF THE ICE CONDITION AT THE SITE OF THE SINKING, THERE WAS ONLY 28" OF ICE WHICH IS FAR LESS THEN 48" WE  NEEDED. SO WE WILL DO A SUMMER SEARCH FOR THE CAT AND THEN A WINTER SALVAGE ATTEMPT.

WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THE FUN WE WILL HAVE ON THIS PROJECT.

THANSK

 SPONSORSHIP REQUESTED

JANUARY 2006

WE HAVE DONE THE MATH AND SINCE THIS CAT IS NOT CLOSE TO THE TOWN OF KINOOSAO SK. OUR COST HAVE RAISED CONSIDERABLE FOR THIS PROJECT. SO WE WILL NEED TO HAVE SPONSORSHIP ON THIS PROJECT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. IF I HAD A VISA I COULD JUST MAX IT OUT AND PAY IT LATER BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY CREDITS CARDS BECAUSE I'M THE "KING OF OBSOLETE" SO I'M ASKING THE PEOPLE OF COMPUTER LAND TO HELP OUT IN GETTING STERLING BACK IN SEAT OF THE RD6 CAT AFTER 48 YEARS.

PLEASE SEND AN INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER SO I CAN CASH IT AT A CANADIAN BANK TO

KING OF OBSOLETE

BOX 372

LYNN LAKE MANITOBA

ROB OWO

THANSK

MORE TO COME

SIGFUSSON CAT SALVAGE PAGE  "new add January 3 2006"

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