CASCADE TOWNSHIP -- People were so interested in what was being auctioned Wednesday at a farm near Williamsport that some actually flew in by helicopter.
A man who died last October in Lycoming County wanted to auction off his collection of antique tractors.
George Logue Senior collected Caterpillar tractors all his life.
His passion for the iconic yellow machines was on display today outside Williamsport and in a few hours time, that rare collection was auctioned off.
It was not just any auction. The 100-plus Caterpillar tractors many of them antiques were not part of just any collection either.
All of the machines made up George Logue's pride and joy. At a family farm north of Montoursville, the late collector's Cats were on the auction block.
"His whole life was his family and his Cats," said his son Bob Logue.
Logue said his dad wanted it this way, all the history going to someone who loves it as much as he did.
"He was 5 years old, his father bought a Cat 10, it's the real small machine on the end. He climbed up on it, smelled the grease and the gasoline and said he was hooked," added Bob Logue.
There was so much interest in the Logue Cat collection that potential buyers flew in from out-of-state.
"I've had calls from four corners of the United States, Canada, it's amazing," said Scott Edwards of Ritchie Brothers Auctioneering.
"I say it's a shame to see it go like this, but it was his wishes to sell it off to people who wanted it and would enjoy it," said Jerry Vaughn of Williamsport.
Vaughn wishes he drove off with one of Logue's Caterpillars. Some machines went for tens of thousands of dollars and at least one will go to a top bidder in Australia.
Believe it or not, just about all of those tractors in the Logue collection run okay.
When asked if they run, George Logue Senior's saying was: "You don't go to the zoo to see dead elephants."