SLEDS AND SLED-HAULING 



175 



grades side-banked and timbered, and all curves strongly side- 

 skidded to prevent the sleighs leaving the road. Sharp curves 

 should be avoided because it is difficult to keep a train of sleds 

 in the road. 



On long, level hauls it is customary to rut and ice the roads 

 to increase the hauHng capacity. This may be done daily on 

 the last return trip from the landing, the rutter and sprinkler 

 being attached to the rear of the train. As a rule, however, the 

 road is maintained by a separate crew. 



Fig. 43. — Type of Sled used with a Steam Log Hauler. 



Sleds are made stronger than for animal haul because they not 

 only bear a heavier load but are subject to severe strain in stop- 

 ping and starting. The gauge is usually about 8 feet in order 

 that the hauler may travel inside of the ruts. 



Where the road has steep ascending or descending grades three 

 or four sleds compose a "turn" because in the first instance the 

 machine cannot pull loads of much greater weight and in the 

 second, sleds have a tendency to ''jacknife" and run out of 

 the rut. 



In mountain regions, steam log haulers are used on the main 

 road only because the cost of constructing suitable secondary 

 roads is too great. Sleds are hauled by horses to a central point 

 on the main road and there made into turns for the log hauler. 

 In a flat region the hauler may operate direct from the skidway 

 to the landing, because of cheap road construction. 



Rollways at landings should be arranged so that sleds can be 

 run along the side of them and all be unloaded without respot- 



