FOREST RAILROADS 



243 



at frequent intervals by stakes driven close to them on the out- 

 side. At curves where the track is liable to spread, braces are 

 placed between the rails and also between the outer rail and trees 

 or stumps. Cross-skids are used only on soft ground and are 

 spaced from 6 to 8 feet apart. They are short round blocks 

 placed under the rails but they do not extend across the track as 



Photograph by H. R. McMillan. 

 Fig. 72. — View down a Pole Tram-Road in Idaho. 



they would interfere with the foothold of the draft animals. 

 Poles are held together at the lap-joints and fastened to the cross- 

 skids by means of wooden treenails from i| to 2 inches in diam- 

 eter, which are driven through the pole and skid into the ground. 

 A crew for building a pole road comprises six men and one 

 team. Where the rails can be obtained along the right-of-way 

 a crew will cut and peel the necessary poles and build 500 feet of 



