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LOGGING 



operation will largely meet the first cost of steel rails; and the 

 road is about 75 per cent less efficient. 



The right-of-way for a stringer road must be carefully graded, 

 and crib bridges or trestles built where necessary. The grades 

 should not exceed 3 per cent on the main line and 8 per cent 

 on spurs. The preparation of the roadbed is as expensive as 

 for a narrow-gauge steel road, the only saving effected being 

 the original cost of rails. 



Fig. 74. — A Stringer Road in the Appalachian Mountains. 



A stringer road 3 or 4 miles in length is limited in capacity to 

 40,000 or 50,000 feet of logs per day. 



The rails are 6 by 6 inches in size and are composed of two 

 sawed pieces, each 3 by 6 inches, placed one on top of the other. 

 The rails are fastened to the crossties and to each other by wire 

 spikes. The top rail must be of some wood that will not splinter 

 readily, such as beech and hard maple. Sometimes the rail is 

 also covered with strap iron to prevent wear. The lower rail 

 may be made of an inferior grade of timber such as wormy 

 oak. 



