FOREST RAILROADS 253 



limited quantities of material, chiefly earth, mast be moved to 

 make the roadbed. Where swamps are crossed piling is fre- 

 quently used and numerous bridges or trestles may be required, 

 but even here the cost per mile is less than the average in a 

 mountainous region. 



In the flat and gently rolling regions of the South the main 

 lines are usually located by the woods foreman, although in 

 many cases, engineers could be employed to advantage. 



In a rolling or rough country, especially, in the West, location 

 presents difficult problems, because roads must be confined 

 chiefly to natural drainage and often the only means of access 

 to timber is over a route requiring heavy cuts and fills and 

 expensive bridge and trestle construction. The location of 

 logging railroads in a rough region should be done by a location 

 engineer who is an expert logger. Good railroad engineers 

 without logging experience, are usually a failure at logging rail- 

 road work because they are not able to subordinate some of their 

 ideals regarding standard railroad construction to the demands 

 of practical logging. 



Some companies have sufficient work to furnish continuous 

 employment for logging engineers while others secure their 

 services only when needed. Competent men for work of this 

 character can be secured for from $175 to $250 per month. 



Spur lines are located with less care than the main lines for 

 they are shorter and of cheaper construction, since they are to 

 be used only for a short period and a limited amount of timber 

 is to come out over them. They should follow natural drainage 

 in order to provide a down-haul for animal logging, but if power 

 skidders are employed the roads may be placed on high ground 

 and the logs dragged up grade, as it is often cheaper to construct 

 and maintain a road on the higher ground, the skidding machine 

 will bring logs up grade as easily as down, and the logs do not 

 acquire momentum and foul the cable, or catch so readily behind 

 stumps or debris. 



In fairly level regions, where animals are used for logging, 

 spurs are preferably located so that the maximum haul from any 

 part of the operation will not exceed one-fourth mile, except for 



