THE LOGGING SPUR 

 JOSEPH MORGAN, B. S. F. '13 



Some one has said, "It is the little things that count/' and in no 

 place is the truth of the statement more evident than in the logging in- 

 dustry. It is the small item oft repeated that startles with its total when 

 the cost figures come in at the end of the month, and if strict attention 

 is not given to reducing the small costs, the business will eventually 

 suffer. The logging railroad spur is the governor on the engine of rail- 

 road logging. Without careful watching the engine will show a loss in 

 power, efficiency, and financial returns, and time spent in eliminating 

 needless work in spur building will help greatly in keeping the engine 

 running smoothly, besides showing a marked increase in the year's 

 profits. 



Logging spurs are in a class of construction by themselves, and 

 first class spur construction is not to be confused with first class main 

 line construction. The spur is built with a narrow roadbed; steep, short, 

 broken grades ; sharp curves, and a minimum of cuts and fills. 



There must be a happy medium in the cost of a spur between ex- 

 pensive construction and that which barely stands up under the traffic. 

 Spurs may have sharp curves, but they must be true curves and not run 

 in by the eye. They may have steep grades, but they should be even 

 grades, properly rounded at the breaks. The extra cost for these pre- 

 cautions is not as great as the reduction in the maintenance cost of the 

 rolling stock, a fact which is not generally known, or which is generally 

 overlooked. 



Spurs, being temporary structures, should be as short as possible, but 

 still should cover the ground thoroughly. The shorter the spur, the smaller 

 the cost per thousand of logging the timber covered by the spur, and the 

 less the amount of steel tied up. The amount of steel which is tied up in 

 spurs is always surprisingly large, and unless a definite plan is carefully 

 worked out in advance, the logger may find himself obliged to stop work 

 at one landing in order to finish or to continue work at another. 



Spurs are often built with the idea of using them for a continuation 

 of the main line after the logging in that immediate vicinity is com- 

 pleted. Construction should be better in such cases, all grades and 

 curves receiving the same careful consideration as those on the main 

 line. 



These points of possible economy are sound arguments for the method 

 of making a detailed map and plan of operation before logging is started. 

 This plan is of especial value in cases where a preliminary estimate of cost 

 is to be made. 



The main line, once constructed, is rarely changed, and the only 

 yearly charge against it is maintenance. Spurs are continually being torn 

 up, transported, and put down in the next area to be logged, so that 

 maintenance costs for spurs are usually specific, and for many short spurs 

 there is no maintenance cost. 



Compared with the cost of the main line, the most of the logging spur 

 represents a very small investment, but this investment often helps greatly 



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