56 



TRANSPORTATION ON LAND BY VEHICLES:— THE ROADS 



At the upper terminus of a cable car slide in Western North Carolina. 



In lumbering operations, the 

 standard gauge (56' 2 inches) is 

 generally preferred, since heavier 

 loads can be taken and since the 

 rolling stock can be disposed of 

 more readily at the end of ope- 

 rations. Of the narrow gauges, 

 36 inches is best, since the odd 

 gauges prevent ready exchange, in- 

 crease and sale of rolling material. 



In mountainous sections, nar- 

 row gauge is preferred. Here the 

 expense of wide gauge track is 

 too high, since it requires flatter 

 cun'es. Otherwise, there is no sa- 

 ving in 36-inch gauge track. 



The weight of the rail does 

 not depend on the gauge of the 

 track. It depends on the weight 

 of the loads (notably locomotives, steam loaders, and steam skidders, load per wheel), and 

 also on the number and quality of the ties. 



The modern lumberman uses one and the same type and weight of rail on all lines, thus 

 obtaining interchangeable tracks. 



In standard lumbering operations a heavy rail (60 lbs. and up) is now preferred, the upkeep 

 of the track being cheaper, the bed for the track being less expensive and fewer ties being 

 required for the heavy rail. Light rails are so twisted, after short use, that they can not be 

 sold at second hand. For 36-inch gauge a rail weighing 30 to 40 pounds is common. 

 Rule for number of tons of rail required per mile:- 



(a) Tons of 2,000 pounds :- 



Multiply the weight of the rail by ' '4 and you obtain the number of tons required 

 per mile. For example, 20-pound rail • • , = 35 tons. 



(b) Tons of 2,240 pounds (after which rail is usually sold):- 



Multiply weight of rail by "7 instead of by ' ,. 

 The price per ton of rail (steel) varies from •"•■25 to -^35 

 Under normal conditions, the rail stands, for every pound of its weight per yard, a pressure 

 of 225 pounds of weight on the drivers in the case of light rail, and of 300 pounds in the case 

 of heavy rail. 



The interdependence between a locomotive's weight and the minimum weight of the rail 

 permissible is given by the following equation : 



w 



-X8 = r 



wherein w stands for weight of locomotive on the drivers in tons; n for number of drivers; 

 r for minimum weight of rail in pounds. 



In an offhanded way, n is usually considered equal to 8. 



2. Ties. Sixteen ties are commonly used per rail. On spurs, the rail is fastened by spikes only 

 to every second tie. Ties on spurs measure 4"X5"X7, or consist of light poles, of dead 

 tops, and other inferior material. On the main line, regulation ties are used, measuring up to 

 8"X8"X9'. Impregnated ties might be cheapest in the end, even in the forest. 



3. Laying track. The crew consists of 1 foreman, 12 hands, 1 locomotive engineer, and 1 fireman. 

 The ties are collected (from the old spur) on top of a "road car," and the rail are placed on 



