46 BULLETIN 440, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



trucks for both outfits, including blacksmi thing and supply expenses, 

 amount to about $10 daily. The total daily cost is $56.70, or about 

 94 cents per 1,000. This does not include road repairs. 



LOGGING RAILROADS. 



Steam logging railroads are the principal means of transporting 

 logs from the woods to the mill. These all have steel rails, there 

 being no pole roads or sawn wooden rails used. The principal reason 

 for the wide use of railroads in logging in California is length of haul. 

 Much of the pine timber is at a considerable distance from trunk line 

 railroads, and heavy investments are required in lumber railroads or 

 flumes. Large mills and heavy output are necessary to warrant these 

 investments. In turn, large mill outputs require extensive logging 

 operations, which necessitate long log hauls. The general topography 

 of the region is rough and mountainous and the logs are too heavy to 

 be handled except by steam. Stream driving is practically out of 

 the question, both because the streams are rocky and difficult of 

 improvement and because sugar-pine and white-fir butt logs will not 

 float. Thus logging railroads are a necessity in practically all 

 operations of any size. 



Engineering. — The location of the logging railroad and its spurs is 

 the most important part of the layout of an operation. The type of 

 railroad and the route selected depend upon the period the railroad 

 is to be operated and the amount of timber. The expense of con- 

 struction should be the least that will serve the purpose required and 

 at the same time permit of a reasonable cost of operation and main- 

 tenance. The longer a road is to be used and the heavier the traffic, 

 the better it can be constructed. Logging railroads are constructed 

 more cheaply than even branch trunk line railroads, because the 

 period of operation is shorter. Heavier grades, sharper curves, and 

 poorer roadbed may be used. 



Topography is the principal factor influencing the location of 

 logging railroads; but the general plan of logging determines whether 

 they, especially branch lines, shall follow valleys, ridge faces, or the 

 tops of ridgeS; One reason why the railroad layout for steam yarding 

 differs from that for yarding by horses is that on steep ground yarding 

 engines work more satisfactorily uphill. Main lines are necessarily 

 located and constructed with greater care than spurs. Spurs are 

 constructed wherever they are necessary to bring timber within 

 chuting or yarding distance of the main track. The mileage depends 

 upon the topography, maximum yarding distance, amount of chute 

 hauling, and density of the stand. 



In chute logging the main line railroads are constructed along the 

 streams, and chutes are relied upon to bring the timber down to them. 

 Spurs are constructed only to reach chute landings which can not be 



