58 



BULLETIN 440, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGEICULTTJEE. 



to 80 ton locomotives the shipping weight is from 5 to 8 tons less 

 than the working weight. 



Three types of log cars are used: Separate trucks, skeleton cars 

 or connected trucks, and flats. Separate trucks are used on several 

 narrow-gauge roads. They are necessary wherever long logs must 

 be transported on crooked roads. The cost of upkeep is so large 

 and the danger of accident so great that for pine it is usually better 

 to buck all logs into short lengths and use skeleton or flat cars. 

 Because of their freedom from accidents, flat cars are believed to be 

 the best. Most firms are now using them. They may be used on 

 any grades and on curves up to 60° on narrow-gauge tracks. Air 

 brakes are now used on all roads except a few of the shorter narrow- 

 gauge hues. Pin couplers are still used on most narrow-gauge roads, 

 even for flat cars. Automatic couplers are used on most of the 

 standard-gauge roads. Practically universal use of air brakes and 

 automatic couplers is only a question of time. 



The separate trucks used on narrow-gauge roads with hand brakes 

 have about 30,000 pounds capacity and are 21 feet over all (two 

 trucks); the average load is from 2,000 to 2,500 feet. The flats used 

 on narrow-gauge roads are 24 feet in length by TJ or 8 feet wide, and 

 have a rated capacity of 40,000 pounds. The average loads range 

 from 3,000 to 4,500 feet. Two types of flats are used on standard- 

 gauge roads. The smaUer is a 26-foot car with 60,000 pounds 

 capacity; the average load is from 4,500 to 5,000. A 41-foot flat is, 

 however, preferred, the rated capacity being 80,000 pounds; the 

 usual load is 7,000 or 8,000 feet. 



The cost of 21-foot wooden trucks equipped with air brakes and 

 delivered on the Pacific coast is about $275 for 30,000 pounds capacity, 

 $310 for 40,000 pounds capacity, $370 for 50,000 pounds capacity, 

 and $470 for 50,000 pounds capacity. A San Francisco firm quotes 

 60,000 pounds capacity trucks rebuilt from trunk-fine equipment at 

 $425 each, and connected trucks with 80,000 pounds capacity, 

 equipped with patent bunks, at $750 each. Both types have air 

 brakes and automatic couplers. Another coast manufacturer quotes 

 the prices in Table 9, f. o. b. San Francisco. 



Table 9. — Prices of trucks with air brakes and automatic couplers. 



Capacity. 



Description. 



Length. 



Width. 



Weight. 



Price 

 f. 0. b. 



San Fran- 

 cisco. 



Pounds. 



100,000 

 80,000 

 50,000 

 40,000 

 80,000 

 80,000 

 80,000 



All steel tracts 



Feet. 



Feet. 



Pounds. 

 22,000 

 20,400 

 18,000 

 17,000 

 19,000 

 28,500 

 28,500 



S850 

 695 

 570 

 435 

 735 

 835 

 900 



Steel bolster trucks 







do 







do 







Connected truck 



Flat (wood) 



40 

 41 



9 



Flat with bnnVs 









