154 BULLETIN 711, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTLTBE. 



Hypothetical statement shoiring the effect of output on the operating labor cost 

 per thousand feet for roading. 







Labor 



Volnmo 



Koadiiig 



co-^t per 



of aver- 



output 

 per day. 



thou- 



age los. 



snnd 







fCPt. 



Feet. 



Feet. 





2,000 



180,000 



so.n 



1,750 



155,000 



.13 



1,500 



135,000 



.15 



1,250 



125,000 



.IG 



1,000 



110,000 



.IS 



750 



90,000 



.22 



The labor cost per 1.000 feet tvouIcI have been twice as higli if it 

 had been based on the output of one j^arding engine" instead of two. 

 The same thing would have happened if the cost had been based on 

 the use of two roading engines instead of one. If the cost had been 

 based on the assumption that two roading engines, working tandem, 

 would handle the output of one j'^arding engine, it would have been 

 four times as high. 



Wire rope. — The cost of wire rope per 1,000 feet is rather heavy, 

 nearly equaling in some cases the operating labor cost. An average 

 cost would serve no practical purpose. From the standpoint of a 

 timber appraisal, it is safe to figure that the hauling line will handle 

 10,000,000 feet ; the trip line, 15,000,000 feet. The lines used vary 

 somewhat in diameter. As a rule, however, the main or hauling line 

 is made of 1^-inch rope ; the trip line of five-eighths inch, 



Maintenance and depredation of roading engines. — Roading en- 

 gines are not subject to so much strain as ground yarding engines. 

 And as they are of the simple-geared type, they are not so compli- 

 cated in make-up. This results in a lower maintenance cost. It also 

 tends to give roading engines a little longer life than the compound- 

 geared yarding engines. The maintenance cost of logging engines, 

 also the amount that should be written off annually for depreciation, 

 is discussed under " Ground yarding." 



Improvements. — The cost of pole roads per thousand feet ranges 

 from 20 to 50 cents, the amount in a specific case depending on the 

 total cost of the road and the volume of timber hauled over it. 



Other costs. — The cost of fuel, blocks, hooks, rollers, lubricants, 

 waste, and packing for roading is practically the same as for ground 

 yarding. 



LOADING. 



METHODS. 



A number of methods are used in loading logs on railroad cars or 

 trucks. Here, as in other departments of the logging operation, 

 personal ideas of operators conflict to some extent. A method that 

 satisfies one superintendent under certain conditions might not satisfy 



