196 



BULLETIN 711_, U. S, DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



The volume of timber in sawed ties when 2,992, 7 by 8 inches by 8 

 feet ties are Laid per mile amounts to 111,600 feet, and 95,700 feet 

 AThen the same number of 6 by 8 inches by 8 feet ties are laid. At 

 $12 per thousand feet, the cost per mile for ties is $1,339.20 in the 

 first instance, $1,148.40 in the second. The cost of hewn ties per 

 mile ranges from $600 to $750. 



Ties used in main-line logging railroads last seven or eight years, 

 provided a good class of Douglas fir ties is used. Six years is a con- 

 servative figure. Ties used in spur roads do not last so long, since 

 the operation of taking them up and relaying them is hard on them. 

 Spur railroad ties may be used in three or four different locations, 

 provided the total period of use does not exceed four or five years. 



Steel rails. — Rails are classified according to their weight in pounds 

 per linear yard. They are sold by the long ton. While the standard 

 rail length is 30 feet, shippers reserve the right to include 10 per cent 

 of from 24 to 28 foot rails in a given order. 



Eails varying from 45 to 60 pounds per yard may be observed on 

 the logging railroads in the region. Fifty-six and 60 pound rails 

 are the more common, 60-pound on the main lines, 56-pound on the 

 spurs. Many operators, however, use 60-pound steel on both the 

 main line and spurs. 



The use of heavy rails has paid. They depreciate less in use and 

 in the lifting and relaying. Furthermore, they can be used with 

 fewer ties and on a poorer roadbed than the lighter rails. 



The number of long tons of rails of different weights required per 

 mile may be found by multiplying the weight per yard by 11 and 

 dividing the result by 7. 



Example: Weight of rail, 60 pounds per yard, then- — ^ — =^^ 

 tons and 640 pounds. 



The Aveight in tons of several representative sizes of rails per mile 

 is as follows: 



Weight of 



rail per 



yard. 



Weight of track per 

 mile. 



Pounds. 

 45 

 50 

 56 

 60 

 65 

 70 



Tom. 

 +70 

 78 

 88 

 94 

 102 

 110 



Pounds. 

 1,600 

 1,280 



640 

 320 





The following were the f. o. b. prices of steel rails in Chicago in 

 March, 1914 : 



45 pounds per yard and down, $27 per ton. 

 50 pounds per yard and up, $28 per ton. 



