LOGGING IN THE DOUGLAS FIR EEGION. 209 



delays in the yarding and loading department caused by waiting for 

 cars materially increase the cost of these steps in the operation. 



The average volume of timber hauled from the landings to the 

 dump per locomotive per day seldom amounts to less than 50,000 

 feet or more than 100,000. Taking it straight through the region, 

 the average output of timber per locomotive per day amounts to 

 about 75,000 feet. It should be borne in mind, however, that average 

 figures of this character are of little value. 



To get an estimate of the number of cars and locomotives to be 

 used, which has a direct bearing on the items of depreciation, re- 

 placements, maintenance, supplies, and labor, the timber appraiser 

 works roughly as follows : 



The total amount of timber included in the sale, the period allowed 

 for the removal of the timber, and the length of the cutting season 

 fix the average amount that should be logged daily. Whether the 

 transportation of this amount will require the services of one, two, 

 three, four, or more locomotives is the next thing to be decided. If 

 a proper field examination has been made, the appraiser knows the 

 approximate lengths of the different hauls during different periods 

 of the operation, also the approximate rise and fall on different sec- 

 tions of the track, which information will determine the type and 

 weight of the locomotives to be used. The appraiser then estimates 

 the number of locomotives or the number of train crews. In a given 

 case he may decide that one locomotive will be ample for the first 

 two years ; that after the second year two will be required ; and that 

 after the fourth year three will be required. In this way he arrives 

 at a basis for estimating the labor and other costs per thousand feet 

 for operating the trains. 



In connection with the above it should not be forgotten that loco- 

 motives lose considerable time each day in switching, unloading, 

 taking on fuel and water, etc. A geared locomotive may be run at 

 the rate of 12 miles or more per hour on ordinary logging railroads, 

 so that it would seem that they should travel 60, 70, 80, or more miles 

 per day. Seldom, however, do they do this, 25 to 35 miles being good 

 work for a locomotive working on spurs or relatively short main 

 lines. Not infrequently they do less than this. 



Most operators charge to " Eailroad operation " the cost of haul- 

 ing men to and from their work, hauling rails, ties, ballast, etc., used 

 in constructing and maintaining the railroads, hauling water to log- 

 ging engines, etc. It is perfectly proper to charge them under this 

 heading or under a special heading. From the standpoint of a tim- 

 ber appraiser, the main thing is that in estimating the cost of rail- 

 road transportation he has to consider the amount of track to be 

 built, the amount of material to be used for ballast, whether port- 

 •18f !•— BuU. 711—18 14 



