212 BULLETIN 711^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUEE. 



Cost. — The cost of the repairs on shop equipment is taken up in the 

 discussion of equixDment in this section. 



The shop crew ranges from two to seven men. In one large camp 

 having relatively elaborate shops, the crew was as follows: Master 

 mechanic, machinist, car tinkerer, blacksmith, blacksmith assistant, 

 and carpenter. 



The following list is intended to approximate the wages paid in 

 the region to the members of this crew during the years 1911-1916 : 





Wages per day. 



Position. 



Average. 



High. 



Low. 





S4.50 

 3.50 

 3.00 

 3.75 

 3.00 



S5.00 

 5.00 

 3.25 

 4.00 

 3.25 



$3.50 





3.00 





2.75 



Blacksmith 



3.50 





2.76 







TOTAL COST OF KAILKOAD TEANSPOETATION. 



The following gives the total cost of railroad transportation in a 

 few specific cases. In each case the costs are based on a year's output. 

 These cases will serve to show what the total cost consists of, how it 

 varies and why, also the way the items are segregated in the most 

 ■satisfactory cost statements. 



Case 1. — Cost of railroad transportation. 



Items. 



Cost per 



thousand 



feet. 



Operation (labor) 



Maintenance of line (labor) , 



Maintenance of locomotive and trucks (labor) 



Maintenance of trucks, repaii- parts, and materials 



Maintenance of locomotives, repair parts, and materials 



Sand (labor) 



Supply house (labor) , 



Engineering (supplies) 



Fuel oil 



Oil, waste, and grease , 



Depreciation on main line grade 



Depreciation on track supplies 



Kailroad construction spiu's 



Total 



$0. 275 

 0.268 

 .122 

 .04 

 .05 

 .008 

 .01 

 .001 

 .10 

 .025 

 .10 

 .06 

 .283 



1.312 



The average railroad haul from the landing to the dump was 

 about 4 miles. The first 3 miles was over the main line, the rest 

 over the spurs. The grade on the main line, with the exception 

 of a short stretch, was favorable, averaging about 4 per cent. In 

 places the favorable grade was more than 4 per cent, running as 

 high as 8 per cent for a short distance at one point. There was 

 about 700 feet of adverse grade on the main line, which averaged 

 about 4 per cent. 



