LUMBERING IN PINE REGION OF CALIFORNIA. 87 
haul all downgrade is about $8 per 1,000. The rate for a haul of 
3J miles is $1.50 per 1,000. These charges are for air-dried lumber. 
Loading and unloading is not included in these rates. The saw- 
mill operator consequently maintains a crew in his mill yard to load 
the wagons, and another crew at the railroad to unload them. Many 
small concerns load the cars directly from the wagons. Others 
maintain a small yard alongside the loading spur. 
TRACTION HAULS. 
Lumber from a few of the larger circular mills is delivered to the 
railroad by means of traction engines similar to those employed in 
hauling logs. The trucks are much lighter, however, being merely 
heavy wagons in some instances. Several trucks are hauled at one 
time. The direct cost is considerably less than for hauling with 
horses, but the investment involved is much greater and there is 
much more risk of delay through breakdowns and inclement weather. 
On the whole the method serves very well for mills with a moderate 
output where road conditions are satisfactory. With a large output 
and consequent heavy traffic it is practically impossible to keep the 
road in satisfactory condition. 
LUMBER RAILROADS. 
The most satisfactory method of delivering lumber from the mill 
to the trunk railroad is by means of a lumber-carrying railroad. AU 
new mills employ this means of transportation wherever the amount 
of timber is sufficient to justify the investment. Whenever one of 
the trunk roads can not be induced to build a branch line it is neces- 
sary for the lumber operator to construct the road. 
Operators prefer to build and operate such lines as private roads in 
order to avoid certain State regulations as to common carriers. 
However, in order to secure rights of way it is frequently necessary 
to make them common carriers. In practically all cases standard 
gauge is preferred because foreign cars can then be loaded at the 
mill. In fact, the only circumstance under which a narrow gauge can 
be considered is when the lumber-drying yard can not be located at 
the sawmill. Even then the necessity of transferring all supplies 
and equipment to narrow-gauge cars before delivery at the mill 
makes the desirability of a narrow gauge doubtful. 
The layout and cost of construction of lumber roads are about the 
same as for logging railroads. Lumber railroads are generally of 
longer life than logging roads, and the construction can therefore be 
more permanent. The use of rod engines with heavy trains is usually 
provided for in laying out the road. In consequence, the maximum 
grades are 3 or 4 per cent for empty trains and 1 or 2 per cent for 
loaded trains. Curves are ordinarily not over from 16 to 20 degrees. 
