198 
BULLETIN 711. U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
Bolts and nuts. — Four bolts and nuts are required at each rail 
joint. They come in kegs of 200 pounds each. The approximate 
price at Pacific coast terminal points is S3 per hundredweight, or 
86 per keg. With hexagonal nuts, the quantity required per mile, 
also the cost, is as follows: 
45-pound rail 
50-pound rail 
56-pov.: : 
60-pound rail 
Size of 
bolts. 
Inches. 
3 ovf 
Sibvf 
oibVf 
3ibvf 
Number 
in keg. 
Number 
of kegs 
per mile. 
245 
270 
270 
270 
Cost per 
mile. 
£7 
5.7 
S3L 00 
34.00 
34.00 
34.00 
Spikes. — Eails are fastened, to to the crossties by square spikes, 
which are usually 5J inches by ±% inch under the head. Four spikes 
are driven to each tie. one on each side of the rails. The cost f . o. b. 
Pacific coast terminal points is approximately 82.50 per hundred- 
weight, or 85 per keg. There are 100 of these spikes in a keg. and 
about 29 kegs are required per mile. The cost of spikes per mile of 
track is about 8115. 
Turnouts. — A turnout is a contrivance for passing from one track 
to another. The principal parts are the switch, the frog, and two 
guard rail-. There are two kinds of switches, stub and split. The 
split switch is generally used on the logging roads because of its 
greater safety. A turnout for 60-pound rail, including switch, frog. 
guard rails, ground throw and rail braces, costs about 8100. With a 
nisli stand it costs about 810 more. 
STEEL LAYING AND EEACOVAL. 
Laying and removing the rails, as a rule, is done by hand. It is 
done both by contract and day labor, the latter being by far the more 
common practice. For several reasons it is not known just what it 
costs logging operators to lay and lift track. Very few operators 
keep their accounts in such a way as to make this information avail- 
able. Then. too. this cost does not always include the same items of 
expense. Furthermore, conditions, wages, and efficiency of labor. 
etc.. vary. Those desiring to secure a knowledge of cost of this work 
should familiarize themselves with what is said in connection with 
common carrier roads, bearing in mind that logging operators gen- 
erally pay higher wages, secure less efficient help, and seldom work 
under as favorable conditions. 
Track laying is here considered as the operation of loading the ties, 
rails, etc.. on the cars, unloading this equipment, placing the ties and 
rails, and curving and jointing the rails. The cost of train service 
is not included unless it is so specified, 
