128 LOGGING 
mine the choice because logs in excess of 32 feet in length usually 
can not be handled profitably by animal draft. An exception 
may be noted in the case of piles and other products, for which 
special facilities must be provided. Long logs usually can be 
handled best by some form of rail transport on which a long 
wheel base may be used to support the load. 
(4) Character of skidding equipment. Heavy machinery and 
power logging equipment can best be moved by rail and in most 
parts of the country such form of transport is used A logging 
railroad also furnishes a quick and efficient means of moving logs 
or other products to some point not tributary to the watershed 
on which the timber stands. Motor trucks may be successfully 
substituted for a railroad on small operations where both animal 
and power logging equipment is in use. 
When logs are skidded by animal power, the choice of primary 
transportation may be a logging railroad if a large volume of 
timber is to be moved ; wagons or carts for a small volume moved 
a comparatively short distance ; sled hauling and water transport 
when climatic conditions and character of timber permit; and 
sled hauling with animal or tractor draft when water transport 
is not available or the logs will not float. 
(5) Size of operation. Simple inexpensive equipment which 
can be used in the form of several independent units is the only 
type adapted to small capacity operations, since the volume of 
timber to be moved is limited and a heavy expense for equipment 
is not justified. On the other hand, operations which are to 
continue for many years and which move many millions of board 
feet of timber per year must have some form of transport on which 
reliance can be placed for steady and continuous delivery of large 
quantities of timber in a given time. The initial expense for 
transportation can be distributed over a long period of years 
and the unit costs kept at a reasonable figure. It is necessary 
to strike a balance between investment, operating charges and 
maintenance, because the logger with a limited output cannot 
incur heavier transportation costs than his larger competitors, 
if he is to be successful. The success of any system of primary 
transportation depends largely upon the skill displayed in ana- 
lyzing the conditions found on any particular area and upon the 
efficiency of the supervising force in installing and operating 
the chosen system. 
