INCLINES 337 
locomotive. Loaded ears were brought out from the lateral 
spurs by a locomotive and placed on a siding near the incline. 
The lowering car was then run in on the switch and coupled 
to the loaded cars, which were then pulled out upon the incline 
and lowered. Two or three loaded or six empty cars were 
handled at one time. This system has proved satisfactory on 
inclines 4800 feet long and with maximum grades of 30 per cent, 
the machine lowering 40 cars, daily, under these conditions. 
Counterbalanced Inclines. — These are designed so that as 
a loaded car descends an empty one ascends. There may be 
a single track from the base to a point about midway of the 
incline where a passing switch is installed and single or double 
tracks then continued to the summit. Sometimes triple rails 
are used with a passing switch at the midway point. The 
loaded and empty cars then use the middle rail in common. 
A counterbalanced incline built in California was 8000 feet long 
and had a drop of 3100 feet, the grades running from 10 to 78 
per cent with an average of 45 per cent. The lowering engine 
was equipped with a single drum driven by 14- by 14-inch engines, 
geared to a ratio of 12 to 1, and providing a car speed of 600 
feet per minute. Two independent sets of friction brakes were 
provided. The 6 by 19 plow steel cable was 1§ inches in 
diameter and was held down on depressions by sheaves supported 
on trestle work 16 feet above the ground level. Sheaves also 
were placed in the track where the cable might drag on the ground 
in order to keep it out of the dirt. 
A special design of car holding 5000 board feet was used which 
had a steel bulk head 5 feet high at the front end to prevent the 
logs from sliding forward on the car. The time required to lower 
a car varied from 10 to 12 minutes including the time necessary 
to attach the cable at the summit and detach it at the foot of 
the incline. 
There are several devices, known as ''snubbing machines," 
used for lowering logs down an inclined track. 
The chief feature of the friction-brake snubbing machine is 
a heavy frame, carrying a large drum on which is wound the 
cable that holds the loaded cars in check. The speed of the cars 
is regulated by means of hea\'y band brakes placed on flanges 
attached on either side of the drum. 
The haul cable is returned to the toji of the incline^ by various 
