Logging Railroads

Logging Railroads. . In the early days, this area was forested with vast swaths of huge virgin timber. As timber became less available along waterways, logging spur lines and railroad sidings were constructed to access more distant timber. Many logging camps sprang up along the rails. Logs were moved to the rail by log chutes made of hewn trees, or skidded by horses, or hauled by horse-drawn sleighs. , Logging locomotives were short, coal-burning, gear-driven, steam engines designed to slowly pull heavy loads up steep slopes. During winter months, workers called "sand monkeys" applied sand to the steep rails for traction and braking. , Steam donkey engines along the spur lines, loaded logs onto flatcars using an A-frame jammer and "pigs feet" log clamps. Operators were referred to as "donkey punchers." , The locomotive pulled loaded cars from the spur to the mainline, leaving them on a siding to be exchanged for empties when a train came by. Sometimes, the locomotive pulled the logging train directly to the mill on the mainline.