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How long are logs?

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
How long are logs?
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 23, 2003 8:28 PM
There must be some logging buffs out there. I am curious about the length loggers would cut logs for shipping to a sawmill. MDC makes a 3-in-1 kit that makes a decent looking model for a logging spur. Logs 32 scale feet look good on that. 40 foot or 50 foot flatcars can carry longer logs. Diconnect trucks can haul a whopper, for long timbers or telephone poles. But there must be a "common" length, or was it dependant on the individual operation? I that case, anything goes, I guess. Also, were timber for lumber and pulpwood sometimes BOTH cut by a logging operation? Sure could make use of the rest of the tree. I think pulp is either 8 feet or 100 inches in length, and often loaded into gondolas, with a few logs stood on end at each end to make a "bulkhead" height load.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
How long are logs?
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 23, 2003 8:28 PM
There must be some logging buffs out there. I am curious about the length loggers would cut logs for shipping to a sawmill. MDC makes a 3-in-1 kit that makes a decent looking model for a logging spur. Logs 32 scale feet look good on that. 40 foot or 50 foot flatcars can carry longer logs. Diconnect trucks can haul a whopper, for long timbers or telephone poles. But there must be a "common" length, or was it dependant on the individual operation? I that case, anything goes, I guess. Also, were timber for lumber and pulpwood sometimes BOTH cut by a logging operation? Sure could make use of the rest of the tree. I think pulp is either 8 feet or 100 inches in length, and often loaded into gondolas, with a few logs stood on end at each end to make a "bulkhead" height load.
  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Corpus Christi, Texas
  • 2,377 posts
Posted by leighant on Saturday, October 4, 2003 9:38 AM
I model 1950s. Santa Fe pulpwood racks had a V-shaped floor so there would be two stacks of pulpwood across the width of the car, both sloping towards the inside of the car. That would make each piece of pulpwood approx. 4' long since the overall car is about 9' wide over the deck. You can look at prototype pix and probably guesstimate the size of the logs from comparison to the dimensions of the car.
  • Member since
    August 2002
  • From: Corpus Christi, Texas
  • 2,377 posts
Posted by leighant on Saturday, October 4, 2003 9:38 AM
I model 1950s. Santa Fe pulpwood racks had a V-shaped floor so there would be two stacks of pulpwood across the width of the car, both sloping towards the inside of the car. That would make each piece of pulpwood approx. 4' long since the overall car is about 9' wide over the deck. You can look at prototype pix and probably guesstimate the size of the logs from comparison to the dimensions of the car.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 8:15 PM
Logs run from 8 feet to tree lenght as for pulp operations some send the best logs to a saw mill and the rest to pulp except when the pulp demand is high then they all go to pulp. 4 foot is usualy prefered for pulp.
  • Member since
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  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 8:15 PM
Logs run from 8 feet to tree lenght as for pulp operations some send the best logs to a saw mill and the rest to pulp except when the pulp demand is high then they all go to pulp. 4 foot is usualy prefered for pulp.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 5:36 PM
Pulp = paper right?

What other uses possible?
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    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 5:36 PM
Pulp = paper right?

What other uses possible?
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 23, 2003 2:58 PM
Thanks for the thoughts, all! It seems that the length of logs for lumber depended more on the equipment for moving them and the sawmills capacity than anything. I will just match the length of my log buggies.

And gondola loads of 8 footers, or 100 inch logs for pulp and ties will add a few extra loaded cars to the outbound shipments. My grandfather used to take me to the paper mill where he worked, and we would watch the "steam jammer" unload these gondola loads for as long as he was patient! LOL Acres were covered with long piles of 8 foot logs stored for off season, and reloaded into gons owned by the mill. Apearantly more pulp was cut during some months, stored, and used later.

I helped cut tie logs many years ago, and it seems that they were 100 inches, rather than the 96 inch pulp length.

Thanks!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, October 23, 2003 2:58 PM
Thanks for the thoughts, all! It seems that the length of logs for lumber depended more on the equipment for moving them and the sawmills capacity than anything. I will just match the length of my log buggies.

And gondola loads of 8 footers, or 100 inch logs for pulp and ties will add a few extra loaded cars to the outbound shipments. My grandfather used to take me to the paper mill where he worked, and we would watch the "steam jammer" unload these gondola loads for as long as he was patient! LOL Acres were covered with long piles of 8 foot logs stored for off season, and reloaded into gons owned by the mill. Apearantly more pulp was cut during some months, stored, and used later.

I helped cut tie logs many years ago, and it seems that they were 100 inches, rather than the 96 inch pulp length.

Thanks!

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