02-17-2015, 04:50 AM
When I went to Cass last October, they explained that the locomotives were always kept on the down hill side of the train. This was for safety incase a coupler broke, or brakes failed on a car. The switchbacks at Cass had run-around tracks, where they can move the loco around the train and get it on the down hill side. They are gone now as they just pulled the train into the switchback.
As far as the loco's, my guess is that using regular mainline 4-4-0's and 2-4-0's was the exception and not the rule. In most cases, logging railroads used a light cheaper rail, than the standard rail, and mostly narrow gauge such as 3'. The pounding that a "side rod" locomotive gave the rail would wear out the rail quicker than the geared loco's, such as Shays and Hieslers would. Mostly mainline side rod loco's weren't designed for the tough grades that some logging railroads would encounter. Also, logging railroads wouldn't use ties that were supplied to the standard gauge railroads. Spiking a rail to a chunk of log was usually the norm, and it was cheaper to use part of a tree that was cut down, and readily available from the right of ways that were cut through forest. Plus the right of ways were rough, and barely maintained, which would of been hell on a standard mainline side rod. The geared loco's were specifically designed, for light rails, tough grades and badly maintained right of ways.
The pictures you saw might of been trains that were loaded up near standard gauge tracks, with the logs being brought to the mainline by horses or a drag line, and loaded up on a siding. Probably from a hillside that was even to rough for a geared loco.
As far as the loco's, my guess is that using regular mainline 4-4-0's and 2-4-0's was the exception and not the rule. In most cases, logging railroads used a light cheaper rail, than the standard rail, and mostly narrow gauge such as 3'. The pounding that a "side rod" locomotive gave the rail would wear out the rail quicker than the geared loco's, such as Shays and Hieslers would. Mostly mainline side rod loco's weren't designed for the tough grades that some logging railroads would encounter. Also, logging railroads wouldn't use ties that were supplied to the standard gauge railroads. Spiking a rail to a chunk of log was usually the norm, and it was cheaper to use part of a tree that was cut down, and readily available from the right of ways that were cut through forest. Plus the right of ways were rough, and barely maintained, which would of been hell on a standard mainline side rod. The geared loco's were specifically designed, for light rails, tough grades and badly maintained right of ways.
The pictures you saw might of been trains that were loaded up near standard gauge tracks, with the logs being brought to the mainline by horses or a drag line, and loaded up on a siding. Probably from a hillside that was even to rough for a geared loco.
Torrington, Ct.
NARA Member #87
I went to my Happy Place, but it was closed for renovations.
NARA Member #87
I went to my Happy Place, but it was closed for renovations.