The raalroad's role in serving the consumer

T RANSPORTATION between the I oroducer and the consumer ls a vital link in the economic chain. Railroads have been providing that element almost since the beginning of the lumber business in theWest. Union Pacific was one of the pioneer lumber haulers and still strives for innovation in freight handling today.

The 9500-mile system directly serves Iarge areas of the lumber producing states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana. From this vast territory, LIP reaches southern California and Ne vada via its line through southern ldaho, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. In most cases, its rates between the two regions are competitive with the direct north, south routes.

Forest products coming out of the

JUST a little longer than the standard boxcar, UP's new 52'6" cars permit a lot more to be loaded, are liked by lumber shippers. Road is building 500 more of these cars. They eliminate most dunnage. save material and labor for the shipper and provide bet' ter car utilization for the railroad. Picture was taken at Fort Vancouver Plywood, Vancouver, Wa.

Pacific Northwest on IJP to the southwest move on such expedited trains as the "PLA" from Portland which provides fourth morning delivery at Los Angeles.

Despite the recession and its effect on the building industry-and the railroads-it's the rare UP train with general freight that doesn't have at least one car of lumber in its consist.

If the load is dimension material, that car may be a flatcar-with its ease of forklift loading and unloading-or its refined cousin, the bulkhead flatcarwith the added feature of its sturdy end structures to curb shifting of the lading.

But it's still that railroad maid-ofall-work, the boxcar, that remains most popular with shippers and receivers of lumber.

Virtually all rail-hauled board and the majority of dimension lumber moves in boxcars.

However, almost anything can be improved and UP, h response to a call from Western lumber shippers, last year began adding to its roster slightly longer boxcars that are especially convenient for plywood loads.

Stretching the standard 50'boxcar design to 52'6" enables three more 4'x8' units to be loaded. The car is capable of accommodating 39 such units. These cars also have 14' wide doors for easy forklift maneuvering.

The increased capacity makes fo-r better utilization of the car and Union Pacific likes that. But the customer benefits, too: elimination of considerable dunnage. This saves on both material and labor for installation by the shipper and disposal by the receiver.

Last year, the road built 500 of these cars which have received good comments from its customers. By the end of 1975, another 500 will be ready for service. The cars are particularly popular with shippers of plywood and

Story at a Glance

Numerous innovations continue to mark the progress of the railroads in the transportation of lumber and building materials throughout the West stretched boxcars, particularly, have many advantages.

EASY to spot is rail-hauled lumber on flat cars. Union Pacific says most lumber moves in boxcars, however.

of particleboard, the latter one of up,s fastest growing commodities.

Expenditures for these cars, ntost of which were produced in the road's shops at Portland, are part of $1.5 billion spent by LIP during the past l0 years on new locomotives, freight cars, yard facilities, repair centers and on advanced computer, communications and control systems to enhance efficiency. New car and locomotive orders this year alone total $ 140 million.

UP continues to look for better ways of railroading. In an effort to further improve its equiprnent utilization and its service, the company's marketing department is experimenting with intermodal hauling of lumber. Piggybacking loaded highway trailers aboard railroad flatcars would provide job-site materials delivery, reducing handling.

Fred L. Morgan, assistan t-v.p.-sales, urges lumber and building industry people to convey their ideas for better railroad service to their local UP traffic repre sentat ives.