The Loading, Handling and Transporting of Lumber

Bv A.G. Perkins, Transportation Supervisor California Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, Calif.

Of the major world industries, lumbering has been recognized dorvn through the centuries as important and widespread. Like other great enterprises its gowth has been characterized by improved methods of manufacturing, transporting, and finally fashioning into the countless items rl'hich benefit mankind. Just who is the lumber industry and where does it begin and end? It begins in the forest where trees grow-it ends when the carpenter, cabinet maker or other artisan shapes and secures it. This final disposition may take place by one speaking a different language, across continents, or in a different hemisphere from where the tree grerv and the lumber was originally made. Let us consi<ler then that this great industry might be subdivided into three general groups or stages, namely, manufacturing, transporting and disposition. How well does one group know the other and how well do they cooperate for mutual benefits ?

Of the first group, they are divided at least into two camps-the logging and mill segments. The observer recognizes each to have a different language, trend of thought and interest, and the body as a whoie quite unfamiliar .ivith and disinterested in the transportation group in the middle and the disposition group on the far end. Of the middle or transporting group, whether it be by rail, highway, or water, quite naturally the lumber traffic is lost in that great mass of items which make up the freight traffic of a carrier or system of carriers. They have only a speaking acquaintance with the two other groups and that with a traffic accent. What about the last or distributing group ? Unlike the manufacturing segment they are widespread in every community. If the place can support a post office, store, school and church, you'll find a lumber yard. Included in this group are the contractors and woodworking artisans of all calibers. \A/hat is their interest and acquaintance with the manufacturing and transportation group ? From little to none. Can it be that these three sizeable and important groups have nothing in common? No, they have much where mutual interest would benefit the entire family. The measures and means of packaging, securing and shipping lumber products on flat railrcad cars provides that field of mutual interest and benefit. There is no other field where all three groups have so much to gain in a single program.

The rules governing the loading of lumber products on open top railroad cars are promulgated by the railroads through their Association of American Railroads. Like the Association they are national in scope and also govern the Canadian lines. They are enforced and supervised by the mechanical representatives of railroads. Their purpose is to guide shippers in putting up a practical, safe load which will ride to destination without shifting on the car as the result of end shock and oscillation to such an extent and in such a way as to endanger the traveling public, strike railroad employees, structures, signals, and other cars or trains. Not only are the railroads and their brotherhoods desirous of accomplishing this but Federal and State regulatory agencies demand no less in the interest of the public.

The past decade has rvitnessed development of two vehicles which has cl-ranged lhe whole picture of handling, shipping and storing lumber, particularly small dimension material. The Hyster and Carrier have supplanted much of the laborious and expensive handling by hand. Either machine is capable of handling units or packages of several thousand feet, provided, of course, that the units or packages are sufficiently compact and solid. To be realistic, therefore, is to regard the handling, shipping and storage of small dimension lumber in terms of packages for open top car loading. It is by ihese means that lumber can be economically, expeditiously and saf ely handled. These factors are responsible for the ever-increasing number of flat car shipments.

To u'hom are the loading rules entrusted ? Who and wl-rat

tflA[E FRIE]lllS ilAtE ttl0ilEr

witlr secu rity "RoY

AL DUTCH" Products

SECUR,ITY ROYAL DUTCH PAINT MFG. CO.

162l No. Ind'iona Slreel, Los Angeles 6il

Tefephone: ANgelus l'0358