Pulpwood

[csxnscale]

Hi loggers,

I just wonder if the pulpwood used in the paper mills is a, lets say, second product of logging or is it complete different business?

Paul

 

[hawkeye2]

Pulp

Paul,
Pulpwood is an industry unto itself. Pulpwood cutters may do some logging if they buy stumpage that includes the correct size and type tree but only if. Trees for pulp are usually smaller as you can cut the same lot over many years sooner. Most pulpwood was hauled by truck, usually very tired looking, and almost always owned by the same person who did the cutting. The rule was to get every last stick you could on that truck and to H___ with the weight. If you haven't loaded a truck with just your 2 hands and a pulp hook you have realy missed something. Some railroads such as the Maine Central hauled pupwood, usually on bulkhead flats. It was cut in 4' lengths and 2 side by side rows were loaded on the car to the top of the bulkheads.

 

[DanRaitz]

Pulpwood is still by moved railroads today. Usually it is moved in gondolas. I found these photo's on the site www.rr-fallenflags.org

 

[DanRaitz]

another shot from that site

 

[hawkeye2]

Grat load for your gons. Those look like 8' sticks. There are probably cable slings under those loads so they can be picked (in one lift?) off at the mill. The era of the 4' stick probably ended in the early 80's, can't say for sure, I was long gone from Maine by then.

 

[csxnscale]

Thanks for the explenation and the pix.

Paul

 

[shamus]

I like the photo's of the Gons, just imagine cutting all the little tiny logs up

Shamus

 

[K.V.Div]

Pulp mills out here in the west also aquire a lot of wood chips from sawmills were trimmings and edgings are chipped up and loaded into either dedicated wood chip gondolas or sent by road in large chip vans.
Also, I have seen many towed barges in the local waterways full of chips headed for the pulp mills.
Happy modeling and Cheers!

Terry