Log trucks are used to carry logs long distances. Their length and power facilitate the quick and efficient transport of heavy logs of a variety of sizes. They first made their appearance shortly after the invention of automobiles in the first quarter of the 20th century. Their invention has transformed the logging industry and different features have assured that loggers are no longer restricted to bore logs near water sources for easy transportation, nor are they restricted to working in just the summer months.

Contents 1 History 1.1 The 19th Century 1.2 The Early 20th Century 1.3 After World War II 2 Features/How it Works 3 Common Manufacturers 4 Additional Photos 5 References

[edit] History

[edit] The 19th Century

In the late 19th century, logs were formally transported with the help of oxen, horses, mules, and manpower. Logging took place mainly in areas with a nearby water source, such as a river or stream where logs could be moved using water chutes or tubes and they were kept in ponds and rivers until the season permitted loggers to make further use of them.^[1] This technique was widely used in the forests of Kiso, Japan.

In other countries such as Australia, logs were rolled by men down pathways, sometimes with the help of horses that would tire easily and become less efficient as the winter months rolled in. Still, these logs were slowly and tediously loaded onto sleighs and brought to the nearest site of water.^[2]

This also meant that on some occasions, temporary roads were built in order to accommodate sleighs, but this presented problems when ice and snow started to build up and it became to dangerous to do so. The early Australian loggers utilized techniques referred to as “snigging” when it was too hot to use horses. Logs were pushed down chutes that led to holes that were dug in the ground. In Australia and New Zealand alike, tramways or temporary railways were built and horses pulled logs on carriages to their destination. Horse-powered logging was among the most popular technique, especially in the southern states of the U.S. Carts were produced with two wheels and an axle that was used to pull logs onto the top of the cart bed. John Lindsey developed one of the most popular versions of this: it contained tongs that pulled the logs up with the help of a tongue that raised and lowered the logs.^[3]

[edit] The Early 20th Century

By the first quarter of the 20th century, the process of transporting logs began to change. Machines with internal combustion engines meant that more weight could be supported and size was no longer an obstacle. Bulldozers such as the ones produced by LeTourneau entered the scene but they could not drive on roads or highways.

The first motor trucks were very basic and had steel tires and small engines. Logs could be transported, but the nature of the first motor trucks meant trucks could only endure the impact of roads that were already worn in and paved. The first trucks were limited in the log length that they could support but they were efficient in transporting logs from the site of boring to the railway or mill.^[4]

Other vehicles like the Ford T and Ford TT models were often used for logging because they were cheap, readily available, and small enough to get in and out of the woods.^[5]

Perhaps the first truck used for logging was in 1913 on the Pacific Coast. Its manufacturer is not known. Of the first to produce logging trucks was the Mack brothers.

Temporary roads had to be built for logging trucks. This meant many trucks were equipped with chains and were assisted by steam donkeys and crawler tractors in areas the truck could not accommodate.^[6]

Log trucks took a new turn when the First World War ended. The government had approximately 150 Standard trucks available. They were produced for the war but their availability meant new methods of transporting logs in the most efficient and cost-conserving way.

Heavy-duty trucks became the goal of some of the first and only manufacturers of the 1920s. Lombard and Linn both came out with a hybrid of tractors and trucks. The 100 horsepower gas engine trucks with tracked wheels and log bunks could even combat the icy roads that loggers had to contend with.^[7]

Kelly-Springfield produced the K-S around the 1920s. It consisted of a rear-positioned radiator, a three-speed transmission, and could come in one-, two-, and three-ton capacity. This type of truck was so popular that it was the truck of choice at least 50 percent of the time.

Another popular machine at this time was the Mack AC—with a radiator positioned in the rear as well, it had good driver visibility and a chain drive that could combat steep hills. It was used until the 1950s, with improvements such as a “stump puller," Pneumatic tires, and a choice of four- or six-cylinder engine or Cummins diesel engine.^[8]

Improvements were also made in the braking systems as well as the engine horsepower and pneumatic tires. These improvements increased the use of logging trucks so much that by the 1930s, trucks were being used as often as railways.^[9]

One of the problems that loggers had to face after the war is that a lot of forests were destroyed during the war battles. New forest territories needed to be found, and to do so it meant daring to go down steeper hills and rougher terrain, but loggers of this time were very creative and often made various changes to their current models to fit the circumstances.^[10]

Hayes-Anderson, a heavy duty logging truck manufacturer in Vancouver, British Columbia, was responsible for the first dual axles, the first diesel engine on a log truck, and the first self-loading trailers. Other manufacturers were developing, such as Bulldog, the White Motor Co. and LeTourneau.

The biggest drawbacks to the log trucks that were developed during this time were the tires and the roads. Because log trucks were needed for such a wide range of conditions, snow, wet grass, etc., loggers began replacing the tires with skis, or buying crawler tractors and connecting a dozer blade by a winch to get the job completed. Trucks were even fitted with railway wheels in the 1940s and were often fitted with cables to provide extra traction when needed.

In the 1930s, the conventional hard rubber tires were made obsolete when Goodyear produced a 12-ply rayon cord tire.

[edit] After World War II

The logging industry in the U.S. experienced setbacks after the war. While other industries such as construction were booming because of the need to rebuild shattered nations, the logging industry suffered an acute loss because the number of trees valuable for logging had decreased considerably. The only solution was to venture into uncharted logging territory. Elsewhere in the world, in Scandinavian countries, the Soviet Union, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, forestry was in abundance.

Very little happened with the advancement of logging trucks for the next few decades; however, better roads and highways were built, and this meant logging trucks could go where they previously couldn’t. Rubber tires were becoming more widespread and preferred for their speed. At this time, power trains were increased; oversized brakes were installed and transmissions were increased to five or more speeds.

By the 1950s logging trucks were the main source of transportation for logs, replacing trains and other means, with 69 percent being removed by trucks alone.^[11]

Heavy-duty trucks such as Peterbilt’s 355 Model were being manufactured to handle bigger and better. The Big Model 355, which appeared in 1954, had an axle directly under the cab to provide a sharp turning radius. Both had Cummins engines and a diesel with 350 horsepower.^[12]

The period from the 1960s up to present day has seen log trucks traveling up and down steeper hills than before, especially with the production of vehicles like LeTourneau’s Log Transporter. The Log Transporter was a combination of an off-highway truck and a forwarder, and consisted of rubber tires six feet (1.8 m) in diameter and wheels that were powered by electricity. The wheels were independent, so if one tire went out of control, the power could be easily transferred to the others.

[edit] Features/How it Works

The cab is where the driver sits. At the rear of this is a cab protector that usually consists of metal bars that protect the cab from the heavy loads hauled onto the truck.

Trucks typically include a diesel engine, power steering, a fifth wheel, and pneumatic tires. Trailers can be added by winches, derricks, or cables to help in transporting large loads on highways. Trailers also usually have tanks that drip water on the brakes to keep them from overheating.

[edit] Common Manufacturers

• Freightliner
• International
• Kenworth
• Mack
• Western Star

[edit] Additional Photos

[edit] References

1. ↑ Wood, Donald F. Logging Trucks: 1915-1979 Archive. Iconografix: 1996.
2. ↑ Drushka, Ken. Tracks in the Forest. Timberjack Group: Helsinki, 1997.
3. ↑ Drushka, Ken. Tracks in the Forest. Timberjack Group: Helsinki, 1997.
4. ↑ Drushka, Ken. Tracks in the Forest. Timberjack Group: Helsinki, 1997.
5. ↑ Wood, Donald F. Logging Trucks: 1915-1979 Archive. Iconografix: 1996.
6. ↑ Creighton, Jeff. Logging Trucks. Motorbooks International: Osceola, WI, 1997.
7. ↑ Drushka, Ken. Tracks in the Forest. Timberjack Group: Helsinki, 1997.
8. ↑ Creighton, Jeff. Logging Trucks. Motorbooks International: Osceola, WI, 1997.
9. ↑ Log Truck Stirs Dust through Clearcut. The Oregon History Project. 2008-09-24.
10. ↑ Drushka, Ken. Tracks in the Forest. Timberjack Group: Helsinki, 1997.
11. ↑ Creighton, Jeff. Logging Trucks. Motorbooks International: Osceola, WI, 1997.
12. ↑ Creighton, Jeff. Logging Trucks. Motorbooks International: Osceola, WI, 1997.