Logging companies not only built their own railroads as needed, but ofter built their own equipment , too. Famous locomotives were designed especially for such hard work and are well-known: Shay, Heisler, and Climax. Designed to operate over rough track and pull long, heavy loads, these geared engines earned their cost many times over in one of the most dangerous work environments there is. Here we see a Climax locomotive circa 1920 pulling logs loaded onto 'disconnects'. Some bridge, eh?
This Shay locomotive and crew are proud to have their portrait taken with a train of logs coming out of the woods.
This conventional side-rod oil-fired locomotive is seen in this card hauling logs loaded onto flat cars.
Could this be the smallest full scale Shay locomotive ever built? This is a postcard of an outing in the Michigan woods.
The scene below is of a log dump where logs are rolled off the cars and into a holding area prior to being pulled into the sawmill. In the distance are the masts of sailing ships, probably for use in the lumber trade.
