Pulp, Ponds& Chainhauls

[MT Hopper]

Chainhauls and ponds are prototypical for timber/lumber operations. All the sources I've encountered to date suggest that for pulp & paper mills, only trucks or pulpwood cars are used to haul the wood out.That's fine BUT they all appear to simply dump the pulpwood logs into piles on the ground.Yet I have two sources that show video with single and dual log hauls BUT do not state explicitly that they are pulpwood operations. MY QUESTION. In handling pulpwood logs, when they arrive at the mill are they only dumped on the ground in piles OR are they also dumped into holding ponds and then chainhauled into the mill?

Cheers from the Heart of the Continent
Will

 

[sumpter250]

Pulpwood, is generally not "construction grade" lumber, and is usually cut in much smaller lengths for ease in hauling, and processing. Longer logs, are typically sent to mills to be sawn into board lumber, and then on to construction, furniture, etc. A pulpwood mill would normally not have a "log pond", though it would most likely be located near a river, as there is a lot of water used in processing pulp into paper.

 

[MT Hopper]

Thanks sumpter. There are two sites I "googled" that refer to the practice of hauling the pulpwood to a river or lake landing and then rafting them down to the mill. I am beginning to suspect it is a case of geographic circumstance affecting practice. The sites are , Early Logging Operations, and, Papermaking in Ontario - The Move North. The video footage I saw is from the Government of Ontario archivial site. It shows brief grainy footage of an American Goodwill Tour to Abitibi Power and Papers Iriquois Falls Pulp Plant in 1962. Very clearly in the video one see's a small pusher boat shoving long length pulp logs in the mill pond. So my question to you is, is this in fact a practice peculiar to the geographic circumstances of North West Ontario!??

Cheers from the Heart of the Continent
Will

 

[Mountain Man]

It also depends on what the logs are going to be used for. Some companies pre-soak their logs to aid in particular processes. Paper mills are one of the best examples.

The only rule I have ever seen is that there is no hard and fast rule except "the golden rule" - if it's your gold that's paying for your modelling, you get to make the rules!

Have fun - put in a pond and and the rest of the gear! :thumb:

 

[Jim Krause]

I think you would have to define an era and do research from that basis. As a teen ager, I helped my brother cut pulpwood logs. we cut them to eight foot lengths (for truck transportation) I remember my dad cutting, peeling, and splitting cottonwood logs during the depression for pulp. The mills of the Pacific Northwest (Weyerhauser and Scott Paper) had chippers that would handle quite large logs.

 

[sumpter250]

It shows brief grainy footage of an American Goodwill Tour to Abitibi Power and Papers Iriquois Falls Pulp Plant in 1962. Very clearly in the video one see's a small pusher boat shoving long length pulp logs in the mill pond.

I guess, the real question is: Do you want to model the pond, chainhaul, etc. as part of a paper mill operation?
If yes, you have a prototype. Have fun! (freelance is optional, and permitted...what I meant by "prototype" was, "it has been done, by someone, somewhere" )
{edit} One of the magazines had an occasional topic called "It aint prototype", which documented the actual use of practises which were not considered "prototype", such as turnouts on trestles, etc.. You can probably find a "prototype" for almost anything, the only caveat?, keep these to a minimum, they may have been done, but not to a great amount, and not all on one railway.

 

[MT Hopper]

Thanks folks. Now curiosity drives me to pursue this question. I hope to get to Kenora, Ontario this coming spring and if I can convince my wife, 3 children and a dog we may get further into North West Ontario and stop at some nice smelly pulp operations. At any rate I will most certainly take a camera and post the results.
Thanks all again

Cheers from the Heart of the Continent
Will

p.s. the aforemenioned video in fact does clearly show the signage as being that of a pulp operation.

 

[stump7]

Will
Here are some photos of a paper mill in Rumfprd Maine in the mid 90's. As you can see they use whole logs, "pulp" size wood as well as wood chips. If this photo works I'll send another.
Stump 7

 

[stump7]

Will
Here is how they transferred the pulp logs from the huge stock piles into the chipper building. It is a cement ditch through which they ran water then used grapple hooks on the cranes to dump in the pulp logs. It may not be what you want; but it is how one mill in the Northeast does it.
Stump7

 

[MT Hopper]

Thanks stump 7. When I can I will take the photos of the Superior north shore pulp ops, and post them.
Cheers from the Heart of the Continent
Will