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The logging railroads, that were built in Europe around the turn of the century, transported the trees cut from the still existing numerous and vast stands of wood. Since these forrests were hardly developed, the transportation of the heavy logs with animal-power was time consuming and laborious, in the case of bad weather even impossible. In mountainous regions the log transportation even had to wait until the winter came with enough snow, so the logs could be brought down with sleds, making this a highly dangerous work. An alternative were log-chutes or log-trails, made up drag-lines, both being just as expensive as elaborate to maintain.
Even around the turn of the century the european wood-industry complained about the low prices, caused by cheap imports mostly from overseas.
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Especially on the american continent there was an early mechanization in the timber industry. Beneath numerous steam-powered machines like Donkey-Engines, a kind of steam-winch, it was the logging railroad that helped to work the tremendous stands of virgin wood. One of the most important developements regarding logging railroads was that of a geared steam locomotive, which was constructed by Ephraim Shay in 1877.
This Shay locomotive, as well other geared locomotives developed later, faciliated the transport of heavy logs over rough track with tight curves and strong grades, where regular rod locomotives would stall or derail. The logging railroads that grew on this technology are to heavy to fit into the light railways scheme.
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To have a chance to sell european timber against this competition, it was evident, that the production cost, meaning the cost and time employed in cuting and transporting the logs, had to decrease. Simultaniously the productivity had to increase.
The first reason light railways were constructed, was to achieve a decrease in transportation costs between the woods and the saw- or papermill. So they were designed, similar as in farming, as waggon railroads, and rather operating locomotives.
These logging railroads filled their needs. Between the mill and the woods a few "main"-lines were permanently constructed. To these lines temporary loading tracks, made up of light frame-track, were connected by means of special switches (climbing switch).
If a clearing cut had to be done on level grounds, first a lane was cut perpendicular to the main line. In this lane the first stretch of temporary track was laid. After all logs had been brought out, the next row of trees along the lane was cut, and the temporary track was moved the appropriate distance to the side. This went on until the complete area was cleared.
In mountainous terrain, the logging railroad was constructed down in the valley. The logs, that had been cut on the hills or along the hill-sides, had to roll down into the valley, where they would be loaded on the railroad. If it was necessary to lay tracks up the hills, horse-teams or locomotives would have been used to carry the empty cars uphill, while the loaded cars would coast down by gravity. The cars were equipped with brakes to have control over their speed.
Logging railroads were constructed, when larger stands of wood guaranteed a continous flow of logs. Also a clearing cut often made the use of logging-railroads necessary. The use of locomotives for motive power was taken as justified, when an amount of 10,000 cubic meter of solid timber had to be transported of a year. With less timber expected to transport, horse teams were assumed to be sufficient.
The two logging railroads at Spiegelau and Zwiesel, both in the Bavarian Forest, have been the last of their kind in (former) West Germany. Both ran on 600 mm (23-5/8") gauge track, were abandoned around 1960, and eventually have left not a single trace.
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