Sawmills of the South are currently humming a busy tune, turning out about 10 billion board feet of lumber yearly to make our region the second largest lumber-producing section in the country.

The South is also one of its own best lumber customers. It leads the rest of the nation in residential housing being built and has had a consistently high rate of industrial construction.

Southern wants lumber movements to be made by rail to the extent it is possible to attract this business. Anyone driving on southern highways knows how much lumber now moves by truck. There's a lot of business we can go after.

One of the ways we're doing this is by letting it be known that we are really interested in having lumber busiqess. Interested enough that our railway now has developed a new car for lumber service - a car enthusiastically described by one building trades magazine writer as a "lumber shipper's 'dreamboat.' "

Designed by Southern's operating department, the new lumber car has sides that open completely to permit direct and easy side - loading or unloading of bulk lumber shipments with the use of fork - lift trucks.

Since either or both sides may be entirely opened, this eliminates the need for extra switching at loading or delivery points.

The "easy - load, easy - unload" feature is made possible by the flexible construction of the car sides which allows them to be raised to a storage position beneath the roof.

Both panels on one side have been raised. Center post and side stakes, which prevent lateral shifting of load in transit. are still in place.

Southern's new lumber car with sectional sides closed roughly resembles a doorless box car. Each side consists of two panels, divided by a center post, which can be raised together or singly into storage pbsition below the car roof.

With center post detached from top and swung downward, and side stakes lowered into the car floor, one side of the car is completely open to receive lumber of any length up to 40 feet.

When the car has been loaded, the movable aluminum bulkheads shown on either side of the center post are securely ~nchored to prevent longitudinal shifting of the load.

Each of the car's sides consists of two panels made up of sections hinged together. The panels are fitted with counterbalanced springs to aid in raising them and keeping them up. When closed, the panels can be locked and a car seal applied.

When the car is loaded and under way, aluminum center posts and metal stakes along the sides prevent the loads from shifting against the sides. In opening 'the car for unloading (or to receive loads) the center posts swing down and out of the way and the side stakes are lowered into the car floor .

Movable bulkheads to prevent longitudinal shifting are another unique feature of the car. Made of aluminum, the two bulkheads can be rolled into position on overhead trolleys and locked in any location. They can be adjusted to any spread from practically zero inches (when they are together mid - length of the car) to 40 feet when farthest apart. This provides for great flexibility in loading standard or non-standard lengths according to shippers' needs.

Like the development of Southern's wood-chip cars (see August 1959 Ties) , the new lumber car is another successful outcome of continuing efforts by Southern's operating department to tailor equipment to fit specific need's of southern industry.

It's another instance of imagination at work making Southern service more attractive and demonstrating to shippers our railway's intent to do a better job, in every way possible, of moving their freight.