New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-05-16
HUDSON RIVER RAILROAD.
Rnsiueer,s Annual Report, April, 1850.

ENGINEERS OFFICE, II. r. RAIL Road
NEw-YoRK, April 10, 1850. )
To The Board of Diyecto,s of The Hudoa Railroad Co..
GEsTLEmES-At the date Of your last public re-
port, August 90 ls49, the work Of grading, laying
the track and preparing station arrangements for
your road south OF Peekskill, had far advanced To-
ward completion, sufficient to permit the trans
portation Of passengers.
The opening Of the road for public travel. be-
tween Thirty frsts st. New-York and that place
occurred on the Goth Of September. On the 3lst
of December, the entire line was brought into use
from Chambers st. New York, TO Poughkeepsie.
The road has now been in operation for period
Of about six months, during a season Of the year
most trying to the stability Of the work. From
the experience thus furnished, l proceed to offer
some statements in regard to the present condition
of the road, and its proper maintenance, and also
in relation TO its capacity tor business
Condition of Me Road
The plan of grading adopted for the road bed
south OF Peughkeepsie, was Tor double track.
having width Of 90 feet in rock cuttings, ~ feet
in tunnel cuttings and "a feet between bridge aoat
ments The embankments have been designed 80
feet wide having a wide margin Oh ten ieet De,
tween the face OF the river wai' anu tnes"es' ran
Of the track. ,
These dime nsions have been carried out in the
construction Of the road bed, as nearly az could be-
done consistently with early opening Of the road
for public use. The stability Of the road amid the
irving circumstances Of the first Winter, has at
tracted general commentator, and its power Of
resisting the ordinary influences Of ice, waves and
storms, has been fully indicated The imperfec-
tons which have become manifest are such az adj
NIT OF an easy remedy the most important OF these
consists in the subsistence Of the earth embank-
ments Immediately behind the river wall, owing To
the gradual washing of the finer materials Of the
embankment through the wall, by the action Of the
waves dashing against il and penetrating the stone
work.
An effectual remedy is obtained by filling ia be.
hind the wal with gravel or coarse material which
cannot wash through the lnterstices OF the wall,
and which serves 10 retain the embankment
Much has already been done toward reme3ying
this difficulty.
Shortly after opening the road, during unusu-
ally severe storm, the waves made breach over
tie road at four exposed points, sornewhat de-
ranging the track and interruptlng the trains for
day or two This occurred only in consequence Of
the protection walls being in an unfinished condl-
ton They have since been raised sufficiently 10
prevent recurrence Of a similar interruption.
With this single exception the road has endured
the ordeal Of six months exposure and business
wear ia a manner TO Justify the general opinion Of
its stable and permanent character.
A continued attention 10 filing In with coarse
gravel adjoining the wall, and under and around
the cross sleepers, will soon render the WORK a.
permanent as such structures admit OF being made
AZ five different points on the Highland DIVISION.
the road bed ON the original line OF LOCATION ac
bays of considerable depth, settled so as 20 renosr
necessary a temporary change oil me LILY.
snIine curves of 900 feet radius, witn go 80.
10 these curved lines Thee chasf@s OF hos =. nrthsr
before ths road wU opsocd Tor puoue ~