Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-12-27
English Railroads.

Ir is conceded, we think, that England is ahead OF
the world in Railroads. The impression too Is general
that her great projectors in this branch OF enterprise
pursue system of Dir lines let hills, rocks, or what
ever else, interpose their formidable barriers Inc
suboined letter, from gentleman Of practical ability
and close observation who has recently travelled over
many European railroads, will throw rather new
light upon this subject 1t will be seen that the VIII
ter in tho close Of his letter speaks OF "onr road Dy
this he means the contemplated Columbia and Ham
burg railroad by the way Of the Ridge in this District
Our correspondent il himself citizen OF the Ridge
and has that scheme warmly at heart. We commend
his observations upon English railways 10 our readers
generally, but more especially TO the people OF the
Ridge, Of Lexington, Of Columbia and OF Hamburg
and Augusta who feel Tor ought to fcel deep inter-
est in the proper location of the contemplated Coum'
ba and Augusta road
RgrToN, DERBYsuIRE, Nov "a, 1854.
Nfu Dear Colonel:-I have lat last) iltle rest. l
have been through England Wales, Ireland, Scotland,
France, Belgium, and part Of Holland. have ex.
amined Railroads md everything belonging 10 them
all tie way; but England nearly covers the whole
subject for all the others copies In worksef USE
fulness England far surpasses all the rest France
however is ahead in the fine and ornamental.
IL
some are advocating three tracks always TO have
two entirely clear in time Of repairs We are far be-
hind England in almost every thing belong ng to Rail-
roads. Their Depo,s here ere splendid. We have
nothing like them and fear never shall lave IN our
time We ore scarcely on the threshold. Some are
over quarter of mile long and over half the roof is
glIss SO as to be as light as day. The Birmingham
passenger Depot is near thousand feet long, two
hundred and twenty-five feet wide, wit:A; any mid
wish, connected with it. All the Roads are Of capital
iron, double T and about eight pounds to The yard,
laid ties three feet apart One sits on chairs
not on tho wood al with us the chairs are
spiked down in n very superior manner with twisted
spike Of 4 peculiar kind, one Of which shall bring
home. Every Thing reduced TO the most perfect
system. A guard stands at every turn OFT to avoid
accident, and the train passes throws hand
his breast and extends the other at arms length in the
direction the train is going, TO indicate 10 The hands
On the locomotive that all is right He stands in that
position until the train is oil past, and make the
thing doubly sure, is in uniform peculiar to the Rail
Road service.
The tracks here are mostly feet s. inches wide !;
but many getting in favor of tie wide gage which
il feet. ruil is considered after
hundred and fifty thousand trains have passed ore- il.
They then turn the rails up side down and pass them
through the same wear again, md Then they
thrown aRde and worked up.
There is one thing you may oil disabuse yourselves
Of, that is air line, as we call them. There is no such
BARLOW says, never will be. He is one of the best
ncientifc and practical engineers in England spent
4 long time with him. He has grown gray in the ou
siness, has great influence and in fact is in himself
host. He gave nae information in The most gentleman.
ly manner He says the idea is ridiculous. Neve;,"
Gays ho leave route Of easy grades for the sake Of
few miles in distance" and he further added, "tekc
in aHthe feeders you possibly can" He then gave me
in point OF very peculiar nature. Aroad was
built from Leeds TO Bradford BY Appleby thirteen
miles on favorable grade; the direct line Only
ten miles but through rough country and over sifl
grades. So direct line was built; but owing The
stiff grades it takes longer 10 il oil all wet days
hun by the other road although the difference is
thirteen TO ten. The longest strait line in England
is only twenty miles, and other one near so long.
Most strait lines are not over five mos, and Mr. BAR.
Low says although they have in one place grade Of
l43 feet TO the mile they, rule, avoid grades owe
~ feet TO the mile as much possible, l6 being the
most desirable Their l43 grade often requires four
locomotive engines to take up freight tran and thay
begin TO think that going do,Un The said grade is cost
rails, and Aattens The wheels so render their
ming unsteady and rongh good road so thee
is no end 10 the injury done on bal grades &c. Now,
If bad grades affect them much, how will il be with
MS for their locomotives and roads are certainly tie
best in the world. Although they have lately hrd
several locomotives imported from our country profit
by any improvenentiham might appear, they find than
unequal to their own and put them only to the igh,eit
freight trains They test every thing here, assure
you. Railroads with them an with US, are new
principle, so there is old fixed prejudices to
come as in many other things in this country.
Iron hereiis- now about f7 IS Cd per ton, which s
thought high, but there is moi much prospect Of lis
being lower soon
hope our road at home is going on properly and
that SO great an interest will not be sacrificed by folly
as has been so often the case in dear Caroline.
Remember poor Crockett, "f frs. know you drc right
then go ahead" Do urge our people to build their
roads on the best routes through the best country,
through good feeders easy grades, easy curvcs. and
above all, clear of ,rater w.