Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-04-04
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Conspicuous among the mechanical
inventions Of California, and they have
been neither few nor ~unimportant, il
the railroad constructing machine. Ar
apparatus which, by q combination o
movements, will level the loose surface
of the soil, place the ties at uniform dis
tances, follow any curve and accom-
modate itself to ordinary gradients, de-
post the rails with the chairs attached
and nail them securely in their places.
is too complex for detailed description
in the columns of a newspaper; but We
will give our readers such an account Of
it as will enable them to form some idea
Of its appearance. The frame of the
machine is GO feet long, 8 feet high and
IL feet in width, and with its trasses,
struts and tie rods has the appearance
of the skeleton of q wooded bridge
placed on q low railroad truck. The
frame, however, is only supported over
the truck wheels onc-third Of its length
the forward part Of the frame, which is
t~wo-thirds Of the whole, ~overhangS the
ground on which the track is to be laid.
To preserve the balance of the appara-
tus the heavy stringers which give
strength to the machine taper gradu'
ally to the front, so that without the
engine and boiler, or any load OF ties,
rails or other ballast, there is no posi-
bility Of its tipping forward. When
completed it will have a l0-horse power
engine between the two supporting
trucks and with 20 or 30 rails laid
lengthways and a ton or two OF tie
stored tra%nsversely at the extreme rear,
the suspended portion, wheE the con.
Germ is in motion, will be as firm and
solid as if supported on wheels its en-.
| tire length. AS the machine travels
forward it will move on rails of its own
laying:
In front Of the machine is a plough,
which levels the ground for the per-
manent war. The ties are brought from
| the back 0ver the machine and above
the heads Of the workmen by two end
less chains, and are laid on the ground
in front exactly in the position required
On each side Of the motive power, on
the rear of the platform, are the stacks
Of rails. These are picked up singly by
clamps connected with hosting Gppara-
tus, and raised to u sufficient height,
and while in suspension are run forward
by means Of overhead cars and tracks
till they hang over the spot they are
destined to occupy. The chairs arc
slipped over the rail ends as they travel,
and at a signal by the foreman the rails
are lowered by machinery to their
places. The chairs have then only to
be nailed firmly to the woodwork, the
spikes driven home, and the work is
complete; the machine then moves on
another length over the road it has just
constructed. Fresh supplies Of rails
and ties can be- brought up the finished
line by ordinary tracks and passed on
to the constructing machine without
| stopping the work. When the grade
rises or d~escends, the front Of the ma
chine can be elevated or depressed, by
a system Of rods and screws, with a
| nicely which will ensure any gradient.
A similar system is provided which will
act l~aterally when laying curves. The
constructor will, if necessary, turn itself
on a radius of 200 feet. The position
of the managing engineer is on q plat
form built above the heavy framing OF
the machine, where, housed as com
| fortably as the pilot Of a river steamer,
he can overlook all the machinery in
the work, direct and control all the ma
| chinery, and survey the ground ahead
and view the finished line behind.
II is contemplated that 5 horse power
on a level road would be amply sufficient
for the work, and that the steepest prac-
ticsble gradients will not require more
than 10 horse power. 1t is expected
shat the limit of work which the rail-
road constructor can perform in an easy
country, with the grading in a fair con-
dition, will be the speed with which
alternate loads Of rails and ties a be
brought up the road. The inventor as
serts that this will not be less than 6