The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-13
RAILROADING.
A New Phase In the Art OF Laying the
Tracks = How It IL Dose by Machi-

The ingenuity of the mechanics on the Pacific
slope is attested by the fact that they have in
vented machine which does the work of a
large number of men In laying railroad tracks
SO novel an application of machinery excites
our curiosity as to its mode OF construction and
method OF working curiosity which is fully
Rratihed by minute description in the San
Francisco Bulletin, from which we quote:-
HOW IT rs MADE.
The rear OF the machine Is large platform
car on low wheels, hanged to fit the rails. On
this is built high skeleton frame to hold the
machinery and support the forward frame.
From this frame and rear car projects another
heavy frame, as long an ordinary freight car
and projecting like nose One end of this nose
Is attached by hinges to the solid frame, aud the
other rests on low platform truck, in form
and shape like railroad four wheeled hand.
truck. The outline OF the machine then. is
that OF the centre aud one end of wooden
truss bridge, the rear truss and floor having
been cut away. In the centre Of the main plat
form Is sn engine and boiler OF twenty to thirty
horse power-we forget the exact figure. This
works the whole apparatus. First it p1opels the
car by making drivers of the main wheels; next
it conveys power at the same speed TO au endless
chain running around the concave wheels of the
forward truck. The object of these endless
chains is to supply an endless track over the
loose ties as they are thrown to the ground,
and before they have received the iron. The
chain rails answer the double purpose of sus-
tanning the track, and giving it an even tram.
way TO run over, and OF gripping the ties and
pressing them somewhat into the loose soil.
Overhead on the top of the square frame OF
the main car is a platform for the pilot. stand
ing there he can see the stakes ahead, and keep
the machine true TO its direction should any
irregularity in the road make it dlverge right or
left. In making curve he can give the exact
direction to the forward truck which will cor
respond with the radius of the curves given him
by the civil engineer of the road. When he
reaches the point where the engineers stake
shows change OF gradient he can depress or
raise the forward frame to suit the change if
necessary.
now IP IS WORKED.
We win 60 back some distance, and approach
the machine with the supply cars, and describe
the mode OF handling rails, ties, and chairs. At
the nearest siding to the place where the track.
layer is at work a number of freight cars are
stationed, each loaded with twenty-four rails,
120 ties, and a corresponding number OF chairs
IN this IorD; iron rollers 3 feet long, are laid
transversely on each side of the cars; on each
set OF rollers, IL rails are laid; across these
piles of rails, 120 sleepers are stacked. Near the
front of each car, "a chairs on wire rings, are
thrown on the top of the ties.
The engine detailed to wait on the construe.
ton party detaches three cars and runs them
before down the level to the track-layer In
the rear of the track-layer, and attached to it,
are three empty platform cars. When the supply
train touches the construction tram a stout rope
attached TO drum at the top OF the track-layer
frame is carried aft to the rear OF the first load
of rails and ties. The drum is set in motion and
guided by touch OF a mallet from the men, the
whole mass of rails, ties, and chairs rolls from
car to until 1t reaches the next the track
layer. The next and the next loads are trans.
ferred in the same manner to their respective
cars, and the supply tram ruus back to the
siding spoken of, shunts the empty cars, takes
up another load and SO on. Four men belonging
to the track-layer mount the first platform; each
seizes tie and throws 1t longitudinally into
low trough at the back of the track
which takes hold of the tie and carries it up the
back and over the whole machine, and shoots it
out in front. AS 1t leaves the trough a stout fell
low seizes it, twists 1t round and throws it trans
versely to a small level platform in front of
him. On each side of that platform stands
man who walks along the graded road as the
machine travels. As soon as q tie touches the
platform, each one seizes an end and lifts and
drops it on to the ground into the place marked
for it by the two guiding cords which the sur
yeyors man has placed for them.
Four men are engaged in thro wing ties into
the trough, and, of course, when the fore part
of the car is cleared they have to travel some
distance to carry each tie to the trough. But
practically the endless chain Is carrying con
tinuous line OF ties when the machine is work
ing. One man receives them all when the
chain discharges them in front, and has SO re-
ceived every tie that has passed through the
machine. From the Vallejo terminus over the
hill, through the tunnel, and across marsh and
prairie, one stout young laborer Charles Zm-
norman by name, has, caught, lifted, and
turned every tie that has been laid on the road
and he is proud of it., His great ambition is to
handle every tie between Vallejo and sacra:
mento. 1t is an arduous task. Railroad
men know how many ties it takes to lay
three quarters of mile of road, days work
Olten uone ny the mdCulne, duu lneSe
particular ties vary in weight from seventy
five to one hundred aud twenty pounds,
according TO seasoning, and some of them reach
l40 and $50 pounds. Sharp eyes as we'll as stout
muscles are needed, for the endless chain de-
Hvers them fast, and moments hesitation
might cause broken thigh; as it Is, thinner
mans fingers get trapped now and then. We
may say, however, here, that not a single acc,-
dent to life, limb, or joint has occurred. One
mans foot was hurt so much as to lay him up
for three weeks, and one had his fingers badly
squeezed; but both recovered and went back to
work. Yet to stand by the machine when
working, and see men mixed up with heavy
material, such rails and ties, running forwards
literally at railroad speed, gives II the appear
ance OF very dangerous employment to those
concerned,
HANDLING THE RAILS.
When the ties are once thrown to the ground
in front of the track-layer they are done with;
the machine grips them. We will, therefore, go
back to the rails and describe the method oi
1 handling them. When the four men on the
freight truck next the engine have thrown of
! the last tie, the whole concern stops We timed
/ one of these stoppages, and we will describe
what took place in two minutes and twenty
seconds-the time which elapsed between the
stoppage OF the machine and the next stage OF
the work, when none of the men knew there
was any particular reason for hurryng Two OF
the four men pick up iron levers from the real
OF the track-layer-its platform Is the resting
place for all tools that are temporarily laid ou
of hand-and each goes to the rear end of one
of the piles of twelve rails on Iollers the Other
takes sledge and guides the rollers. The lever
starts the whole body of iron at once; the mass
runs slowly, until by the cropping of the for
j ward roller over the end OF the car the weight
tips forward and comes upon a roller fixed upon
/ an arm protecting from the side of the track
! layer, and, being on decline, quickens It's