Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-09-07
R. r. between Covington and White
SULPHUR.

A correspondent of the Baltimore Gazette
furnishes the following account Of the portion
Of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad between
Covington and the White Sulphur Springs:
The road between Covington and the White
Sulphur Springs, at present % miles long, but
which will be reduced to % miles when the
temporary track is dispensed with, is of the most
substantial character, and for the distance, is
the heaviest work in the United States. Cuts
and fills of from so to so feet constantly succeed
each other, while there are some cuts Of 100
feet deep, one of l40 feet and one Of lS0 feet.
There are two temporary tracks. One is l
miles long, around Mud or Red Hill Tunnel
This is without any extraordinary grades, and
is to be abandoned early in the winter, as soon
as the main track is finished. The caving of the
rock in the tunnel, which was pierced before the
war, has made the work difficult and dangerous.
The arch is prepared by sections, each (which
is reyetted with heavy masonry, and then
thoroughly packed on top. The work naturally
progresses slowly but under the careful super
intendence of Colonel Rives, it progresses sure
ly.
The other temporary track, near Jerry s Run,
is % miles long. It winds for long distance
along the side of steep hill, and at times, as
you look down on the wild and ragged valley
below, you feel as if you were being transported
through the realm of another sphere, and that
you were gazing upon picture which formed
no part of the world you were, at the time, in
habiting. The trestIe work on this track is
400 feet long. Although of the most sub
stantial character, and as safe as possible, as it
is Just wide enough for the track, and as you
see no sign of it beneath you, you have all the
experiences of sail through mid-air, except
the absence of that gentle and perfect motion,
which no worker in metals, since the days of
Tubai Cain, has ever been able to rival.
The maximum grade on the temporary track
going West is 300 feet and going East 1875 feet.
Wonderful as it seems to be to see the steam
engine creeping along these rugged hill sides,
with the daring almost OF the chamois hunter,
it must not be forgotten that the maximum
grade worked on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road, over the track round kingwood Tunnel,
was 500 feet to the mile.
The maximum and ruling grade on the main
track going West is 60 feet to the mile and 60
ing East but 80 feet to the mile.
There are no curves of less than 1000 feet
radius on the track and very few approaching
that limit. On the temporary track the short
est radius of any curve is AT feet.
There are seven tunnels johnson Tunnel,
200 feet long, single track Red Hill or Mud
Tunnel, GAO feet long; Moore Tunnel, 400 feet
long Lakes Tunnel, 800 feet long Kely's
Tunnel, 600 feet long; Lewis Tunnel $500
feet long; Allegheny Tunnel, 4,760 feet long.
These latter have all double track. Mud Hill
and Lewis Tunnels are still unfinished. The
total length of these tunnels is II, 300 feet, or
% miles,
The road bed, compact and solid, is composed
of rock and shae, the best material In the coun-
try 1t is thoroughly ballasted, and is laid with
iron rails, % feet long, weighing 60 pounds to
the yard The cast-iron chairs, each end Of
each of which rests upon cross-tie, are %
inches long, and give solidity to the track
which adds to its endurance and to the comfort
of passengers.