The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-05-25

Ifthese were fully loaded, the above
figures would give respectively the
non-productive and paying weights
transported, but from, the fact that these
cars are often dispatched with only par,
tial loads for long distances, sometimes
even running empty between stations,
the proportion of non productive weight
carried by them is found to be to q
tons to each one ton of paying load. In
other words, a freight car weighing ten
net tons will carry an average paying
load OF eight tons through the year.
CAPACITY AND WEIGHT IN FREIGHT
TRAFFIC.
A freight car on three foot gauge,
with q carrying capacity OF ten thou
sand pounds, and weighing seven thou
sand pounds, will transport an average
load the year round of At tons, and still
be deficient 500 pounds Of its full COM
plement each trip.
Here is a non-productive weight OF
34 tons, with its paying load OF Al tons,
or as | non-productive to | 36-RO tons
paying weight.
A freight train on the standard gauge,
transported 200 tons of paying weight,
would require twenty-five cars, weigh
ing $50 tons, which is 1t tons dead
weight to ton OF paving do, but on
the three foot gauge, 200 tons Of freig ht
would require II cars more than the
standard gauge, or AZ, to make up the
train, which cars would weigh them
selves. l47 net ton, or | ton Of dead
weight to each 36-l00 tons Of paying
load.
RESULTS IN FREIGHT TRAFFIC.
We have then the weight of a train
transporting 200 tons Of freight.
On the As! feet gauge, vi::
Tons.
d freight cars at 10 net tons each............5o
Load OF merchandise.
Weight OF engine and tender r....,............. 10
Gross weight OF train.
On the hree:teet gauge:
Tons.
~ freight cars at 700 pounds
lyOHu Ol
Weight OF engine and tender....."............. .
Gross weight Of train
or l23 tons less dead weight moved per
train on the three-feet gauge; and, du-
ring 3l3 working days, 1.-two trains run
daily, one each way, the saving in tons
hauled, TO do the same business OF
l25,0O0 tons of merchandise, would
amount 10 1000 tons in favor OF the
narrower gauge. Putting this baulage
ofweight saved at l..cent per ton per mile
on 100 miles of road, it will exhibit a
saving on these TWO daily trains, to the
transportation department Of $1,000
per annum.
CAPACITY AND WEIGHT IN A COAL BUSINESS.
will now investigate how far the
transportatin Of coal and minerals
would be affected by the change OF
gauge.
The four.wheeled coal cars OF the stan
dard guage weigh 5000 pounds, and
carry some l0,500 pounds OF coal, which
give | ton Of dead weight to Clio tons
Of productive load, but, as these cars re-
turn to the mines empty, the dead
weight carried over the 100 miles is
equivalent to 1920 pounds, for the
l0,500 Of coal taken to market or as
tons of dead weight to each ton OF pay
ing load.
A coal car on the three-feet gauge,
weighing 1900 pounds, will give car
rying capacity OF 5000 pounds, or Z OF
a ton only of dead weight to every ton
of paying weight. Doubling this dead
weight for the return trip to the mines,
there is still but ! Of a ton Of productive
weight to each ton of coal transported.
RESULTS IN A COAL TRAFFIC OF ,OOO,OOO
TONS.
In a yearly business Of one million
tons OF coal on a railroad one hundred
miles long at the foregoing rates,
On tie standard gauge there would be
Tons.
Coal transported, In 00oOJe
Weight OF r|p'op
Gross load, exclusive Of engine and
tenOeT .'''''''<,Spf'V'
On the hree:teet gauge:
Tons
Coal transported, tons. ,0C,O'
Weight OF cars twenty-five per cent.
more in number J......................... Fbo,VS
Gross load, excluding engine and
tender......... ''r'"'
Showing that the vast amount OF half
million OF tons less Of unproductive
weight would be hauled on three-feet
gauge in the transportation Of the same
business.
This large tonnage saved, put at halt
cent per ton per mile, or fifty cents on
one hundred miles, would show pro
ductive capacity Of three-feet gauge
additional to its other net earnings, oi
$3.50, 900 per annum.
If the foregoing Investigations have
arrived at anything like correct results