Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-08-25


dimensions and capacity of tho rollipg stock,
and the nature Of tho traffo, have como to
,the conclusion that the.2 feet 8 inch gauge is
the most advisable for India, and will fully
meet all requirements, From my experience
In working tho 1 foot LII inoh gauge, de.
dnue the following, to show the sufioiency of
th ~ feet 9ipoh gauge:
lst.. That the cost in first construction, in
earthworks, bridges, tunnels, &c., depends on
s'2d. That the cost Of maintenance Of roll.
Ing stock will be low, consequent upon the
small weight on each wheel
"3d. That speedsof 40 miles per hour
csnbe run with ease and safety"
Mr. Spooner thenfgoes on to demonstrate
the stability and capacity of the rolling stock
where we will not follow him. His opin.
ion ss ct spscis! value, as tho study Of this
subject has been his peculiar occupation du
ring eigh. years /; and, as his experience has
boen more full than that of any other person,
80 Is his knowledge of the matter more pro.
found.
In June, 1860, tho British Government
appointed commission of engineers and rail.
way experts tp consider what gauge should be
adopted for the Indus Valley and other projeo.
ted railwaysfin India After more than
fFa year Of patient Investigate the majority,
three members, have presented q report,
from which Mr.. Fowler, the fourth mem.
Der, dissentea. / quote from the MAJ
FORTY report:
''The gauge should not only be narrow, but
the narromest which will combine convent
ence Of transport, for various kinds of goods
and passengers, with reasonable speed, and
with economy and safety in working.
aThe three feet six inch gauge seems to have
been adopted in Norway as beng econom
ieal, without involving any material reduction
,n carrying power below that of the English
narrow gauge, q fs. 8a)
"1t is manifest that lines on this gauge,
6 #. 6inches,) arc worked with as much
convenience to the traffic as on any broader
;nuge; + X that speed of 36
miles an hour may be attained on them with
complete steadiness, both of engines aud We.
hiclcs. There can, therefore, be no doubt"
thoy 60 on to say, "that thoroughly satisfac
tory railway may be constructed on a gauge
OF three feet six inches in the minimum
gauge which will answer the purpose of roads
Of moderate business, Or whether some gauge
intermediate between those of the Festinioy
and the Norwegian Railways will not suffice"
Their conclusion is, after careful consdera
ton of the whole subject, "that, for such
roads, the gauge need not exceed two feet nine
inches; having satisfied themselves that en-.
glnes of sufficient power may be put upon this
gauge to draw, at sufficient speed, the lare
est traffic which such lines arc likey to carry (;
and that vehicles may be used on this gnuye
which will afford complete accommodation for
all GLASSES of passengers ard goods traffic"
The views of the dissenting member of tl g
committee are not supported by the weight
of opinion in Europe Tho above abstract of
the report of the India Railway Commission
has been quoted from tho report of Mr.. Park
or, the Chairman Of tho Committee of the
Massachusetts House of Representatives,, to
whom Swas referred the subject of narrow
>1SaaYe railways.
The following extracts from the report
make sufficiently clear the opinion of this
Committee, at the head of which stands ono
of the most distinguished of American engi
neers
"Thls Improvement really Introduces
new power into the railway organism, and
permits it to 20 where it has never been able
to go beforo, and to distribute its benefits 10
DISTRICTS which have hitherto been absolutely
inaccessible. 1t permits the use of curves en-
tirely impracticable for roads of common
gauge, and it considerably in.
creases the grade maximum as we'll. In fol
lowing the devious course Of river valley,
with the narrow gauge, it would be almost al
ways possible to adopt planes nearly parallel
to the stream, and to go around re entrant
projections which would have to be cut
through, at whatever cost, if the common
gauge we're used. Where difficult country
is to be traversed, and where rapid descent
and rocky projections are the rule, as they
almost always are in the hill country of Mas
saohusetts, where railroads are especially
needed now, it may be affirmed, in the light
Of our knowledge and experience, that branch
railways. with the narrow gauge, may be
bni't and equipped for one third of what
they would cost with the common gauge, and
in tho level districts for about one half. x*
"Most of our roads of small traffic difficult
operation transport more than twice as much
dead or non paying weight as would be re.
quired under tho regime of the narrow gauge
There is nearly an equal differ
ence in the effect Of wear and tear with the
two gauges the wheel percussion differing
in a geometrio ratio. The cost of
hauling goods over narrow gauge road may
be safely reckon at less than one huff the cost
Of hauling the same goods over road OF
common gauge" Referring to tho difficulty
attending tho break of gauge and the tran
Of goods, Mr. Parker says: .sIt is
important, and never to be underratcd. Con
sidered in its worst aspect, it is plain that tho
!;Iit Of tho difficulty is in the transfer of