New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-04-27
A REVOLUTION IN RAILROADS
NARRow-GAUGE ROADS sUPERsEDING THE
WIDE.

NARROW-GAUGE ROADS SUPERSEDlNG THE
WIDE.
THEIR PRACTICABILITY AND NECESSITY -THB
SYSTEM IN EUROPE, INDIA AND AUSTRALIA
Opinions OF EMINENT ENGINEERS-INoR-
DINATE CAPACITY OF AMERICAN LINES
| COMPARISON OF BRITISH AND AMERICAN STA
TIsTICS-CAUsES OF HEAVY EXPENDITURE
ProprietOrs of railway stocks, not only III
Europe but in all parts Of the world awakng 10 ''
fact that they have spent great deal more III ' o.,
structon Of their lines than there was any neoeS'
Experience has taught them painful and cos'y
In almost every they find themselves III t.. "a
of railroad with capacity far beyond the
in many cases possible requirements OF ,no - ,s
through which IL passes, and WHICH, ~ o,ooror
needlessly large original cost, enta o 49,, ro,iipg
a heavy annual drain for expenses VI W. ,,oa hod
stock and repairs, which wouiu n"' 49,, 80 xso IN
tho ongroors who planned their ROAD peon hioio wac" "
-, ., rho stockholders, for instance, OF the
Go. yy,orn line in Engand-that trlumphant en-
| eineering mistake OF Mr bruloi-"'0i ""'"o -
or oo n,le in constructing their seyehiootgauge RAJ"
nov have been compelled to lay down third hhe lor
go, s.-inch gauge. The "plant and rolling STOCK
adapted TO the broad gauge system, is gradually
ooed by plant and rolling stock suitable for the new
Ice When all the old stock is exhausted, one OF the
broad gauge rails will be removed The Company VIII
then be possessed Of large extent Of unproductlve
land much of which is in cuttings or on en-
bankments. Had they originally built narrow
line, the cOmpcnSatlOnS tHcy pdiu W
ers and the cost of construction would have
been so reduced az convert the average dividend OF
q per cent, which they now receive into fair return
English investment, on their capital Earl Mayo,
the Governor Of India, has been so impressed
with the unnecessary width of gauge OF the Indian rail-
way system that no has persuaded the Council at Cal
cutta to reduce II in all lines to be built in future from
feet TO feet inches He has, moreover, been wise
enough to adopt the American style Of engines and cars
and some time ago requested the Duke Of Argyll, who,
in turn applied to Sir Edward Thornton at Washington,
for the permanent assistance of welknown ana emf
nent American engineer. This gentleman Is now In
charge of the Indian railway system In our own coun-
try the unfortunate Erie Railroad Company intend to re-
duce their 6-foot gauge to tie ordinary 4footst inch
through the entire length Of their line the Ohio and
Mississippi and other broadgauge lines propose to do the
same.
THE BRoAD-GAUGE COSTS ENORMOUSLY.
The old battle, so ercely waged 40 years ago be-
tween Brunei and the Stephensons TO be fought again
by the theoretical and practical engineers of our day.
The Stephensons OF old gained the fight in the general
adoption of their 4Ootsinch gauge and the advocates
of further reduction bid fair to win in the present con-
test trunk railways the arteries Of great coun-
try branch lines the smaller vessels by which the
febood is distributed from and returned to the heart
On the correctness Of the theory that very narrow gauge
lines be proftably and safely worked depends the
construction of innumerabe feeders to the trunk lines
| opening new districts, and placing others, al
pe0ped land cultivated, III thcso
days villages and townships out OF reach OF railway
communication practically out OF the world
! Economy in the construction OF railways has
| for many years been the professed study OF
capitalists engineers and contractors. But they have
almost all made the grand mistake of looking for econo
my in the wrong direction Cheap roSd-beds, cheap
rails and cheap bridges not economy; on the con-
trary they are reckless extravaganza 1t is In road OF
sufficient capacity that true economy is to be found
weequipped narrow gauge road, meeting only present
requirements and those likely TO arise in the course
OF a few years, can often DO built and
worked where a broad-gauge road constructed
at greatly enhanced cost. and entang much heavier
expenses for operation and repairs would be out OF the
question. At the time there would be an annual
saving in the capital account OF the narrowgauge road
which would 20 far TO meet the expense Of development
in years TO Suppose that narrow-gauge line can
be constructed, equipped and furnished with rolling
stock for 100000, where broadgauge limo would cost
SsO0OOO-an assumption which may be fairly made-there
would be capital to be rasedself no insg
nifcant consideration. If the bonds Of the company
have years at the time OF their maturity the
company will have saved the S3Ooo and the annual In
it, at seven per cent: amounting In the az
gregae S2OOOO 100000 more than the original cost
Of the line furnishing abundant means wherewith to en-
large or develop the line If necessary But who can as
sert that engineering skill may not by that time have
rendered development In the shape Of enlargement I'M
necessary When Mr. Brunei built the Great western
Line he asserted that lie built IL for all time The very
next generation of stockholders has been compelled to
reduce its gauge from feet to four feet eight and
half inches in order to themselves from utter rum
WONDERFUL SUCCESS OF SARRow-GAUdE ROADS.
Indeed, engineers have by no means yet agreed TO
what extent the width Of gauge may not be reduced In
Wales there formerly horse-raroad running be-
tween the slate quarres of Festnog and Port Maddox
This line has been converted into steamrailroad, but
the width Of the gauge remains the same only 2s inches
When the company first began TO carry passengers on
this line, Capt Tyler the Government Inspector OF Rail
roads limited the rate OF speed at which the trains might
travel to miles hour. He has since given authority
TO the company trains at any rate or
speed they may think 1T; and in his last official report
he arms that he travelled over this little road az 80
miles the hour, with every feeling OF safety Thirty
miles an hour with every feeling Of safety, over 2Si
inch road Is there "every feeling OF safety In tray
cling 80 miles an hour the best constructed OF
the 4feet-si inches roads in this country such has
Festnog and Port Maddox that the Russian, the Nor
wegan the Indian, and the British governments sent
vesgate the whole theory malpractice OF
lines They arrived at the unanimous opinion that the
ordinary requirements" All the members considered
feet ample for al purposes; many OF them pnt the
recommendations made by the Commissioners to their re-
spectve Governments many gauge lines have been
or are OF construction. In Queens
land they have been tried, and are decided success
Mr. PHIL Engineer Of K2Cadi In h aTr t6
private railroads and one public railroad OF 21lnch
gauge mps snecessfIy both as railroad and as
financial speculation. Two narrOw-gauge lines are build
ing in Russia In this country 1t is mentioned that the
Wmies of road about to be built between Piqua and
Ceina in Ohio will have gauge Of ~ feet and 1t is de-
termped that the line from Santa Fe to Denver City,
over 800 miles IN length shall be constructed on the mar
row-gauge principle
DIsPRoPoRTIoSATE CAPACITY INVOLVES HEAVY LOSS.
1t is almost unnecessary to detail the many items OF
saving the cost Of construction OF narrow gauge lines
The road bed Of +feetsnch gauge line is almost uni
formy IS feet wide in cuttings and IA feet wide
bankmens. The reduction OF feet IN the gauge would
allow of more than corresponding reduction In the
width Of entertainments. 1t Is also acknowledge by the
most eminent engineers that narrow gauge admits OF
grades and sharper curves both OF which items