Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-24
Narrow Gauge RaiIways.

OsAuSo
We have several times referred to the appar-
ent advantages of the narrow gauge system of
railroads as compared with the present standard
gauge in this country. 1t has usually been
claimed for the former that a railroad
of that gauge could be built and oper-
ated more cheaply through difficult country
where the amount Of business to be done is COM
paratively small and it therefore gives an oppor-
tunity for supplying railroad facilities to some
sections where road of the ordinary gauge
could not be built at all without an extravaganza
outlay, or, if built, could not be operated with
out loss-so much at least is generally conceded
to the advocates of the narrow gauge; but Mr..
Osborne, a Maryland engineer of excellent
standing in his profession, claims somewhat
more than this. In a recent report he discusses
the merits of the two systems, giving care
full and apparently liberal estimates of the
cost of constructing, equipping, maintaining
and operating narrow gauge roads in COMPARE
son with those of the ordinary width, and
reaches the conclusion sthat the former are
preferable, even where large business in freight
and passengers is assured. The lately an
nounced policy of the Erie railroad 10 lay a
third rail and adapt all its new rolling stock to
the ordinary gauge, retaining the wide gauge
only until its old stock is worn out is not with
out interest in this connection. 1t proves that
the six foot gauge, after long trial, is at last
abandoned as improbable, even where the
business is immense. Have we any satisfactory
assurance that the ordinary gauge of four feet
eight and half inches is exactly the happy
gro,,, 10 -,
ton is unwise2
Mr.. Osborne estimates for double track road
through a country of bold typographical fea-
lures, where the engineer has some difficulty in
finding line which viii give maximum grad
ents Of forty feet to the mile, and where he may
in extreme cases be compelled to adopt grade
OF eighty feet to the mile. He makes the usual
gauge cost POO per mile, and the three feet
gauge s4S,200, difference of $21 900 per mile.
or a saving on one hundred miles Of double track
rea Of - loo 600 His estimates for the outfit,
based on an assured business of nearly one mil
lion tons of coal freighs, $4,000 tons of general
freight carried by one daily train each way, and
two through passenger trains each way daily,
carrying an average Of 1873 passengers TO each
train, are for the ordinary gauge s795, 1915. and
for the narrow gauge s70s,8eO, This gives a
saving Of nearly $4,000 under this head.
But beyond the saving in the first cost, the re-
duction of the operating expenses, on account
Of the diminished weight Of cars and engines, is
an important consideration. On this point Mr.
Osborne says:
First and foremost, and of paramount i'm.
portance TO our new railway interests there will
Inc If Locomotive bt
the life OF everything il rolls over, and if the
weight carried by every ''plapP' wheel be les
sened one-half, the wear and tear will be re.
duced beyond this proportion, because destruc.
ton will cease, and reasonable wear only be in
existence. On the three feet road we shall have
1900 pounds less on each wheel of passenger
coaches, aud from 10000 TO II 900 pounds less
on each pair of drivers of the locomotive trans.
porting them at high speed. Iron rails will no
longer be destroyed before they are one-third
worn out, and this will be reciprocated by the
rolling STOCK, so that the two largest items in
railway operating expenses will be directly
DIousht 70 reasonable amount and within
the limit Of actual wear
some OF our standard roads find their yearly
operating expenses running up to 70 and rs per
cent OF the gross earnings, while many roads Ia
England are working at 50 to IS per cent and
one OF the standard gauge in operation ~ low
as As per cent. 1t has been shown in a previous
treatise that IN view Of tho increased recein,S ~
the three-lect roads, 40 per cent would pay tho
operating expenses, yielding 90 per cent for
dividends. We deem II, therefore, safe esii.
mate 10 state that the threeieet roads can
be generally worked as cheaply as She most
economically managed road we know OF the
four-leei eight and onchat inch gauge, or at
per cent.
Besides the large saving made BIZ the decrease
OF moving weights on the rails and plant, the
same cause will work with similar effect on eve
Tything In each department subject TO wear and
tear-less men will keep the roads in order; ties
will last longer, and when renewed will cost
three per cent. less; smaller quantities Of ballast
viii be annually needed; timber structures will
not be 80 severely tried, aud II protected from
the weather will require but triaing repairs for
fifty years; renewals ofrails, that will lasfabout
as many years as they now in some cases last
only months, will be at length made al 4 cost
Of $500 20 S22OO less per mile; and so we could