New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-25
WARS having passed since the grant 10 them Respect
fully, oho. ~ pnSc w..
July %, 1874. Commissioner Oh fuonc "oiA''
CITY RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS.


A NEW CROss-TOwN -ROAD-STEEL TRACKS ON TIE
THIRD AND FoURTH-AvE. LINES.
Some activity is manifested at present
among the city railroad companies IN the Improvement
of their roads The remuneraye results OF city rail-
road undertakings, well as the necessity Tor the tran
ait OF passengers the island have led 10 the
formation a railroad company that Is beginning
TO build road The OF the crosstown railroads
in the upper part OF the city seems to have demon
strated the necessity for increasing the faciI
ties for travel between the North and East
Rivers. few months ago the Tweny-third-st
line constructed new road Eighth ana Ienth-sts
connecting the Grecnpoint and NewJersey FERRIES An
othcy company il thinking of building new ROAD lie"
blocks further up town. The charter was oOtineu from
the Legislature last Winter aud the capital subscribed
and now surveys have been made. and the work Of
building the road has been begun. Seepers are already
piled up along the route and other supplies viii soon be
naced NJ convenient points Tue route OF the pew road
will be from Chrlstopher-st ferry on the North River
through West-st. and Tenthaye. to sxeenth-st, ant
thence through Avenue to Twentythird-st. and East
River: on returning the cars will proceed through
Seventeenthst.
The Fourth-ave Railroad COMPANY is now reaying its
track with new steel rails The rail used IL the rail-
which is laid in peculiar manner The rails are each
about &c feet long, and connected by patent clamp
This consists of bar fitting under the groove of the
rail and through 1t pass bolts that are secured by NUTS
which in turn secured by copper wire joined to the
bolts The old rails undisturbed until the track has
been fastened together for about block The rails are
then taken off and the track put down, block at
time. The peculiar merit claimed for the new track Is
that there is no jar whatever when the ear is passing
over 1t. No noise OF humping car-wheels Is heard.
The rail is laid the wheels OF the freight cars
from the Hudson River, Harlem, and Newiaven down.
town depots have to over the track It's use was
formerly frequent OF complaint beca as the
head OF the rail projected far above the pavement,
passing carriages aud vehicles were Jolted AS the ran
j. now land tins of complaint Ia done away VIII
head of the rail level with the pavement on
the outside of the track. while narrow groove, Il
inches deep the inside gives free play 10 te nimge
OF the wheel without being hurtful TO vehicles I1e
rails the best imported ones, costing clio per lon
This makes every foot Of sngle rail cost 81 Ihc timber
and labor VIII increase this 10 80 OF So per IoJt IJ edch
track.
The work Is under direction Of J. Il. snyder track
master of the road. III SAYS that the portion from
Grand to Thrty-secODGst VIII be completed III ABOUT
two weeks speaking Of the merits OF tue steel ran
he sand though cost to lay them vet they
would found cheaper they lasted much longer and
required little any repairs. the iron rails had To be
replaced every second year, but these would ast ten
years. Again, had been taken 10 guard against
the effects Of expansion by leaving proper spaces be-
tween the rails the travel on the rails was without
any jong and could tell by riding III the ears
when the wheels passed from rail 10 another Ii
seemed like one continuous rail.
The Third-ave. Railroad Company il also rclaying a
part track. New rails OF the Kind Known as
rails with steel trains are being Land be-
tween Grand and Ffthsts. Unlike the work on the
tue cars GA down track switch off at Fihaye. to the
ma IA.