New-York tribune., 1874-06-11
THE MANUFACTURE OF RAILS.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE-A WEIGH CHAIRMAN it
The Report of the Committee on the Form,
Weight Manufacture. and Life OF Rails was presented
by Ashbe WEIGH c. E.. OF Lambertsyile N j., Engineer
of the Camdea and Anlboy Railroad Tho report was
only partial one, and the Committee had not received
the flI data upon which TO make positive report
and could therefore merely offer opinions Railroad
rails II was stated had functions worthy OF con-
siderng; first how beams or girders couid ocar tno
heaviest loads without sranng ana with proper us
tributiOn of weight and second now thcy oo"a po
made 10 endure the most wear. What was good ioi
one was often bad for the other In England strength
and Stiffness was the controlling power WINE
I'm the United States Of much consequence
and the whole attention was given TO the means 10 p
mote endurance The English system Is not applcape
to This country tho report stated andmany English en-
glneers have been msled by IT, Inc EneIsh y'nas
endurance and wear There were numerous details
which required consideration in the construction o, an
which lead to the injury Of rails. Many companies IN IN
building road have had more consideration nna,,v dor o
cheapness Of the rails than for their strength or daay
The railmaker often thinks OF @hat - -
easiest to make Where ,aan aRere H the wear
OF rail strength should be the first consideration. anu
the rails should the rss noSa be- S
as experience shows be safe As there rs me most %
the head Of the rail- there snoa sU pe no
theory more than that ~ head OF 2t ncnes
wide was more enduraoe sna1 ohssrvaton oer he had
found che latter rail more evenly worn thn tpe m
With the present heavy machinery tuo
will not last as long the low wide rails An lhneAlDe
or rigid rail Is imore sure to break than one mouer
atey flexible. III the rails laid on better ounua
ton and thcre was frost, the rails might DC maue
SITTER In 10 the question why rals shoulu nV
be made square, the Committee believed that ~ Woua
be too e xble specially when wrOn ana tha iais Win
stem and base much better. lt wouiu 90 eveu
advisable place 90 cent OF the metal Ia the heau
bur "A double-headed rail wears out raster thau
single The chairman Of the Committee had Travelled on
English and American railroads. and for case WINE
travelling and for speed the American railroads were
tle superior. Only tho best kind OF roads were com
pared for taking the OF the American raroads
the travelling not quite 30 easy owing 70 Tue pau
baastng OF the road. When rail breaks, mas Deen
found the primary injury occurred Ia the eau not
Ia the stem. N9 definite idea OF the duraDy oi rams
could be gYep Tor that Is as INDEFINITE as tue Vau9
horse or the sze Of piece OF chalk. The rail- used IN
Bergen cut last onetcnth or the me or pear
One-tenh OF the strain, that the same class oI meta
would do on the Beyidere Road Tne average
wear OF an iron rall IL equal TO pressure
OF OF tons dead weight or OF tons gross
weight. The stone ballast OF the American roads mas
been large and good roads rail- would last iuy
25 per cent longer than bad one. ln colo weather
the metal Is brittle than in Sunmer consequently
the breakage Of rails In Winter Is greater IN proportion
No definite figures had received as to the copara
tive values OF IRON and steel rails but the Committee
were of opinion that steel rail 40 per cent better
than good RAIL- 40 per cent better than far ron
rail- and 100 per cent superior to the 0rdoary ta used
mauy railroads. A.. o--.,,..o
retained "A office.