Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-05-29
|. CONSTRUCTION.

The narrow-gauge road had its origin
and early development in Wales. Ii sprung
from little tramway, first used in bring
| ing Slate from the quarlieS up in the noun
tains, and afterwards grew TO be passcn-
ger, and then general freight road; until,
| in $50, it carried 10000 tons Of freight and
nearly 5000 passengers per mile, and earn
ell dividend on its capital stock of forty
per cent!
Gauge The width OF what i distinct
| lively known rs the narrow. gauge railroad
has varied, at different times and in differ
ent localities, from one foot TO three feet
and six inches but it seems to Ice now set
| tied, beyond any reasonable doubt, that
! gauge of three feet will hereafter be uni
! formly adopted-eApcricncc having proved
| that this gauge is, on the whole, best adapt
ed in vast majority of eases TO the re-
quiremen;s of this class Of roads aud the
i'm pOrtancc, on account Of connections and
interchange OF equipment, Of uniform
| gauge throughout the country, will speedi-
| ~ compel the acquie>cnce of all in this ar
rangement. BY "hroad Guaec" in this ar
ticle, the feet and 81 inch gauge is always
meant.
Roddbed.-Ordinarily the width of the
ruadbed in cuts should be II feet, and on
embankments 10 feet; with a slope of II
horizontal to l vertical; and in rock cut
ting, Of 10 to |.
Grcdcs.- Enthusiastically the same rules
apply to grades rs on hroad-gauge roads;
though, owing to Il Tess proportion Of dead
weight to the paying load, higher grades
are admissible on the narrow than ON the
road9auge. The actual power of the 10.
connective is not changed in any manner or
degree by the width OF gauge. On all
gauges the line nearest level is best and
any departure from this necessitates an in
crease of power, proportional to the degree
Of such departure. The effect of dead
weight will he referred to again in connec-
lion with the discussion Of locomotives and
cars.
CUlreS.-In consequence of the use of
shorter and lighter equipment much
higher degree of curvature is admissible
on narrow than on broad gauge roads The
nearer the road approXimltes a straight
line the better; but curves as high as 10 de.
grees-or 573 feet radius-are permitted on
hrst-class narrow gauge roads; aud even
10 to 20 degree curves are used in extreme
cases. This enables the skilful engineer,
by adjusting the alignment of his road to
The natural contour of the surface, fire.
quently TO avoid deep cuts and fills and ex-
penslve masonry and bridges, and thus, in
rough ana mountainous districts, very
largely TO reduce the cost of construction.
SuperStrUcture.-Diie patterns of
iron and steel rails have been used. weigh
ing from 20 lbs to 40 lbs. to the yard The
more common weight has been 80 lbs. But
this, in many cases, might prove too light;
and therefore it is better policy, in ordina-
ny circumstances, TO use rail weighing "a
lbs. 10 the yard. This sample in size, and
possesses much greater degree orstreneth.
in proportion to the strain upon it, than
any ordinary rail in use on broad-gaugo
roads.
Cross-ties should be feet long and
inches thick, with a siX-inch face; and
should, when in position, be two feet from
centre to centre-2Gi0 being required TO the
mile.
The following is an approximate estimate,
showing the comparative cost of SUPER
structure, per mile, on the different guages: