The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-03-16

About Narrow Gauge Railroads.
While our people are SO desirous of
securing the advantages Of a railroad
that most Of them will subscribe literally |
for one without pausing to consider the
question of gauge,yet there are many
who in subscribing to a narrow gauge,
feel that they are adopting the theory that
"half loaf is better than no bread."-
The opinion prevails extensively that the
narrow gauge is sort Of inferior cpntri
vance-a mere make-sbift.
This opinion is wholly unwarranted :
We are firmly convinced that If our peo
pie were offered a oad,fully equipped, as
a gift, and were permitted to choose be-
tweena standard gau!e anil narrow
gauge road, it would clearly be to their
to prefer the narrow gauge
1t is in order to present our reasons for
this conviction that this article is written.
And we refer the reader to an article on
our outside containing much valuable in
formation on the suhj ,ct, which need not
be here repeated. ''
A late number Of the Lonion Times
pronounces narrow gauge railroads ..the
railroads of the future" Attention is
being directed toward them from every
part of the country, as off.ring the only
solution to the vexed question of cheap
transportation, and they are already
widely recognized by the title Of abe Re
form Railroads.
The whole secret Of this rising popu-
larity is in the enormous saving In con-
struction end running expenses, which
enablcsthem to carry freight and passen
eersproftatly at little more than half the
rates which other roads must charge to
live.e mg sy
On this point, and in support of what
Els said elsewhere on the subject, we make
some extracts from an exhaustive report
made by Committee of Congress, last
ynonth.
faa cosT OF OPERATING. isg n
The fact alluded to in another part OF
this report, that the standard gauge road
carries an undue proportion of dead
weight, is importantin this connection
| 1t costs the same to transport a ton OF
dead weight as ton of living freight ;
and the train that carries the largest
amount OF paying or living freight, in
comparison with non,paying or ndead
weight, is the most profitable etrain. Ac-
cording to the most reliable data TO be
lobtained, the cost of operating the New
York Central and Hudson River Rail-
road. In 1871. was about seven'mills per
ton per mile, and the cost of operating
the Pennsylvania Central, during the
same year, was about eight mills per ton
per mile. The following is believed to
be reliable estimate Of the actual cost
pf operating narrow gauge road.
| ssW-j 81 Mills
Use Of freight cars per ton per mile, 1
Road bed, dsia a- Ii
Motive-power, l II
Betterments and contingencies !, h.5 4
.e o h-a asA 5IIo Al
wEraHr OF TRAINS AND rAY1Na ABILITY.
ar Tons
Standard train, locomotive and ten ss
| der, fuel and water, s 81
20 freight cars, empty, 10 tons each, 20(
l20 do paying load, 10 tons each, 2O(
Total weight Of train, AL
sThisis allowing 90 tons beyond xht
capacity Of the locomotive.
i Tons
Marrow gauge train, locomotive and
/ tender, fuel and water, q
Us freight cars empty. at tons each, 10t
I25 freight ears, ,loaded,at Stons each, 2O(
j Total weight Of train, 32(
i eThisis less than the capacity Of loco
motives. On the return trip, weJtward
bound and half-loae, the comparison
would be thus
Tons
STANDARD train, weight, empty, PSI
standard train, load, paying freight. 10'
I Total weight, 80
Narrow gauge train, weight empty, ~
do load, paying freight, lO
| Total weight, rrs s 81 22
! The narrow gauge train, with a paying
load Of 100 tons, is 3S tons lighter thai
the standard train empty. This adyan
ltage is too apparent TO need remarks. 30
~ PAssESaER TRAINS. 9esf
i Standard roads:
i Tom
Locomotive, fuel and water, a
/ l post-office car, j
| express and baggage car, lis y
| coaches, each 20 tons, = TO
| Weight Of train, empty, II
United States mail,express sand bag
gage, j
1 $50 passengers, average 100 pounds !
1 each, 2
| Weight Of train, loaded, IL
Nsrrow gaugeroad :
- .s fo5 -. Ton
Locomotive, fuel and water, !
! post-office car, ...,.
i 1express-ca .,,,r -. 80
j baegage-car, - ',a
z coaches, each 8 tons, "a q
4 Weight OF train, empty, I
4 Same load as standard train, ,a'< a
Weight Of. train loaded, 5s II
The narrow canoe train. with the loa