The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-03

To the same effect were the observations
and experiments of Peter Spence F. r. s.
He states that the absolute strength of iron
and steel is not diminished by cold, but that
even at the lowest temperature which ever
occurs in Sweden it 10, at least, as strong as
at the ordinary temperature-about sixty
degree Fahrenheit William II. Stearns,
master mechanic of the Connecticut river
railroad, at Springfield, Massachusetts,
experimental ON the subject. in 1879, and
every experiment tended to show that iron
surrounded by feeling mixture Of ice aud
salt, which reduced lis temperature to zero,
was stronger than when 1t was at sixty
degrees Fahrenheit.
On the other hand, William Brockbank,
+. G. S., read before the Manchester, Eng.
land, literary and scientific society, in Jan
uary 1871, a paper on the effects of cold
upon iron, in which, from number of ex-
periments made by different persons, he
comes to the conclusion, that there is a
gradual and considerable decrease of
strength in rails, as well as loss of elastici-
ty, with the increas, of cold below the
freezing point. Among other experiments
he cites the tests made by the Darlington
iron company upon ral' made for the East
Indian railway, wheu they were found de-
fectve at twenty-six degrees, while they
would have all passed inspection at sixty
degrees.
letter from G. w. Bridges, managing
Canada, is to the effect that the breaking
of rails on that road is not due to cold
alone, although he gives the number of
rails broken thereon each winter from that
of 1853 1854 to lS7l-iS72, being thirty
nine thousand five hundred and three, and
ranging from two thousand five hundred
and sixly-nine in the winter of 1S70-1S71,
to six thousand I've hundred and foriy-four
in that Of 1866 1867
We think that experience in this country
will show that much lirgcr number of
rails are broken in winter ;h,n in summer,
and that the colder the weather The greater
the number. Without stopping to inquire
particularly whether rails are, or are not,
more brittle when the frost is in the metal
or whether, in fact, the hight of brittle
ness is reached when the frost is coming
out of the rail--and probably, we should
come 10 the conclusion that the solution
was beyond our reach-we are inclined to
M I,t,la ~ { 7
| that the common sen9e explanation of
." these accidents is, that the ground being
Z" frozen harder than usual, the metal with
! (Which it is brought into contact is more
severely tried than in ordinary circum-
- stances" In other words, as we under
stand it, that rails are more subject to fac
| ture, and that a greater number are actu.
| ally broken in cold than in warm weather
on account of the difference in the elastici.
ty of their supports.
1t is of the first importance to ascertain,
if possible, the cause of these more frequent
fractures in winter, and then discover and
apply the remedy II must be evident tina,
| the weaker, or more worn, the rail, the
more liable it will be to fracture 1t has
| not-that the rails on the Rutland railroad
are much worn, in very poor condition
and, in fact, nearly used up, so that dut
regard to economy and safety demand thei
replacement. The last railroad commits
siOners report, however, states that "nev
" rails and ties have been continually tax
ing the place of worn ard broken ones
until it is now in fine condition y and
moreover, the fact that accidents from
broken rails occurred nearly at the sam
u time on The old Vermont Central and OF
the Harlem extension would seem to pre-
clude the idea that this Rutland rairoa,
accident was the result of allowing the rail
to wear out while the other roads, unde
the control of:the Central Vermont, wer
kept in a better state of repair. Blu
whether such was the cause or not, it ma
hereafter cause accidents on this and othe
roads, because, although the law require
an inspection by the railroad commissioner
lie is utterly powerless to order repairs
neither is such power vested in any othe
person or body.
This fact shows the necessity of add
tional legislation. The railroad commits
sioner-thc Office, not the man-is simpl
ridiculous. He is, at best, pensioner @
the railroads. He receives his pay fror
| nf fro of ua
mend, but what good does it do? TIL
railroad companies can follow his advice O
not as they please. He may condemn
bridge or the track, but his power end
here. If "A due regard to their own pre-
perry, and the safety of the life and lin
Of their patrons, does not lead railroa
corporation to keep their property in pre-
per state of repair-and we all know that
sometimes, it does not-there should b
power, somewhere, TO compel it. The al
tention of the Legislature is respectful
called to this matter
The people have, perhaps, more direc
personal interest in this matter than hay
the railroad companies. This will be ev
dent when we state that, in the years 1877
and 1874, nearly two Millions, 1913, 4S4-
passengers, and nearly three millions
2,766, 154-tons of freight were transporte
over the Central Vermont railroad CON
, pany and the leased lines alone and tina
the other railroads in the state carried
number and amount proportionate to thei
length. To what extent their lives an
personal safety, as well as the safety G
their property, are involved in these broke
rails, and providing a remedy therefor
they can see rs well as we can Unles
. the people inform themselves on the sui
iect, and demand remedial legislation, the
will receive nothing at the hands of III
legislature.