The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1876-12-02
MARROW GAUGE RAILROADS.

road, but it now seems that the most
excellent authority has demonstrates,
from actual experience that such roads
do not pay Without fully endorsing
these views we lay before orr readers
the argument OF Mr. II. NJ. Weber, an
eminent railway authority. as contained
in the . Quarterly published at the Uni
versity of Tubipgen Mr. Weber begins
by chasing railways As normal or pri-
mary and abnormal OF secondary.
He includes in the first the entire
general system of broader gauge roads
which given country has aud ia the
latter all deviatione thereirom. 1t
comprises also the curves aud grades
usual IN the general system He adopts
the general premise thar the normal
broad gang, roads can have a mutually
among each other that affords economic
advantages not at.ainable by abnormal
marrow gauge railways, that a prsorf
they are, therefore, to be preferred.
He assumes further that they serve a
general railroad traffic, of passenger
and freight trains, especially where the
latter is variable in both quantity and
quality, sbetter than narrow gauge roads,
that are abnormal. unless. indeed, the
latter can be exclusively the puryeyor
TOR some special passenger or freight
transportation. He claims preference
for Them also IN all cases where the
unloading and relesding or transfer
causes deterioration in the goods TO be
carried to market, which is the case
With ali lower grades or soft Goals; he
says to obyiate this requires costly
structures, and claims that for that
reason they are more economic,
spee'iier and more expeditions He
asserts that ali permanent roads should
be normal (have the same general
gauge}, especially in view of prob
able large military transportations.
He thinks narrow gauge railroads as
proper: ~ When. as III Canada, East
India. Australia, Norway, etc, the num-
Der of narrow gauge connecting lines is
so numerous and their own intercom-
| munca,ion SO extensive that the trans
tiers and the cost of them are small CON-
pared 10 the general business. ca
When theearrying trade of the proposed
narrow gauge road is principally either
| that OF passengers alone or freight alone.
| Mixed trade makes narrow gauge roads
expensive, as il requires a manifold of
rolling stock and other preparations not
suitable to shorter lines (3) Where
marrow curves and other savings in
heavy construction make narrow gauge
roads much less expensive. so that the
saving IN interest is larger than the
economic disadvantages under which
narrow gauge (abnormaD railways labor,
as compared to the normal broader
gauge railways. a. Where the transit
business is permanently of such nature
as to require in the transfer to other
roads nc large extra expenres, nor to
cause deterioration by re-handling or adj
ditionai risk. Among such may be
named the heavier mineral ores, wood,
lumber. lime materials for making and
repairing streets, building stones and
Goals. that do not lose value by rough
handling. The direction OF such trans
fers must, to come within this rule,
be from the abnormal 10 the nor
mai roads, and not the reverse. 90
Where marrow gauge roads provide
from their special character and rela-
ton 10 certain localities and their busi-
ness, specifically convenient access 20
stone or other quarries, or to forests
that are not accessible to other rail
roads, and where therefore by the form
er burthens can be carried from the
place Of production to that Of consump-
ton without re-handling and breaking
bulk, which would not be carried if no
narrow gauge railways were construct.
ed. (6.) Where there is naturally
isolated railroad area, such as exists on
islands or special connections with
water courses. but even here caution is
necessary: as the experience of the
Swedish lake connecting road teaches
100 Where they connect turnpikes
and other large thoroughiares. and
these furnish passengers or freight to
| the secondary railroad. aud in localitie.
where broader-gauged raiiroadyare dii.
iieult OF construction and of great cost,
in consequence of the heavy grades and
narrow curves that would have to be
i overcome.
Narrow gauge railways are NOT adpisa
Die. tal Who're the passengers and
freight traflic is so mixed and conpli
Gated as to cause high expenses and
much time III the transaction OF bust
ness in such eases II will be difficult Il
cover repairs and general expenses, and
hence there is little probability of earn
4 ing interest on cost of road (5j Whert
connections with main lines having the
normal gauge are essential to the sue
cess of u narrow gauge road. In such
cases the narrow gauge can only bs
temporary, and there is sure to be :
future when the entire road has TO b
i reconstructed and its rolling stock re
modelled. te) Where the demands o
business are variable. so that. when the,
.