The Leavenworth weekly times., 1877-11-29
VERY MARROW GAUGE.
Passenger Cars Runn,ng safely On
N Ten Inch Track.

Passenger Cars Running Safcly on
Ten Inch Track.
Boston Letter N New York Express.I
There is something new under the sun"
in railroads. AT least have seen no de-
scriprion in any New York paper of what
has just been experimentally completed in
Massachusetts. \ pe iectly working, safe
yes, much safer than the ordinary-road
has been produced, and which will revolu-
tionize traffic in both passengers and freight.
The cost and the price OF both will come
down one half, and yet the companies coin
money where now they cannot pay expen-
ses.
The young gentleman who conceived this
new plan is practical wood and iron ma
ehinist, and also an engineer. To show how
narrow track may be, and Isl PRACTICAL
and safe with his own hands he construct
ed railroad, having but ten inches
width of track, from the elevated
village of Hyde Park down to the de
pot. He also, with his own hands, con-
structed the cars To run ON the track. In
these he carried in six weeks over 5000 pas
sengers from the village down To the depot,
without the slightest injury To any one
There were several short curves on the way,
and the track crossed the highway twice.
The people Of Billeirea, wishing road
across through their town from North Bill
ler'ea, ON the Boston X Lowell Railroad, to
Bedford, a distance Of eight and a halt
miles, requested the protector, MIR. George
+. Mansfield, to come and give the people
a lecture on narrow track railroads. some
said, lit is u chimerical notion" but
Others said, This is OF God and must pre-
vail" and they gave 4 helping hand and
secured movement 80 far as to get
petition for charter for the Legis-
lature. The charter was allowed.
Then the right OF way was secured
gratis the whole distance. Two very
able men gave the way only because, as
they said, it was only visionary, crazy
headed scheme, and would never be accomp-
lished. Ben. Butler went IN Tor one-tiftieth
of the whole stock, which was $4,000.
Then came the building Of the road, winch
was completed by the LIST OF September, so
that cars passed with passengers over the
entire route that day, and secured the right
Of way. There are eleven bridges on the
route, one over 100 feet long. The rail
weighs twenty-five pounds TO the yard,
which is quite strong enough; twenty
pounds would do. The road is well built
and equipped one grade is lo5 feet.
The cars and engines OF the road will at
once attract and fix the attention. They
are very well proportioned, and make a
very handsome appearance. The engine Is
behind the tender and next to the cars, 50
that when the train moves the car next the
engine draws down upon and increases the
adhesion OF the eng inc To the track. Both
engine and cars are constructed 80 as To be
very near the ground, giving great advan-
tages in regard to safety, also very little
oscillation. The cars have an aisle with
one seat on each side, in the same manner
as ordinary cars have two seats. The
length of the cars allow thirty seats, each
person having a seat to himself. The cars
warmed with steam, are well ventilated, have
closets, water tank, all the modern improve
ments, Westinghouse brakes etc They weigh
but four tons and half, ordinary cars
weighing on au average eighteen tons.
Hence Mansfield will carry sixty persons
with cars weighing nine tons, while ordi-
nary roads must draw eighteen tons to
carry fifty-six persons. The engines are
equally light and less costly than on ordi-
nary roads 1t is quite evident that road
eight and a half miles long, which cost
equipped 81 800 less than $4,000, and
which can be run Tor half the expense upon
ordinary roads, must be agreat and notable
achievement The road cost $500 per
mile The trains run about twenty miles
an hour. Engines weigh about eight tons,
and draw two passenger and two freight
cars twice per day each way, at a cost
of coal only one fourth that OF ordinary
engines.