The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-03-21
A Very Narrow Gauge.

There is "something new under the
sun" in railroads. At least l have seen
no description in any New York paper Of
what has just been experimentally COM
pleted in Massachusetts. A perfectly
working, safe-yes, much safer than the
ordinary-road has been produced, and
which will revolutionize traffic in both
passengers and freight. The cost and
price of both will come down one-hslf,
and yet the companies coin money where
now they can not pay expenses.
The young gentleman who conceived
this new plan is a practical wood and
iron machinist, and also an engineer. To
show how narrow q track may be, and bs
made practical and safe, with his
own hands he constructed a railroad hav-
ing but ten inches width of track, from
the elevated village of Hyde Park down
to the depot. He also, with his own
hands, constructed the cars to run on the
track. In these he carried in six weeks
over 5000 passengers 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 Billerica, wishing a road across
through their town from North Billerica,
on the Boston and Lowell railroad to
Bedford, a distance of eight and half
miles, requested the protector, Mr..
George F. Mansfield, to come and give
the people a lecture on narrow-track
railroads. Some said sit is chimerical
notion" but others said, "this is of God
and must prevail" and they gave help
ing hand and secured movement so far
as to get petition for a charter from the
Legislature. 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.
at was only a visionary, crazy headed
scheme, and would never be accomplished"
But next the stock was subscribed. Ben
Butler went in for one-fiftieth of the
whole stock, which was $4,000. Then
came the building of the road, which was
completed By the 1st 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 25 pounds to the yard, which
is quite strong enough 90 pounds would
do. The road is well built and equipped;
one grade is 1855 feet.
The cars and engines of the road will
at once attract and fix the attention.
They are very we'll proportional, and
make very handsome appearance.
The engine is behind the tender and next
the cars, so that, when the train moves,
the car next the engines draws down
upon and increases the adhesion of the
engines to the track. Both engine and
cars are constructed so as to be very near
the gravel, giving great advantages 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 allows thirty seats, each person hav-
ing seats to himself The cars are
warmed with steam, are well ventilated,
have closets, water tank, all the modern
improvements, Westinghouse brakes, etc.
They weigh but four tons and half,
ordinary cars weighing, on an average.
eighteen tons. Hence Mansfield will
carry sixty persons with cars weighing
nine tons, while ordinary road must draw
eighteen tons to carry tifty-six persons.
The engines are equally light and less
costly than on ordinary roads. 1t is
quite evident that road eight and half
miles long, which cost equipped 81 500
less than $780, 900, and which can be run
for half the expense upon ordinary
roads, must be great and notable achieve
ment The road cost $4,000 per mile.
The trains run abou. twenty miles an
hour. Engines weigh about eight tons,
and draw two passenger and two freight
cars twice per day each way, at cost of
coal only one fourth that of ordinary en-
gines. N. Y. Express.