The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-12-06
MI iscellanoo VI q.
Narrow Gauge Railroads.

THEIR SUPERIOR ECONOMY AND CAPACITY
FOR FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION.
The railroads between the Mississippi
Valley and the Atlantic, except the New
York Central and portions of the Pennsyl-
vania, have been built, equipped, and are
worked upon theory which has been de-
monstrated to he unfit for freight trans
portation. The gauges all run from four
feet eight inches to five feet six inches and
six feet. The war of the gauges has result
ed in the victory of the narrow gauges. In
the mountains of Wales, slate mines invited
capital. Easy and cheap transportation
separated Festiniog, the place of the mines,
from Port Modoc, the seaport for shipping.
The route was mountainous and difficult.
Festiniog is 700 feet above Port Modoc-
The route had to be scooped out of noun
tain sides, while ravines continually inter
copied the way and had to be crossed by
wall works and stone embankments. So
crooked was the route, that its line was al
most continual repetition of the letter S.
It's curves were so sharp that a moderately
long train would be on three curves at the
same time. These obstacles were in the
way of cheap transportation. In 1880 a
horse tram.way was constructed with a
two feet gauge and sixteen pound rail,
which in few years was replaced by a
thirty pound rail- and the track was adapt
ed to steam engines. After eighteen years
use, the thirty-pound rails were replaced
by iorty-eight pound rails. The original
capital stock OF the road was f3G,00O.-
The earnings expended in construction in
creased the capital to eSG,00O, making the
cost 100000 per mile. 1t pays 204 per
cent. on its original and 124 on its present
capital. 1t is worked with the Fairie en-
CINE, and is the most successful railway in
England. This statement raises the ques-
tion, Why is it that this narrow gauge road
has always paid large dividends when
nearly every wde-gauge in Britain has
failed to pay2
The first inquiry is as to
SAVING IN CONSTRUCTION.
This cannot be accurately settled until
the exact gauge is fixed and the route is
established. Three feet or three feet six
inches should be settled upon. With eth
err of these gauges the saving will vary but
little, if any, from forty per cent. Actual
and varied experiences have established
this conclusion. These experiences have
resulted from works entered upon on the
report of a committee appointed by various
European, Asiatic and South American
governments to visit the Festiniog road,
and examine its working capacity, FEAST
bility and general utility. In July, 1870,
the committee met. 1t was composed OF
the most experienced and thoroughly edu-
Gated railroad engineers in Europe. They
examined in detail the engines, cars, and
every element of practical importance in
their weight, construction, size, durability,
etc. The result was unanimous concur
renee in report favorable to narrow gauges
and all the details so successfully demon
strated in the twenty years experiment OF
the Festiniog road. Russia at once adopt
ed the report of its commission, and con-
structed the Imperial Livny narrow. gauge
road, which it has since operated witt tri-
umphant success. Its cost (t is three feet
six inch track was for forty per cent less
than four feet eight and a half inch gauge,
through corresponding country and
grades. Uniformity of result has shown
that the cost diminishes with the width OF
the track. In India, Australia, Norway,
Canada, North Germany and the United
mile Australia, $32 900; India, $4,000
Norway, from $4,000 to 500, 600; Canada,
$4,000 Western States, $4,000 to $12,-
900; Tennessee, $11,5OO. THE Railaoay
Times estimates the cost in ordinary routes
at $13,500, against 1874 900 for four feet
eight and half inch grade. The New
York Tribune, after exhaustive examina,
ton, fixed the cost of II fully equipped sin
gle track at $16,400, as against $685. for
four feet eight and half Denver and
Rio Grande narrow gauge cost S13500
against $23,500 for four feet eight and q
half inches on like routes.
| SAVING IN EQUIPMENT.
This cannot be accurately settled unit
the gauge is settled and the route is estab
lished. The committee of European gov
pean governments, before alluded to, ex
amined every detail in the Festiniog road
The Russian, Indian, South American
Australian and North American roads hav,
verified the conclusions there reached
The capacity of platform, gondola and DO,
cars weighing 1,77G lbs, would averag
$4,000 of freight. The cost of platform
cars, carrying for each wheel $3.50, woult
be $3.50, or $19.42 for each 1000 lbs. o
capacity, and the capacity of freight t.
dead weight 1 to 2 $40: The gondol
would carry to each wheel 1856; cost $38
or $3.50 for 1000 pounds of capacity
proportion of dead weight, / to 48-10(
Box cars carrying to each wheel $500; cos
$3.50 or $25.71 for each 1000 pounds {
capacity, with capacity as one is to two.
| The Russian narrow gauge has demon