The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-01-02

tne euHOt VI tuis paper Oh tuo utihty vi th'
Standard Gauge az against the Narrow Gauge
in light railways that We reproduce It. There
is lack of sound scientific information by th'
great body OF the people, that carefully pre-
pared article on the subject like this will give
them some needed information on a matter OF
very general interest:
MARROW GAUGE VS.. LIGHT STANDARD
! GAUGE RAILWAYS.
The Railroad Gazette, in q very valuable and
timely series Of articles, takes up tho gauge
question cd seeks to establish by facts and
figures that it is not alone not cheaper, but ac-
tualy in the end much dearer, to build narrow
gauge railroads than to construct suitably hight
standard gauge roads The subject is one of
such general interest, and one go widely mis-
represented and misunderstood, that we shall
briefly trace the outlines OF the more elaborate
argument OF our contemporary. II It can be
proved that 3-foot gauge road cannot be con-
structed or operated at materially less cost than
a standard 4-foot g. inch road of like charac
ter, whicl would give equal facilities to traffic
and do the came business, then the numerous
Disadvantages OF the narrow-guage must de-
eide against it, These evils are non conformity
with existing roads, the trans-shipmsnt Of
freight with other lines, and the limitations TO
strong expansion OF transportation facilities.
The first expense, that Of surveying and To-
eating the line, may be fairly considered equal
in both cases. The cost of locomotives is, ac-
cording to the testimony of a number OF build
ers, very nearly equal for engines of like class
and equal capacity while the difference Of cost
OF freight and passenger ears between wide and
narrow gauge is so small as to be overbals need
by the additional cost OF shipment the smaller
cars not going TO their destination on their own
wheels. rhe difference in weight is various!y
estimated at 500 to 1000 pounds 'or the loco
motives, 800 pounds for the passenger, and $50
pounds for the freight cars. This, In excess OF
be heavier for standard gauge roads OF capac-
! ity equal to the narrow gauge lines, than those
chosen for the latter. All other track iron
like rail spices, bolts, spikes, frogs, switches
etc., may also be taken Of tho same siZs and
weight, aud are, therefore. as low IN cost. The
1
out that the lateral oscillations will exert less
force on rails further apart than they will on Q
narrower gauge base, and that, therefore, witt
the same weight OF rolling stock they may be
lighter than for narrow-sauge road.
Another point which is made on the basis oi
the equality of weight Of rolling stock, is thai
the notion that there will be any saving IN the
cost OF timber by reason Of difference in length
OF ties, is erroneous, because the bearing sur.
faces required in both cases, being dependent
upon the weight, must be equal. Ths grea
number OF narrow gauge roads use 6-foot ties
which might and have actually been employed
for the wider track. If, however, 7 foot tie'
ara taken, then there will bs more bearing sur
face, and the track will be so much better than
that of a similar narrow gauge road.
An examination OF the comparative cost o
grading reveals some very interesting features
For tunnels and rock cuts there will be no dif.
ference, because their width is not governed by
The distance between tracks but by the cal
bodies. With embankments, OF course. il Is &
different matter. The saving will be repre-
sented by the contents OF body equalln widtt
TO the difference between the top or the en.
bankment in both oasos, which is foot. III
hight varies.vith rho Grade. OF course, and al
The ratio between the two masses viii grow 81
the size decreases, the saving will be creates
with low embanhments The saving for en-
bankments 4, G, 8. 10 and 12 feet high amount,
to IL, SO, so, 43 and 3.9 per cents. respective
ly The material TO be removed from the cut'
il affected IN similar manner by the depth
The saving 10 4.3, 3.5, 3.5, 3.2 and 30 per cent
respectively for depths OF 4, g. 8, 10 and ~ feet
For cuts on a hill side the saving due to marrow
gauge is 416 per cent. for a slope OF ~ to
and 7.5 par cent for slopes Of to 1.
II will be seen, therefore, that the savn
effected by making the cross-ties 6 feet Ion
for narrow-gsuge road, against feet for
standard gauge road, will vary from nothing t
u per cent. In order to give an idea wha
this will actually amount to as affecting th
cost of the railroad, tho Railroad takes the Aver
see, or 81 per cent. Now, assuming that th
cost Of grading is 1876 per cent.-a figure take
from the actual cost sheets of Western rail
way, built through an exceptionally roug
> lCOuutry-tutu luc uuioishSo IL tho SVsN "
grading OF narrowgauge aud = standard
, gauge road OF equal capacity, built on the sam
alignment, would be less than Js OF per cen
OF the total cost OF the road. Ii has bee
ciiimed as an advantage Of narrow w-guage raj
roads that they admit Of curves OF shorter rs
dius, but it would appear from tables OF SO nal
row w-gauge railroads that only one OF them hs
curves as short as, for instance, those on th
stAndard-gauge elevst ed railroads OF New Yor
tho shortest radius or which is 90 feet.
Estimating the whole outlay for cross-ties q
2IS per cent OF the total cost, then the increa'
due to the substitution of feet for 6 feet tit
would be one-seventh OF the amount, or hit
over one-thrd OF / per cent. AS for the CO..
[, OF ballast, an example of a Western road pu
+. it at 3.7 per cent. OF the total outlay. Taklr
the average width OF ballast for the 3-fo
gauge at So feet, and for the ligst standai
gauge at 81 feet, and assuming the amount
be proportional to this Width, the former wou
be nearly 0.4 per cent. less than the latter.
The cost OF iron bridges tor roads Of the tv
gauges, carrying rolling stock OF tho san
i; weight and kind for each road excepting so
"a the weight Is affected by the leDgthenil
out of the sxles and the spreading apart Of Il
wheels,. vould be very nearly equal and this