Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-01-08
PLANf1EkS COLUMN
James Single Track Railway,

James Single Track Railway.
The following letter in regard to the James
snge-track railway, which we believe we'll
calculated for these islands, was written by tho
inventor. in answer TO inquiries from ne re
garding the cost Of the road, locomotives, &c.
THE principal features Of this system Of rail
way is in the great economy Of cost and OPERA
ton over any other railway in use. and its
adaptability TO the transportation of freight
and passengers; and it is the only plan OF
railway in which wood can be used instead of,
and supplant, iron or steel for the track and
rails for the cars to run upon
The track consists of two pieces of timber
6x6 laid side by side inches apart, on Axe
ties feet long, and the rails are fastened to
the ties with angle irons. The cars have one
broad-faced wheel 10 or | g inches wide at each
end of the car, and in the centre of the face
and around the outer periphery of each wheel
stands out aange inches in depth, and
| 4 inches wide at the heel or base. Tho
fange runs in the space between the two rails
and is permanent guide The frames of the
cars suspended below the axles or centres
OF the wheels within three inches of tho track,
lowering the centre Of gravity of the load and
car. On this principal car that is supported
on wheels that have ls inches bearing on the
track, has the same foundation and support Of
car that carries its frame and load above the
wheels where the gauge liz 8 feet, as an inch
Fellow the centre is the same as two above.
The wheels having broad surface evenly
distributed over the surface of the rails, there
is no unusual wear on them tho locomotives
also having broad-faced wheels, there is more
soeiicient traction, whilo there 10 no grehter
rolling ress lance. An engine weighing nine
tons was tested at Antioch on 5x8 rails over
grades and on curves, and was pronounced by
everyone as q success, and the Company now
are building road that will be 1875 miles in
length. The cars were tried with hundred
persons and carried them with perfect safety.
Tho cars are provided with safety wheels on
each side to prevent any accident in going over
srcssel work and bridges.
This system of railway can be operated in q
small way, with light cars, and on small rails
4x6, and large amount of freight trans ported
from one point to another. Material for tho
track will cost about $1,000 per mile, and tho
rails can be laid and grading done on q level
country for $500 per mile. This is for road
of the capacity of 500 tons daily. As tho cars
on this system of railway only requires tho
weight actually necessary to carry tho load,
there is a saving of seventy tons of dead weight
to every one hundred tons of freight over the
broad gauge, consequently saving of power
to move the trains of cars.
Locomotives that will draw 200 tons of
freight on level, can be furnished for 80 500 all
complete and ready for tho road, and the freight
cars will not cost more 5000 each - passenger
cars according to the finish. Twenty men can
build ono mile of the road day after the grad
ing is done. The engine will climb and over
como very steep grades" d. b. JAMES,
San Francisco.
A TEN-1NcH RAILWAY. One of tho most
curious railways in the world is the ten-inch
gauge road running from North Bllerica,
Mass, to Bedford. 1t was first hooted at by
the people, but the road was completed, max
ing length of about eight and half miles.
There are eleven bridges on tho road, ono of
which is one hundred feet long. The rails
weigh twenty-five pounds to the yard. Tho
road is well built and equipped ono grade is
one hundred and fifty five feet. The cars and
engines will at first sight create wonder and
admiration. Their perfect proportions give
them handsome appearance. They are con-
structed very near the ground, giving them
great advantages of safety. The cars have an
aisle with one seat on each side in the Same
manner as ordinary cars,havc two seats. The
length Of the cars allows thirty seats, each
person having scat to himself. The cars are
supplied with closets, water tank, are heated
by steam and have all the modern improve
ments. They weigh but four and half tons,
ordinary cars weighing an average eight
cen TONS The trains run at tho rate of twenty
miles an hour with perfect safety. The en-
CINE is placed behind the tender, giving greater
adhesion to the track. They weigh eight tons,
and draw two passenger and two baggage
cars. The cost of the road was about 81 500
per mile.