The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-04-13
Marrow Gauge Roads.
PORT HUEoN. Men. March ii, 1852

PORT HUBoN. MICH, March Il, l8cJ.
80 1HE ED1roR OF THa RAILWAY AGE:
In reading The Age have noticed with
great deal of interest, from time TO time, the
articles on narrow gauge railroads, possibly
from the fact that ! have taken an active
part in the construction aud operating Of
such roads for some eight or nino years past,
and am n thorough believer in the system,
its ability and success. Although tho first
fourteen years of my railroad life were on
broad gauge-the Pennsylvania railroad-I
well rscollect the winter Of 1874. my first cN-
periepce on marrow gauge roads. 1t was q
common thing TO hear the remark, That is
nothing more than sheep path they eau
not make time or do business Oh such \
lOad.' Narrow gauges az that date were in
their infancy, IL fact they are but little
farther than that at the present time bat
to-day they have record OF which the aUvo
Gates OF the system may well Zee, proud
Their capacity 10 do a large business have
always found in my experience 20 be equal
10 the demand. The road that am con-
nected with at present, the Port Huron 4.
Northwestern. has four divisions or one of
which We arc Obliged 10 make good time.
This IL the East Saginaw division, lying be
tween East Saginaw and Port Huron. q dis
lance of 81 miles. On this division our cx-
press trains consist of one baggage, nail and
express Car, one second class coach, one inst
class coach and one parlor car. We run two
express trains on the division each way, daily
sxcep. Sunday. Train Nc. 3 has 10 make
the best time, her schedule time being three
hours aud four minutes for the 81 miles In
this she has 20 mako thirteen stops, includ-
ING railroad crossings and water stations.
There are almost two miles of yard track to
pass over in which the speed is limited. and
two Fifteen degree caryes and three miles of
tifty-foot grade, ant the trains must make
connections az both ends OF the division
with broad gauge roads, besidcs connecting
twice with other divisions of our own road.
We first put sixteen-ton engines with IL
BY lG-inch cylinders and +S-inch drivers on
these runs, but they failed 20 give satisiac-
ton. We now have twenty-ton engine; with
!O-inch drivers and - by ts-inch cylinders.
in examining the train dispatohcr's aheo. |
find that M. ., of this GATE, left Fast
Saginaw st $50 u. IT,, and arrived O.. Port
Huron 1t 1000 r. M, making the total tirre
three hours autl five minutes OF 81 miles.
tt th;s tlule thoy lost seventeen minutes
waiting foE connections Of brCod gauge roads,
tr&yeEseI two niiie8 OF yard track that con
G1f1c about twelve minutes, and made ten
other stops which occupy en- average of two
Spd O haif q three minutes each from the
time headwsy is Stacked until il il fully
gained again We inust allow eight minutes
lost ti;ps on the yard track, twenty five
minutes on tho ten stops, and seventeen
minutes 20. connections, a total Of flfty
minutes, leaving the actual running time
two hours and fifteen minutes, or an average
of ovor forty miles per horr.
II ia not quito fifteen months since the
last track was laid on this division and the
hard freezing during the past winter has
caused the rcadbed to hesye in many places
making il necessary to slack speed. The rur
roferTod 10 was no special effort, and differs
only from our time card (which you will find
on page 341, Rand a hcNslly's Guide) in
the seventeen minutes time lost waiting for
connections.
Nov 10 those broad gauge friends who Try
TO belitte the narrow gauge system vii
say, viii you kindly furnish the readers Of
I's age with the number Of page contain
ing time cards showing better time over
rO~l OF like distance with as new roadbed
"a rnpoh yard track and "a many stous. "
you can find by referring ~ oura, ps,, 3tl
trsin e. Fast Saginaw civsi0n O. ts,. pur