Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-28
ON THEIR NEW TRACK
THE GAUGE CHANGED FRoN WEST
POINT TO DAHvILLE.
A Triumph Of Management and Mechani-
cal skill-A Great Work
Done.

Done.
The Richmond and Danyille rli!road was
| chartered in 1897, and It's construction was
| leQun that wear, aud the road completed
| from Richmond 10 Danyillo in 1855.
The carly history OF the road. the strug-
! giles through which 1t passed, and the
heroic efforts OF las tlrs. president. Whit
! nell u. TuntstaIl, and it's friends, would
| form an interesting chapter In the history
| OF railroads and OF The StIte, which should
some day be written.
The EXAMINERS" RIDlCULE.
The brilliant John NJ. Dpnicl, Of the old
| EzGminer. brought all OF his powers Of
ridicu!e 10 tear against Mr. Tuntstall and
| his scheme. At one time he made a report
Of his speech TO consist OF only several cuts
| csricaiuring the attitudes and gestures Of
| the earnest speaker, and declaring that the
absurdi,y Of the undertaking could be IL
| lustrated by the statement tha: one train of
cars once month tcOutd haul all Of the
freight beilceen Dunriite and richmond. 4
THEN AND now.
II the distinguished editor could now
see as many as eight freight trains a d,y
coming over this route. each engine haul
ug lhirty-tbrce ears instead Of eleven un-
dei the old regime, and each car with a
capacity Of 10000 POUNDS instead OF l3.-
OO0. as the old ears used 10 hold. he woUid
conclude that, in tins matter at least, ne
was neither prophe. nor the son OF a
prophet"
WAR HISTORY.
The war history OF this road would be
deeply interesting. The immense tax upon
ITS engines and cars. and the skill OF its Off
! GERS and employees in meeting the demands
upon 1.-THE transportation Of troops and
DToyislOns-the fights to preserve ITS
bridges and trestlcs from destruction by the
enemy's raiders--the train that bore the
confederate Government from Richmond
the failure 10 deposit provisions at Amelia
courthouse which General Lee ordered,
but hich failure was through no fault OF
either the authorities in Richmond or the
railroad officials. All these and other points
Of interest are worth preserving, but must
be here omitted.
VALUABLE LINK.
The " Piedmont road" from Danville 10
Golds5orO', was built in 1853. and was OF
invaluable service IN preserving the south
EN- connections OF the Confederate capital.
WHEN THE WAR WAS OVER.
The war left the road, of course. in the
helpless condition Of all southern railways,
but lis friends stood firm, its officers went
to work, and. despite Of many yiciS>itudes,
the progress Of the road since then has been
steadily onward 10 the splendid triumph
and success Of to-day.
REACHING sOuTnEAsTERLY.
In 1871 the Richmond and Danyile
lcnsed the road from. GoldsbOr0' 10
4 %. A >
lanta was completed in 1874, aud this be-
came "a great trunk line for travel and
freight.
THE OLD YORB-RIyER ROAD.
In July, 1881, the Richmond and Dan
vile got control Of the old YOrk-Rlyer rail-
road FROM Richmond 20 West Point, and
the magnificent wharyes. the cotton CON.
press. and the line OF steamers there are the
legitimate fruit, OF the tine business this
great line has been doing.
VIRGINIA MIDLAND, sc.
Tie Virginia Midland railroad. from
Uauyille TO Washington, has been worked
in cooperation since 1881, and is now
part Of the great Danyillc system, which
has from time to time added other lines
until it now controls about 2,G00 miles of
railway.
TIE NANAGEMENT.
The almost perfect system with which
this great railway in all OF its part i con-
trollCd, directed, gnd operated eXcites great
interest, and is we'll worthy of a most care
ful study.
che officers OF the system are; Colonel
4. :. Bufcrd, president; l.. b. Thomas,
general manager; Major Peyton Randolph,
assistant general manager.
-
follows: Captain W. II. Green, Richmond;
Roheft Andrews. Alexandra; \. q. An
drews. Raleigh, y. c.; V. T.. McBee, Asbe-
vile. \. c.; G.. Il. Talcott, Columbia, 5.
c.; and Edmund Berkley, Atlanta, Ga.
Change or Gauge.
About $500 miles Of southern railroads
had the tiyC-foOt gauge, and at conven-
ton Of railroads held in Atlanta last Feb
ruary il was determined "a change 10 the
toIlr.loot ninc---thc Danylllc syst,.o finally
fixing NAV 18th TO June lst rs the date up0h
which the change should be made, the line
from West Point to Danyile leading oil on
Yesterday tthe 21th).
The necessary preparations Tor tins great
change involved an amount OF study,
careful attention to details. and really able
management, which have been already in
ulGhiCU III lit lIuEiHtiilINS i'u'ii'H'u vi Ni'
DiSpdtch, but which it is difficult for the
uninitiated tofuly take in.
CHANGE OF ENGINES AND CARS.
Preliminary to the change Of track was
the very serious question Of so changing the
gauge Of engines and ears Is 10 have them
ready for the new order OF things without
seriously interrupting the Immense traffic
OF the road.
MIR. Il. p. Wade, superintendent OF the
motive power Of The system, and his efficient
assistants were fully equal TO the emergen-
cy, and have done their work in the most
expeditions aud satisfactory manner
New dfiying-whecls were put on some
Of the engines. The wheels were
"dishcd," so that they could be
run on either gauge, gas-machlne was in
vented 10 get the tires hot enough to
change; and while the aXlcs prOtrudc over
an inch and bali on each side, these pro-
iections will be gradually cut of and the
wheels made smooth and even.
The engines were changed-3O at Man
chester, 20 at Charlotte, 81 at Atlanta, - at
Columbia, Is at Company Shops, :. G., aud
10 at Salisbury.
PREPARATORY WORK ALONG TUE LINE,
The Dispatch has already published very
full details OF the programme provided IN
general orders from headquarters in Rich
mond, but the following additional items
will he of interest. On the 10th OF April
Superintendent Green issued thefoIlowing,
which was strictly complied with:
In conformity with instructions, as shown
by General order No. A, Issued by MIR. r..
b. Thomas, general manager. under date OF
April l0th, the engineer OF maintenance or
way and supervisors OF track will see that
the following instructions, covering pre-
paratory work TO be done, are fully under
stood and carried out:
l. Commence AT once lining the rail that
will not be moved. and at the same time
clean of read bed from rail TO rail nush
with tors OF ties, and adze all ties when
necessary, TO an even surface for distance
of five Inches from the rail that is To be
moved also. draw and set 10 4-leet-9-inches
gauge two out OF three spikes on inside OF
rail that Is 10 be moved on tanRents. except
at Joints, road.crossings, and switches.
This work 10 Oe completed by the L. NJ. OF
May eth.
II. ON May 10th commence the same
work on curves. except that only every
other spike between Joints Is TO be set
Gauges for this purpose Will be furnished.
and great care should be exercised in using
them. Spikes will not be set for 4.feet-9-
inches gauge at joints road-crossings, or
switches. uatil the day OF change. except al
such switches az may be hereinafter desig-
mated. This work Is to be completed by the
evening Of May 22d.
Then followed the list OF switches TO be
changed, and now and then the following
important directions: