Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-30
THE NORFOLK WESTERN ROAD.
The Gauge 10 be Changed ON June list.
Preparations for the Work.
Correspondence ofthe Richmond Dispatch.

PETERSBURG, VA, May %, 1886.
The gauge OF the Norfolk and Western
railroad from Norfolk 10 Bristol will be
changed 10 the standard width OF four feet
nine inches on Tuesday the lst day OF
June. The south rail all along the line,
distance OF four hundred and eight miles.
will be moved. This moving Of single
rail i limited TO the main track, and OF
course does not include the various yards,
where the tracks will be changed a, cir
cumstancCs NAV require. Preparations Tor
THIS great work have been IN progress for
weeks. and the company now tnds itself In
readiness to begin il Oh the morning oh the
appointed day and % complete II IN twelve
hours' time.
In the mouutainou, region Of The diyi-
sion west q Lyncbburg the road viii bc
divided into sections 81 about six miles
distance each. On the eastern division, be-
tween Lynchburg and Norfolk, the Sec
lions will be increased 10 ten miles. There
will be tWeniy.ninC men h. clch section on
each division.
breakfast will be served 20 the hands all
along the lire at \. NJ. promptly, and q,
punctually at O'Clock the work oi
changing the gauge will De commenced.
The expectation l., should no accident oc-
cur TO delay operations. 10 have the entire
work completed by O'Clock in the after
noon.
There is already a very heavy force At
work on the road, and this VIII be increased
on the day 81 change 10 eighteen hundred
men-not including those IN the various
shops.
eo 3SsT tSg US RpnfflKfsadh d2rb q hedfYsg5
| and are now ready for the new gauge.
| This worL has been going on for some
| time. so that the traffic over The road might
suffer no interruption. The changing Of
! the cars at Petersburg was stopped ibis
| Saturday evening, and the entire working
| force here will be put on at Norfolk to
change the cars caught there. IL is ex-
pected to change fifty cars per day at Nor
| folk. to which point every unchanged car
I on The Eastern division will be sent before
| Tuesday. IL 4, estimated that about six
| hundred cars will thus be caught at Nor
| iolk. nearly all Of them cOal-cars, which IL
| has been found impossible. by reason Of
| the demands for the transportation OF coal.
TO take OF the road.
The passenger equipment will be changed
AT Lyuchburg, except the engines, when
| will lie changed at Roanoke and Central,
at which point Othd engines VIII b.
changed also.
Some two dozen or more OF the Hight en-
| cinrs now running on the eastern division
Of the road will not Doe changed al all, but
will be scrappcd." 10 Use railroad tech
meal phrase. or broken up. Their places
will betak,n, underline new order Of things
| by more 10 werful machines engines OF
ten wheel. OF which there are now four
teen AT Roanoke waiting % be- sent %
Petersburg. There will also DE added %
the passenger equipment on the Eastern
| division several engines Of greater power
han those now in Use.
No trains Whatever will be run on tn
road on Tuesday. On wednesday all tn
passenger trains will be resumed. As wei
| q. the freight trains. though It is probable
that several days Will enp-e before the lat
I terwill run with the present regularity.
Al O'Clock on Tuesday AFTERNOON tw(
Inspection hains will leave Petersburg
one gong east 10 Norfolk and the Othe
going west 10 Lynchburg. These are In
tended 10 test the track under the chang
| d gauge. Inspection-tr1ins will also pas
over the western division.
There j. now in the company yard, In
this city, car No. jG4 Of the Louisville anC
Nashville railroad, loaded with corn fol
Richmond. II will be sent through with
| out change OF bulk, ana VIII De the mrs
car To pass through under the new gauge
The gauge Of the New-Riyer BRANCH o
the Norfolk and Western railroad wa
changed to-day Saturday. This road !
soyenty-fye miles in length, and the chang
was made under the same system as tina
adopted for the main line.
The change Of gauge u the City POin
branch, nine miles in length, will De mad
| nj Il To- IL Oh
q brief space OF time.
The PREPARATIONS for this great work hay'
been admirably arranged and executed.
| ROBIN ADAIR.