The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-24
CHANGE OF RAILWAY GAUGE
How the Work of Altering $4,000 Miles
of Track Is To Be Accomplished.
The Foresight and Preparation Necessary
The Force To Be Employed-The Esti-
matedCost and Time Required.
Louisville Conrier-IournaI.

Louisville Courier-Journal
At meeting of the general managers, super
intendents and heads of the transportation.
roadway and motive-power departments of
Southern roads. held at the Kimbal House,
Atlanta. Ga, Feb. 2 and 3, 1886, called for the
purpose of fixing date and arranging details for
change of gauge, the following resolution, Of
fered by Mr.. E. B. Thomas, of the Richmond 81
Danvlle was adopted:
That feet inches is hereby adopted as the stand
ard gauge of the roads represented in this convention
and that in changing gauge from feet it shall be to
feet inches, and that a committee be appointed
which shall communicate with the leading railways
which feet Si9 and feet inch gauge to agree
upon wheel gauge which shall be suitable for both
gauges and that said committee report at an early
day to an adjourned meeting of this convention.
1t appears that all of the taedard- gauge roads
north of the Ohio river except the Pennsylvania,
whose gauge is feet inches, have gauge of
feet 81 inches, and the committees important
duty was to fix upon wheel gauge which would
for all time be interchangeable with all of the
roads in the country. At the adjourned meeting
of the convention held in Atlanta, Feb. 16, the
committee made it's report Circulars
had been sent out to all the leading
railroads in the country asking their
experience in running feet 81 inches gagged
cars over 4 feet inches gauge track, or vice
versa. The answers received demonstrated that
no trouble was experienced, and the committee
recommended that 4 feet So inches, allowing
variation of of an inch either way, be adopted
as standard gauge between hanges After
hearing this report the convention adjourned,
having previously arranged the date for the
change, and adopting all the important commit
tee reports, especially that of the roadway COM
mittee. This latter outlined the preparations
that were necessary, designating the proper
tools, organization methods, ETC. This report
recommends that the roadway forces should all
be increased thirty days prior to the change, so
that on the day of change they shall be double
the usual number. On the day, or days, of
change the force must equal not less than three
men to the mile. The organization for eight
mile sections laid down is as follows:
Four men drawing inside spikes, 8 driv-
ing outside spikes men driving inside spikes
men throwing rail- 1 man with 5-foot gauge
pole car, man with standard gauge lever car, 2
men extra, "a men total
The changing of the gauge of the track from
to 4 feet inches, will be done by moving one
rail in inches without disturbing the other rail
at all The preparations for changing the road
bed will be commenced about one month ahead.
This preparation will consist in AIDING cut
ting the tie to smooth and even surface with
the rail- and clearing away any distractions
even with the top of the tie for space of not
less than inches from the rail that is to be
moved in, so that when the change is made the
bearing Of the track will not be destroyed. All
spikes not absolutely necessary will be drawn
out beforehand. The rail is fastened to each
crosstie by two spikes. one the inside and the
other on the outside. All inside spikes will be
drawn except the spikes in every third crosstie
on tangents and every other tie on curves
By means of a template to measure the dis
lance shat the rail is to be moved great deal of
valuable time will also be saved by driving the
inside spikes beforehand. Inside spikes will be
set with templates in every third tie and will
- Al. 49,
to receive the base of the rail When the change
actually takes place, therefore, all that will be
necessary to be done will be to draw the few in
side spikes that have been left to keep the rail in
position, shove the base of the rail under the
spikes that have already been driven on the in
side Of the new gauge, and then secure it by
driving in the outside spikes leaving the old
outside spikes to be drawn at leisure This
rangement will also save the necessity for meas
uring the gauge and arranging bearing on the
day of the change
Monday May 81, and Tuesday, June 1, have
been designated as the days for general change
of gauge. The following lines will change on
Monday, May 81: Louisville 81 Nashville, Nash
vlle Chattanooga e. st. Louis. Memphis q
Charleston, Alabama Great Southern, Cincinnati
Southern railway Cincinnati, Selma 81 Mobile
Montgomery & Eufula, Southwestern of Georgia
Pensacola & Alabama Florida Railway and Nav
agation Company. All other main lines will
change on Tuesday, June l.
The change will take place on almost every
railroad south of the Ohio and Potomac rivers.
extending over about Ii, 1913 miles of railway.
made up as follows: South Carolina, 1920
miles; North Carolina, go; Georgia, Fab
louisiana, 313; Kentucky, LIS. Tennessee,
1886, and Virginia, 981 miles.
The Southern gauge has been an endless
source of trouble, expense and inconvenience,
and its abandonment has for long time been
regarded as a certainty, and all that was needed
vua for road IN start the nall pol1inu
This the Mobile 81 Ohio did, and the others
prompt to follow suit When the work is COM
pleted all the important systems in the United
States will correspond sufficiently to have the
running gear throughout the country alike and
transferable everywhere. AS an illustration Of
the cumbersome obstacle that the 5-feet gauge
presented to easy and rapid transportation, a
general statement will suffice. 1t is estimated
that 60 per cent. Of the freight business going
south over the L. & N. through Louisville at
present has to be actually transferred from car
to car at South Louisville, the remaing 40 per
cent going through the hoist and requiring a
change of trucks. The cost of hosting each car
is placed at about so cents, for transferring
from car to car between So and So. These same
figures, it is supposed, apply to the terminus of
the Southern gauge at other points.
This gigantic undertaking has already caused
an immense amount of labor and forethought on
the part of those to whose care it has been in
trusted The burden falls upon the heads of the
operating departments. Courier Journal re-
porter in quest of some of the matter connected
with the change, sought Mr.. Reuben Wells, sec
ond assistant to the president of the Louisville 81
Nashville, and chief of that large and important
branch-the operating department.. Mr.. Wellss
desk was piled to overlooking with printed in
structons to the different shops, divisions, ETC.,
which he had just completed after two months
labor. The instructions, If combined, would
comprise quarto volume of no mean pro-
portions, reading of which. the writer
ventures to predict would guarantee a
headache dyspepsia to any but al iron
constitution. This latter all railroad men, and
especially those attached to 5-foot-gauge system,
are supposed to enjoy. AS matter of fact,
however, and illustrative of the wide divergence
of matters of taste from newspaper reporter,
the division superintendent, superintendent of
machinery, etc.. are said to have already so thor
oughly digested their respective portions of Mr..
Weiss instructions to be able to recite them
from memory including commas, necessary claw