Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-23
CHANGE OF GAUGE.
ruousANps OF MILES OF RAILROAD
TRACK TO BE ALTERED.
The southern Roads Conforming TO the
Standard Measurement-The Work
to be Done by June 10th.

The standard gauge OF railroads In the
trnIfed States Is four feet nine irches.
Most companies long since adopted this
measure. hut there are still several south OF
the Potomac. including the Richmond and
Dauyille system and the Norfolk and west
ern line, which have the old five-foot
width. A year or two sgo these compa-
mics determined that they would also adopt
the standard gauge, and have been steadily
preparing for II
TIE advantages OF the change are OBJ
yious, as by II ell distractions to traffic,
freight. and passengers Will be removed
tedious delays 10 passengcr.trains, While
trucks are being changed under coaches
and sleepers. will be avoided, rs well as the
necessity for delays attending breaking OF
bulk Of ears loaded with freight. The same
cars can then be used on all roads.
now THE woRK WILL Be DONE.
The change OF track will be effected by
moving In the north or south rail. rs cir
cumstances may require. three inches. The
engines end cars are changed 10y slipping
the wheels in.
A large number Of the engines and cars
OF the DanvIle road, particularly those
purchased recently, were built 50 that 4
change might be speedily effected.
A number OF side tracks have already
been changed, and the entire mair line OF
the Danyille system i now ready for the
alteration: roadbed levelled, tues smoothed,
and such spikes a were not essentially
necessary have been drawn. In addition,
the inside spikes have been set at the stand
ard gauge. 50 that little difficulty VIII be
experienced In gauging.
TIE DATES.
The dates for making the changes on the
Danville system are as follows:
Richmond. York River and Chesapeake
Railroad. We- Point to Richmond; and
Richmond and Danyille, Richmond 10 Dan
vile. May 9th.
Richmond and Danyille, Danyille to
Charlotte: and Atlanta and Charlotte,
Charlotte to Atlanta, June 1st.
Western North Carolina Railroad, Sails.
bury 10 Point Rock. Nay 18th; AMI
Murphy branch, May 2sth.
Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta Rail-
road. Statewide 10 Charlotte. May 2Gth /;
and Charlotte to Augusta. June lst.
Columbia aud GTeenvillc Railroad. Co
lumbia to Greenyille. June Sth.
The Norfolk and Western, East Tennc'-
see. Virginia and Georgia, and Louisville
anu NdsHN lLt ldlilphu, WIN 1in' 'hhiSN ~
| this time.
The Danyillc system has l,OS0 miles Of
Track to change, and the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia and Louisville and
Nashville have each a. much or more. The
change Of gauge by these roads will nece'-
state changes by all their connections not
now Of the standard gauge.
RICHMOND RAILROADS.
The Chesapeake and Ohio. the Richmond,
Fredericksburg AID Potomac, the Rich
mond and Petersburg, and the Richmond
and Allegheny railroads, a we'll as the
connection track on Beyidere Ytreel,
are OF the standard gauge. The Dan
willie and the York Eivcr railroads are
Of the iiye-foot gauge, and the consequence
has been that there could be no interchange
Of cars between the roads OF different
gauge without changing Of trucks.
Before the Midland road was acquired
bv the Danyiie Company, and when the
Danville Company used 10 bring it,
through Passenger business rn Richmond,
the Pullman ears from Washington bound -
Dauville were changed to Danyile railroad
trucks at Belle Isle. Now. after June 1T.
il will bc perfectly easy 10 run passenger
ears from New York ria Richmond TO
Danyile, Char lOtte, atlanta, &c., without
change OF trucks.
In fact, nearly the whole railrold system
Of the United States will now be OF one
gauge. For instance. Kanawha coal can be
run through Richmond and delivered ut
Danvillc; POc,hOntas coal can be delivered
at Richmond. Danville. or Norfolk. and no
change Of trucks Will be required in either
case.
Our merchants look upon the change
fayorably, and the adoption OF the standard
gauge is regarded as a great stride towards
bringing the Dlnvile road TO the Union
dcp0t--a thing that may be delayed for
time. but must eventually come about.
Then, with the EIghthstreet tunnel built,
every single railroad ccntring at Richmond
may come 10 the Union depot.