The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-09

removed, when the car is turned up
sidewise and another o pushed for
ward. All this goes on with the utmost
rapidity and with clockwork regularity.
every man having his place and filing
it like a machine. Others follow in the
rear, Strengthening the track n COM
pleting the boiling and spiking. Laying
track with larries requires about seven
ty-ive men to complete a mile a day.
and with locomotive service and super
intendence costs about $225 a mile.
The most popular modern method or
laying the track is by machinery. The
material is placed on a train OF fla cars.
as with the larries. Along one side or
the train is a long trough the potion
being a series of rollers twp feet apart.
Into this trough the tiest are thrown
and pushed ahead to the front of the
train. the engine being in the rear. This
trough extends thirty feet beyond the
end of the first car, and. as the ties
run out they are dropped across the
grade in proper position. On the oppo-
site side of the train is another smaller
trough for the rails, and the two sets OF
iron men grasp the rails as they follow
each other from the trough and place
them On he ties. AS soon as they are
fastened the train move forward "a
rail length. This method is more econom-
zeal and leaves the surface of the
grade uncut by wagons but it is limited
III speed 10 ABOUT one anu OIle-udll IuicS
a day. which is not considered fast work
nowadays.
Following close behind the trackmen
come the ballasters. In order to pre-
serve the track in good line and level,
It must be raised from the earth grade,
which,, no matter how moot and solid,
is a poor bed for a permanent track, and
placed on at least six inches of gravel
or broken stone. New roads as a gen.
eral thing use the former on account
of the cost of stone, and the gravel is
dug from some convenient pit near the
line. usually by a steam shovel, n
loaded on fat cars. Experience teaches
the shovel men just how much TO o
on each car to secure the necessary lift
of track. On the last car of a gravel
train is a huge pillow, as wide as the car.
On reaching the unloading place a wire
cable is attached to this plow, passed
over the whole train and coupled TO the
locomotive, which is detached from the
train, n by pulling ahead draws the
plow over the cars and throws the
gravel off on one or both sides as may
be desired. AS a curious fact regarding
the power of a locomotive 1t may be
mentioned that an engine which can pull
forty loaded cars will often be unable
to draw a pillow through a car of gravel.
With the ballast on the ground sixty
to ninety feet of track is picked up"
with lifting jacks n the material
shoveled under n between the ties,
and thoroughly pounded or "tamped"
into place. so as to upport all parts
of the line solidly. The "sighter" is an
important man in this ballasting pro-
cess. as on him depends the true level
of the two rails; the graceful and cor
rect elevation of the rail on curves; and
hat absolutely straight line on tangents
that makes the two rails lead away.
without bend or swing. till they blend
into one in the distance.
Fences, telegraph lines and stations
are essential accessories of the line. but
they are not usually In the railroad
builders department, and, with the COM
pletion of the ballasting, he can de-
look for another job.