The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-04-10
LIE ElRSI- RAILROAO.
Originated In Coal Mine and was
n Crude Affair.

n Crude Affair.
The primitive railway appears to nave
been the product of the coal mines IN
Great Britain. History records that IN
the early part of the sixteenth century
rails of timber were laid at the eollieries
near neutrality-suspicious., over which,
by means of bulky carts provided with
rollers. one horse could draw four OF
five tons. For fully 200 years the use
of these rude railroads was confined te
the collieries. Improvements developed
slowly. The first change was IN sc.
curing the wooden rails, by means OF
pegs, TO cross ties or sleepers placed
two or three feet apart. The rails were
six inches high and six inches broad
On top of each rail strip of hard wood
was fastened, which could be renewed
whenever occasion warranted without
disturbing the remainder of the strue'
ture.
Flat iron bars were first substituted
for this temporary strip of wood III
l73s, and about so years later cast iron
bars were forged for that purpose
These cast iron bars were each five teel
long. four inches wide and one anti
three-quarter inches thick, with holes
for spikes to secure them to the wood
Toward the close of the eighteenth cen
fury the practice was adopted Of cast
ing the rails with perpendicular ledge
ON the outer edge 10 prevent the Wheeii
from leaving the track. Subsequently
the ledge was transferred to the innei
side of the rail.
1t was not until 1850 that the present
type of rail and car wheel appeared
Flanged rails and fiat wheels were dis
carded and the fange transferred te
the tire of the wheels. Mr., Jesup intro
daeed, at that period, rails cast II
lengths of Is feet, with the top IL
| inches wide. They were of the fish
belly pattern; deeper in the middle thai
at the ends. After various experiments
it was found advisable to set the end
of the rails in cast iron chairs, which
were bolted to the wooden or stone
ties, and into which secured by key
or wedges. Cast iron, however, proved
to be too brittle for the passage OF
heavy loads at high rates of speed, ane
about the year 1920 malleable iron wat
substituted and the length of the rail
was increased
The idea of using steam as a motive
power on the tramways in the English
collieries was first preached by Jame'
Watt in 1884, when he applied for &
patent for a steam carriage. In $50.
| Richard Trevethick built a locomotive
engine which was tried upon the Mer
thyr e. Tydyil railway, in Wales, ant
which drew wagons containing ten ton'
of coal each, at rate of five miles ar
hour w Hassell Wilson, in his rail
way History" says that in 1872 Blen
kinsops engines began running between
Middleton collieries and Leeds Ga dis
lance of 31a miles,, and continued il
use for several years, being the first in
stance of the regular employment o.
steam locomotives for commercial pur
| poses. 1t was in 1914 that George Ste
phenson's first steam engine was placed
on the Killingworth railway. 1t drew
90 tons at the rate of four miles an honl
upon an incline of one foot in 49, I'm
| provements in locomotives followed
gradually. When the Stockton & Oar
lington railway was opened for publi
use in 1925, one of Stephenson's loco
motives drew a train composed of @
wagons filled with passengers and i
wagons loaded with coal, making a to
tai weight of about 90 tons, including
the engine and tender, at an averag
speed of about five miles an hour, bu
attaining a maximum rate of 10 miles
] N. 7. Times.