Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-11-02


passed by Western railroads during
the past few years. TO person I'M
familiar with the details of the sam
an outline proves both surprising and
amazing. The demand for perfect train
service, roadway accessories that en-
able a correct calculation on small
parts of a minute, convenience, COM
fort, utility--all are elements in the en-
terprlse that thinks nothing OF expend'
Ing millions on placing the railroad on
the most approved basis. The last and
most important object of attention 10
engross railroad arrangements has
been the advantages of track elevation.
The enormous evils of grade crossings,
1t was found, had to be done away with
safety to life and limb insured To cltl-
zens, while the solving of the problem
of rapid transit was also concerned
for ordinance has failed to restrict
speed DELAYS aud Interruptions TO
street traffic and travel will never be
abolished, guards and gates dispensed
with, length of trains regulated, the
noise OF bells and whistles mitigated-
In fact. the elevation OF tracks, as III
London and Philadelphia will place
the railway systems about Chicago on
kind of automatic basis. so TO speak.
Chicago Is the greatest railroad cen
ter in the world, and Its mileage OF
tracks exceeds that of any other city.
Within the corporate limits are found
115 lneal miles OF main tracks. This
does not include every track of each
system, but the real aggregate-from
two to ten trackS-of each line as one.
There are In addition 1000 miles of
other tracks-swltches, yards, belt
lines and the like. Nearly ten years
since the public began to discuss how
the great loss of life occurring to per-
sons passing over these tracks could be
avoided. Fences. walls, guards-gates
eyen-did not entirely insure safety.
Isolation seemed necessary. At one
single crossing 1t was found that from
morning till midnight 743 trains passed,
with 1852 cars. During these eighteen
hours. S2T street ears passed, carrying
1910 passengers; 2,232 wagons, trucks,
buggies and other vehicles, with AGA
drivers and other persons. People on
foot aggregated some 10000. This was
ut a point that, from the frequency of
accidents, came to be known generally
as Dead Mans crossing"
The movement TO force railroads to
elevate their city tracks developed very
rapidly after its first agitation. In 1892
the Illinois Central took the lead by
elevatng its ten tracks on the lake
front for a distance of five miles. Vast
pecuniary benefits Immediately accrued
to the road for during the next year
of the Worlds Fair it was enabled TO
almost double its speed in carrying pas
sengers. The cost was something over
100000, and the Northwestern road
soon followed the example. Within
three years the plan was In prospect or
operation with nearly all the railway
lines centering at Chicago.
The result is that skilled contractors
have reduced track elevation to a posi-
tive science. Chicago mechanical abil-
ity bringing this about distinctively.
The first venture cost extra time and
money. being practically experimental.
The methods then employed lacked
economical results. Now, tracks are
elevated with no Interruption to traf-
fic. The tracks are raised by jacks in
sections of about 800 yards, and dirt is
rammed under them. The elevation is
so distributed as To allow a gradual In
h., ~
ton grade. A clear Idea OF this method
was furnished at one crossing, where
hundreds OF trains-freight and passen-
ger--elimed up and over the elevation
in progress without mishap.
In building the big retaining walls to
hold the sand or dirt concrete resting
upon solid foundation of clay is used
In the process of formation, molds OF
heavy planking are sometimes employ.
ed. one side vertical, or nearly SO, the
other In a series OF offsets. to give the
necessary batter to the finished wall.
Into this substantial mold is poured
the concrete mixture. which Is made TO
consistency to adapt Itself readily TO
the sides of the mold. Constant ram
ming insures the solidity OF the mass,
and fills all inequalities. The mixing
and handling of the concrete is done
by portable machinery, and the mold
is left until the concrete walls have
thoroughly hardened.
At one point where the tracks of one
railroad had to be depressed under
those of another at the same crossing,
details were both skillful and interest
ing. Filings were at first driven down,
and the dirt was then eXcavated there
from. ii being necessary to put in sew
eral sets of pilngs. AT the proper stage
of the work the tracks to he elevated
We're set across the depression by
means OF pilings fixed nj intervals.
As closely as can he figured out at
present. the total elevated and rock
hallasted trunk line trackage within the
limits of Chicago. if stretched out
across the continent, would reach Salt
Lake City ten feet above the present
uanscontinental grade. In short, more