Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-03-17
STRENGTHENING It's ROADBED
Pennsylvania Railroad Co.'s
Work in Cecil County.
ELIMINATING CURVES ON P, W. &B.
Will Add to the Comfort and
Speed of the Line.
The Nature and Location Of the Improve
ments-The Reasons Why the Curves Are
obiectionable.-The Fate of the Abandoned
Tracks-Large Payments In Wages.


Baltimore American.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Co. is at
work in Cecil county strengthening its
tracks and otherwise improving it's
facilities. This Strengthening process
was begun some months in the past,
since which time several long arc-liks
sweeps have been completely eliminated
from the line.
The company has become particularly
anxious to equip the Philadelphia, Will
| mington & Baltimore branch so that no
competing roads coursing along that
direction can surpass it in any detail.
One of the special features which the
| company hopes TO maintain as one OF
its points of excellence is speed and
comfort i'm travel.
The series of anick, sharp curves
which are prevalent through Cecil
county have somewhat initiated against
that very desideratum. In the first
place. the sudden swinging and iolting
of coaches as they swing around each
successive curve mar the evenness,
amoothness and perfect comfort Of the
passengers who are anxious for ease.
Then, again, tho very nature of the
curves renders it necessary to more or
less Tetard the trains while passing over
them, as a matter OF wise and safe pre-
| Oduttbbs Dhbl INiboll1t tho uNohb thl7
portRnt disadvantage which the curves
create is the hindrance they impose 10
heavily loaded freight trains. Indeed,
the strain unon the machinery OF the
entire rolling stock ia much greater
than the public for even q moment sup
pUse. 1t requires very strong and
pUnderous locomotive to haul heavily
loaded train over these curves, and yet
do 30 with any creditable degree of
speed. The power of resistance which
curves set against the drawing capacity
OF locomotives is but little appreciated,
except by expert engineers Straight
lines on railroads are not matter OF
mere visual beauty, but, in these hur-
rying times, they are known to be mat
ters of great economic rnlue and utility.
The curves which are being straight
ened in Cecil are real impedimentH. not
so much because of their length Of
swesp as because of the sharpness with
which each turn is made. A long,
, gradual curve would not he half SO
much of an obstruction as one which
twists 90 suddenly us TO almost bend
itself into an angle. More hazard is
risked in rounding the short, SHARP
curve than could ever be the case where
the points of the arc are much further
apart. And it is just the curves of the
, more preiudicisl character which the
Pennsylvania Go. is removing.
I One of the longest curves of the Cecil
county contingent is the one in the
5 section between Bacon Hill ana Charles
town. This is at present being rapidly
8 reduced to almost an airline. In order
to accomplish the desired end. it was
found necessary to excavate deep cuts
through Bacon Hill. The earth from
!. these. however, has been subsequently
: used in building the required embank.
ments along Broad Greek. 1t is at this
point where the road parallels the
water, running along tho river side for
! the distance of about mile.
a What will be done with the bed and
track of the abandoned sections of tins
L road is not absolutely determined. II
0 is hardly probable, however, that they
r will be destroyed. 1t is far more likely
o that they will be allowed to remain in
Q their present condition, aome of which
+, may be utilized, when neeIed, as eide
Il tracks for shifting or Tor convenient
, waiting.
q The time within which this work
2 will all be concluded is somewhat iE.
!, definite. The company is resolved Is.
J. promote like improvements az whatever
II point the exigencies of the case may
!, suggest as nesdful. Since the nature
q of the work is such as to involve much
7 time and labor, it is more than proba-
Il bio that operations will. therefore, be
o active until tho summer has we'll ad-
Q vanced towards the fall. During that
Q period an infinite amount of incidental
II benefits is being reRped by the people
If domiciled in the neighborhood of the
g work. 1t is furnishing employment fol
is large numbers of people, among whom
II about $l5. 600 per month is being regu-
is arly distributed as wages. The work
Y is under the direction of Simms & CO.,
lt contractors.
l. When the entire projected work il
J. completed it will very materially in
crease the already excellent service o.
K that company. 1t will so straighten the
n road that rapid. limited express train'
/, can fly with lightning speed along thai
B. section, and not be retarded by the
twistings of several curves IL will re
lieve the speeding freight trains from
the consequent strain of rounding th,
II points, enabling better time to be mad'
L.. nAs AL ta. do nj