The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-12-24
AMONG THE RAILWAYS.
Lake Shore Tests Ties Made
From Old Steel Rails.
GOOD RESULTS WERE OBTAINED.


Change of Name For the Grand
Trunk.
The Lake Shore railroad is making a
practical test of steel ties made from
worn out rails, says the Chicago Inter
Ocean. The old rails are rerolled to
hatten out the head or ball of the rail-
a number of ties thus made were
placed In the Sandusky division Of the
road several months ago. A careful ex-
animation made few days ago with
a test track gauge showed that the
gauge on the steel ties had not changed
a particle since the ties were first laid.
The gauge of the first two or three oak
ties on each side of the steel ties also
proved to be exact, but the fourth and
fifth wooden ties were found widened
to a considerable extent.
AS the steel ties are Of'uniform thick
ness 1t is claimed they can be tamped
much better than wooden ties. and the
base of the steel ties being uniform,
they give uniform bearing. Therefore,
ii Is asserted, the surface OF the tracks
ought to be maintained more evenly
with steel than with wooden ties.
How to secure proper ties is a ques-
tlon that every year is more of prob
lem to railway managers. The devas-
tation of American forests has induced
the Santa Fe and other railroads to
plant trees by thousands along the line
to supply ties in the future. The aver
age life of a wooden tie is about six
years. and the renewal of ties IS one of
the heaviest drains on a railroad. To
avoid accidents which would cost much
time and money the tracks must be
kept In the best of condition. The
steady increase in the weight of en-
gines and freight cars means also n
shortening of the period Of usefulness
OF the wooden tie. Railway managers
are anxious to find something more
durable than wood for ties. and various
kinds of metal ties have been invented
and tried. Some did not stand a prac-
tical test, and the use of others was
discontinued because of the expense of
making the ties. The idea of utilizing
worn out rails for ties may overcome
the previous objections to the use of
steel ties. 1t is claimed that such ties
ought to last from 25 to 80 years before
deteriorating so as to be unsafe. After
| ii is removed from the track Its value
as scrap" would be as much as Is the
value Of the old, worn out rail before
being converted into tie, less loss by
rust.
1t is suggested that railroads SO To-
Gated that only soft wood ties can be
secured could use steel ties In part, al
ternating them with wooden ties. This
plan would hold the gauge of the track
| prevent spreading of rails and general
| ly assist IN the maintenance of track al
comparatively small outlay.
The Union Pacific accomplished 9
run with the fast mail from Grand Is
land into Omaha the other afternoon
which will so down In the annals OF
fast running as one OF the record
breakers. says the Chicago Times-He
aid. Leaving Grand Island the! fast
mail was late. The first stop was al
Columbus, and the e. miles intervening
were covered In exactly one hour. Th'
run to Fremont, 45 miles. consumed A
minutes. The engineer held in reserv'
the best speed OF his engine for th'
homestretch between Fremont anC
Omaha. Through the open country thu
train attained a speed that made a mill
minute look like a freight trail
schedule. The customary stop wa
made at South Omaha. and slackenet
speed was necessary from South Opa
ha into Omaha. but the distance, A
miles, from Fremont to Omaha wa
made in 46 minutes. The entire dis
tance, 154 miles, was made In $50 min
utes.
The construction of the section Of tn
Siberian railway round Lake Baika
win be commenced early next year, a
the latest investigations have led t
very satisfactory results which rende
expensive tunneling superfiuous, says
: st. Petersburg correspondent The late
ly surveyed route will lead through tn
valley of the Olcha and Tigurtschics
so that from Irkutsk to Kultuk onl
two short and easy tunnels Of quartz
of a kilometer each IN length win b
necessary. The section of line shoul
be finished in two years time.
il Hereafter the chicago ana Gran
{ Trunk railway viii be officially know
ms the Crank Trunk Western, says
Chicago dispatch 10 the New Yor
Times The corporate seal, all station
3 cry and advertising matter bearing II
O old name will be abandoned in favor I
the new name.- The Grand Trun
Western will comprehend all of Il
S lines Of the system In the Unite
States. total of 335 miles. The fc
lowing roads in addition to the Cbicai
J. and Grand Trunk will be known as Il
It Grand Trunk Western: Detroit. Grar
Havenand Milwaukee. Toledo. Sal
nav and Muskegon. Chicago. Detrc
and Canada Grand Trunk Junction al
J, the Michigan Air Line.
Missouri Suggestion.
e While they are doing so much