Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-21
NEWS OF THE RAILROADS.

The Maine Central passenger car No.
$50 has just come out of the shops with
la handsome coat of paint.
The Boston & Maine has Just is
sued an order that no dress suit cases
shall be placed in the racks over the
seats in the passenger cars. A case
fell down recently and injured
patron of the road. The corporation
had to settle for the injuries sustained.
The Boston & Maine paint crew,
which has been working for some time
on various buildings in the freight
yards on Commercial street, is now at
work on the building containing the
office of the yardmaster and his assis-
tants. The paint is making a vast diff
ference in the general appearance of
these buildings.
There seems to be very little doubt
THAT the Maine Central will build an
|extension to the double track from De-
troit to Pittsfield. commencing work
as early this spring as convenient
This will of course embrace the neces-
|sary changes in the freight house and
the yard which will be sufficiently west
lof the present station to relieve the
situation at the Main street crossing.
The Portland Company is turning
out a number of fiat and box freight
cars for the W., w. & F. railroad. This
being interpreted means Wiscasset.
Watervile & Pennington railroad and
lis the narrow gauge formerly the Wis
casset & Quebec. This road is reach
ing out for the C. P. r. line and will
undoubtedly in time effect a junction
with this great transcontinental line.
The Somerville roundhouse, which
was partially destroyed by fire one
week ago Tuesday night, is being re-
built. The work has been pushed rap
idly and new walls have already been
erected. The three locomotives,
passenger, freight and shifter are now
at the Concord shops being given the
necessary repairs.
The Boston & Albany branch of the
New York Central & Hudson River
railroad will undoubtedly be ballasted
Within the next few years throughout
it's entire length with the best macad-
am and the scheme of oiling the road
bed will he done away with. Expert
ence has shown that rock ballast is
about the best and most economical
that can be used and it's serviceability |
under all conditions is agreed upon 1t
is not understood that the company
has made a contract for the ballasting |
of the entire system, but J. S. Lane &
Son have been kept busy during the |
past year grinding out material that is |
being used along the road to repair |
some of the worst sections |
The contract made last year
called for 100000 cubic yards
and up to the present time about 40. 900
yards. or enough to ballast five or six |
miles of roadbed, have been used. The |
quarry company has thus a considera-
BILE part of it's contract yet to fill and
the laying Of so much macadam on the |
road will materially improve its con-
d1tion. The line is approximately 200 |
miles long and it would take five or |
six years to put the new ballast along |
it's entire length. The macadam bal |
last that has thus far been used has |
been laid along the line in the vicinity |
of Charlton, Rochdale and in the city of |
Boston, and a considerable quantity |
has been used to the west along the
line in the vicinity Of Richmond and |
West Pittsfield. The sections of the
roadbed at these points We're consider
ed most in need Of the new ballast.
The scheme Of oiIing the roadbed in or
der to prevent the dust flying has not
been found entirely satisfactory and its
expense has been a considerable item.
If the macadam ballast were used it
would furnish a permanent and clean
roadbed for considerable length of
tjnnn