Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-10

proper discard should be left to the
manufacturer.
Agreement Of Manufacturers.
| understand that at the recent meeting
of the railroad presidents with the o1ncefS
of the steel trust and other manufacturers
i'm New York the latter agreed to dis
card of per cent at the top of the ingot.
but insisted upon additional payment
of % cents a ton for every addl,
tional percentage discarded over ana
above the standard price of 50 ton.
This proposition was not generally accep-
ted in detail but it was left for every
railroad company to deal with when max
ing contracts.
The new Pennsylvania specifications pro-
vide that the rails shall be entirely Tree
from injurious mechanical defects ana
flaws This differs from the old speclhca-
ton in that no attempt has been mace 10
define or describe the particular defects
or flaws that will cause the rejection OF
rails 1t is not considered wise
to attempt to classify the relative
Importance of defects, but it is distinctly
specitied that no rails will be accepted
that contain defects or flaws of any ma
ture which may unpaid their strength.
The methods to be used In testing the
new rails are very elaborate and com
prehensive. To still further strengthen
the future practice of the company ana 10
insure that whatever changes are made
shall be based upon accurate data. re-
vised and uniform system OF blanks ana
reports of wide scope has been deVlsed.
whereby a full history of all rails pur-
chased bv the company shall be recorded.
One series of blanks will! cover informa-
ton obtained at the mill during process
of manufacture. \ second series Will re-
late to rail statistics to be prepared by
division officers. including complete rec
ord of all rail failures in main track. \ third
series will provide for statistical complla-
tons of rail failures. \ final series is TO
provide reports of actual measurements
of rail sections laid in the track at stated
periods in order to determine the relative
wear of rails of different composition and
manufacture.
In order that for this purpose it may be
possible to identify the part of the ingot
from which particular rails were mace.
the new specifications require. in addition
to the usual markings. that letter shall
be stamped on each rail to Indicate It's po-
sit1on in the ingot.
| To compile and consider the company's
| experience with rails, special committee
| is to keep continually in thorough touch
| with the art, and is. expected to supply
| the officials with data that will enable
| them to secure the best rails which, at the
! time of any order, it is possible to manu-
facture.
Weight to Be Retained.
! The Pennsylvania committee considered
very carefully the ACCESSIBILITY of chang
| ing the weights of the rails from those
which have been the standard of the SyS-
tenn 1t has been suggested that the in
creasng severity of service would prob
| ably call for the use of rail or greater
weight. The committee concluded. how
Fever that the sections should continue to
he &C. ]1a Weights those ALREADY
| in use. although change OF radical
character was made in the proportionlng OF
metal to different parts OF the rail-. so as
| to reduce to a minimum the strains en-
countered in manufacture. which OFTEN
| have injurious results on the rail- ana TO
secure the greatest possible resistance and
| wearing qualities.
Approximately 200 miles of track on
the Pennsylvania lines east of Plttsbufg
| and Erie are now laid with rails weigh
ing 100 pounds to the yard. This covers
practically all the main passenger tracks
between New York and Washington ana
between Philadelphia and PlttSburg. IN
GLIDING the high-grade line between Cam
den and Atlantic City. About SIX miles
of the West Jersey and Seashore railroad.
which occupies paved streets IN AtIan.ic
City and about two miles OF the Phlla-
delphia terminal division, occupying paved
streets in Philadelphia. are laid win
girder rails weighing 145 pounds to the
yard. This heavy weight was used IN or
der to make the track as permanent as
possible and avoid the great expense in
cidental to tearing up the street paving
to repair the tracks.
In 1875 the Pennsylvania railroad USED
siXty-pound rails the company having
been the first in this country TO adopt
the use of Bessemer steel. in 1854. In 1919
the weight of the rails was raised TO sixty
seven pounds: in 1854 the standard oe-
came seventy pounds: in 1880. SeVenty-nNe
pounds; in 1887. eightyfive pounds; while
in 1892 one hundred pounds BECAME the
standard. and the company Is now using
one-hundred-pound rails exclusively Tor
it's main line and eight -tve- pound rails
for it's branches.
Chemical Composition.
In 1881 the chemical composition of rails
on the Pennsylvania railroad called for
| 30 to 80 per cent carbon. While In 1901
the specifications called for from 40 to
per cent of carbon where there was
more than .O7 per cent of phosphorus. and
from 40 to 80 per cent Of carbon where
the phosphorus was only W per cent or
less. The 1901 specifications stipulated
that there should in no case be more
than 1.20 per cent of manganese. and
where the amount of phosphorus was
more than .O7 per cent the manganese
| should not amount to more than l per
cent. 1t again stipulated that in no case
should the amount of phosphorus exceed
10 per cent of the total
Under ordinary conditions the Pennsyl-
wanna lines east OF PlttSDurg ana Erie
use from 95, 900 TO 100000 tons of rail per
year. about 10000 tons being used in the
construction of new lines.
The average life Of an eighty five pound
rail is from five to fifteen years on branch
| lines. according to the tonnage passing
| over 1t. The average life of a one hun
dred-pOund rail Is from seven to ten
years. according to tonnage and location
The worst form of wear Gil rails Is on the
eastbound freight track, where all cars
are loaded. and especially on down-hill
grades with heavy curves. The freight