Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-13

Caribou. Standard cedar ties to the
number of 12S,000 were used in re-
newals | Six hundred and eighteen
hard pine bridge ties were laid in re-
newing bridge floors and 12O sets of
standard switches were put in.
During the past year cubic yards
of ballast were put in the road bed.
Eight thousand cubic yards of mater
ial were taken from bitches by the
ditching machine.1 The large reduc-
ton in expenditures for ditching this
year is due to the placing of crib work
to support the banks which hereto
fore have fallen, filling the bitches and
in some cases blocking the track. Crib
work of this nature was built on the
ST. John line, 2,160 feet, to the Med
ford extension $50 feet: and on the
Searsport line 1880 feet and 800 feet
of piling were driven on the st. John
river line for bank protection.
I'm connection with the new Van
Buren, bridge extension and sidings,
aggregating PSI miles, which sidings
included two each of a capacity of As
cars were laid. Passing sidings were
extended on the southern division to
provide capacity of trains of 90 cars
hauled by new locomotives.
THE grade at Twin Lakes, between
mile post 97.7 and mile post 1905 was
raised three feet to place the track
above danger of washouts made nee
essary by the raising of the height
of the dam at the western outlet of
the lakes. The bridges over the east
and west branches of the Penobscot
river have been strengthened to carry
the new heavy freight engines. Bridge
No. 144.f3 (Meserve BROOKE was re-
placed by reinforced concrete Gull
vert. Six concrete cattle passes, two
concrete culverts and 125 cast iron
pipe culverts were built to replace
wooden structures.
1.-The bridges on the main line are
now protected by the Lattimer type
of guard rails. A new plant of a ca
pacity of 1000 tons daily, with power
hosting apparatus, was erected at
Oakfield. AT Oakfeld a new hotel was
erected principally for the aecommo-
dation of railway employees who were
obliged to lay over at this division
point. The hotel has ali the modern
cenvenienees for the comfort and care
of the employees.
THE company during the past year
adopted new standard color of paint
for use on its buildings, which is a
great improvement over the old stand
ard. and as this is applied to every
building within the limits of the sta
ton grounds, the Improvement is vary
marked. Eleven new stations were
re-painted with this new standard
color during the past wear
The requirement of the company
that warehouses and other buildings
on it's property owned by outside in
terests shall be properly maintained
and painted the railroad company's
standard colors has the approval of
this commission, and it recommended
that this rule should be applied to
old buildings whether owned by the
company or outside interests. There
is nothing that attracts more attention.
or which can give more credit to a
town or village than the indications
of prosperity as evidenced by the
good condition and cleanliness of the
buildings and grounds at railroad
station
THE motive power and equipment
have been we'll maintained and are
in good condition. During the past
year the company purchased five new
locomotives of the modern super heater
type for freight service. Thirteen box
cars, IS fiat cars and three caboose
cars We're received to replace similar
cars destroyed, and contracts have
been awarded for 1874 box cars, SO fiat
cars, two stock cars and four caboose
cars for delivery before the first of
next February.
I'm addition to cars reported in pre-
vious years, 729 cars have been equip
ped with standard appliances as re-
quired by the federal regulations"
WatervlIe, Fairfield & Oakland Street
| Railway.
| The report speaks as follows of the
physical condition of the Waterville,
Fairfiell.: 4 Oakland Street Railway
/ Company:
New s5-pound T rails were laid in
Waterville during the past year from
lower College Avenue crossing to the
junction of Center Street and College
! Avenue.
improvements on Water Street In