American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-08-19
NOVEL RAILROAD PLANNED


The first mile Of railroad IN pocN-
land will be under construction with
In TWO weeks. according TO r. a
Becker who Is promoting a road from
american Falls into the Rockland
valley. The much talked of road TO
hockland has been considered a mvth
ior several years and. other than Sc
curing right of ways, nothing has
ever been done. The Double PIP Con-
truction company was organized two
weeks ago to undertake the construc-
ton of the road and has among Its
stock holders many of the best known
farmers OF the Rockland section. M.
A. Patton OF Idaho Falls, patentee of
a new and novel plan Of construction,
Is president. Henry ID. Moss of Rock
land is treasurer and one OF the heav-
lest stockholders. The secretary OF
the company is an Idaho Falls man.
Mr.. Becker has been promoting the
railroad for several months and has
sold stock to the amount OF $4,000.
with which to construct the first mile
OF road. The remainder of the stock
will be forthcoming II the road Is
practical as represented.
Mr.. Patton has been In American
Falls several times during the spring
and summer In the interest of his road
which, II II is built. will be the first
one OF It's kind In the world. No road
bed is required and very little grading
or trestle work will be necessary Two
small rails are set on single line
of posts, Sxi2, four or eight feet high
and about eight feet apart, set In con-
crete below the frost line. The cars
are built In pack fashion and carry
their load below the level OF the rail
and on both aides OF H. The cars
range In capacity from 30 to l20 tons.
Present plans call for two lumber
cars twenty feet long. one passenger
car and twenty-three freight cars for
grain hauling. A gasoline engine Will
be used and will have two fractions,
one for the top rails and one for
ground rails In rounding curves. and
crossing bridges or culverts. The strong
, claim Is made that u loaded train OF
, ltwenty-three cars will be able to climb o
thirty per cent grade. Tho right OF
way to Rockland can be procured with
+ much lighter grade according To Mr..
: Becker so II Ia expected that construc-
ton problems will be easy. The
nature OF the engine and cars demand
special construction and this is being
done I'm Salt Lake. The total COST
of the road to Rockland including
right of way and equipment is esti-
mated at 100000. The Double p
Construction company is to build the
n the right-of-way. This estimate ID
!. less than one-sixth as much as placed
r on a steam road up the valley.
Il Mr.. Patton. who has devoted sew
n eral years OF study to this form OF road
't construction and holds sole patent
u rights, predicts that the first mic oi
road will be a success and that II will
J. be a great drawing card for American
> Falls. He has Travelled over the great.
T. er part OF the United States In the
interest OF his patents and his scheme
is known and Its development is beinf
watched by hundreds OF doubling
n Thomases" and interested bushes,
b. men and promoters. Mr.. Patton will
Is be on the ground in a week or no Il
8, superintendent construction work. Al
rs torney T. s. Becker has gone into th'
r. promoting business and says that hi
'e law library and office fixtures are fo
b sale. He is well pleased with hi
10 work IN the Rockiand valley and a!
ry though he is not predicting uncondi
d. tionai success for the new road, Is sat
Oh isfied that II will prove practicabl
w. and valuable as an investment to tn
10 farmers Of Rockland who are haulin
nc to market every year.