rf 
 
 6T5 

 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 ROBERT ERNEST COWAN
 
 NARROW GAUGE 
 
 RAILROAD SYSTEM 
 
 A COMPLETE SUCCESS. 
 
 ITS ADAPTABILITY TO THE BUSINESS OF THE 
 PACIFIC COAST. 
 
 COMPILED BY 
 
 WM. STUART WATSON, 
 
 'CONSULTING ENGINEER, 
 
 Formerly Chief Engineer Buffalo and Pittsburg and Baltimore and 
 Pittsburg Railroads, the California Central, the California North- 
 ern, the Stockton and Copperopolis, the Yuba, San Francisco, 
 Central Pacific and other California Railroads. Member 
 of the American Institute of Civil Engineers, Etc. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
 APRIL, 1872.
 
 TO THE PUBLIC. 
 
 After having made a thorough examination of 
 the NABROW GAUGE SYSTEM of Railroads now 
 attracting so much of the attention of railroad 
 men all over the world, and finding that the 
 system has been an entire success wliL-rever 
 adopted, in furnishing a medium of transportation 
 entirely adequate to the wants of the most densely 
 settled countries, at a much reduced cost both for 
 construction and maintenance, I propose to make 
 the construction of such roads a speciality, and 
 am prepared to make surveys and estimates of 
 the cost thereof; to undertake their construction 
 and superintendence ; to furnish all the necessary 
 rails and rolling stock at market rates, and to give 
 all the required information on the subject neces- 
 sary to a general introduction of the system. 
 WM. STUART WATSON, 
 
 P. 0., 1749. 
 
 Office, 29 Merchants' Exchange, San Francisco.
 
 
 WHAT WILL A NABBOW GAUGE KAILEOAD 
 ACCOMPLISH? 
 
 This question is daily becoming of more im- 
 portance as the necessity for railroads becomes 
 more generally admitted. It has been proven 
 from the experience of railroad men in all coun- 
 <o tries that the railroads built on the standard gauge 
 ^(of 4 ft. 8i in. and upwards), have been vastly too 
 |= expensive both in their construction and manage- 
 2 ment ; and although those countries through which 
 ^ they have been built have been enriched by their 
 ff agency beyond all precedent. But experience has 
 proved that shareholders have had to -depend 
 almost solely on the increased value of the lands 
 through whicn the roads have been built; while 
 the large amounts of subscriptions to the capital 
 stocks that have been advanced by shareholders 
 not similarly situated, have been almost an entire 
 loss. If railroad men and capitalists who have 
 given the subject uny consideration with the light 
 of experience before them, will look back to the 
 
 298985
 
 early history of railroad construction, and trace 
 their history, carefully from that time to this, they 
 cannot fail to see that the system has been vastly 
 more expensive than necessary, and will also 
 become convinced that to continue the system 
 must end in financial embarrassments, and result 
 eventually in the ownership of nearly all the rail- 
 roads already built going into the hands of foreign 
 bond-holders. 
 
 Yet our undeveloped regions must be opened, 
 and that they cannot be opened without the 
 agency of railroads is as plain an axiom as the 
 former is a fact. From such a statement the only 
 conclusion that can be arrived at is that the 
 present system must be changed for one much less 
 expensive and adapted to the wants of the 
 locality. 
 
 It ought to be engraved on the minds of every 
 engineer and railroad promoter, that every inch 
 added to the width of a gauge beyond what is 
 absolutely necessary for the traffic to be handled, 
 adds to the cost of construction, increases the pro- 
 portion of dead weight, increases the cost of 
 working, and in consequence reduces the useful 
 effect of railroads. 
 
 The most important element in the organization 
 of any enterprise is its probable cost; if the busi- 
 ness required to be done will not warrant the 
 expenditure, then no prudent capitalist will enter-
 
 tain it. It seems to have been heretofore the 
 practice of railroad men generally to ascertain 
 how much money could be borrowed on the 
 securities of the road to be built, rather than how 
 small an amount the road could be built for, con- 
 sistent with the speed and safety of the transpor- 
 tation of its business. If the latter of these 
 propositions had been the ruling requirement in 
 the construction of our railroads instead of the 
 former, a totally new light would have been 
 thrown round the system and a totally different 
 result, financially, would have been arrived at. 
 
 The object herein proposed is to show in what 
 manner the cost of construction of railroads is 
 affected by the gauge on which a road is intended 
 to be built, and to what extent the maintenance of 
 a railroad may be and is affected by the gauge so 
 adopted ; and to advocate from the experience of 
 the past such a system of railroads for the future 
 as will place this absolutely necessary element to 
 the development of any country, within the reach 
 of the most thinly populated districts. 
 
 And in order to make the subject as intelligible 
 as possible, and to place the facts as far as can be 
 ascertained before the public, I shall avail myself 
 of all the information withim my reach, which 
 will comprise reports from Great Britain, Germany, 
 Sweeden, Norway, Russia, Canada, the United 
 States and India, which I have taken the pains to
 
 collect from the most reliable sources. In a paper 
 of this nature it is scarcely possible to advance 
 any new Idea, the ground has been so often and so 
 ably covered, both by American and European 
 engineers in their arguments during the " war of 
 the Ganges," and since, that all the theory has 
 been exhausted that the subject is capable of. It 
 may be claimed however that the conclusions then 
 arrived at were conclusions of theory only, which 
 time alone could establish the truth of. 
 
 Nearly thirty years have elapsed since these 
 theoretical arguments were had. During these 
 thirty years the actual demonstrations of each 
 theory has surely had time to be sufficiently 
 developed. 
 
 Under these theories, about one hundred and 
 twenty-two thousand miles of railroads have been 
 built, and their actual yearly workings and earn- 
 ings have become a matter of history in all 
 countries. And we now find that the theory then 
 advanced and limited to 4 ft. 8^ in. as a minimum 
 gauge should have been extended to even 24 inches. 
 Consequently the only argument that can or ought 
 now to be advanced must be that of experience 
 derived from the absolute working of the system 
 which has by almost common consent been acted 
 on for twenty years. 
 
 I therefore propose to avail myself of all the 
 information that has been within my reach in
 
 7 
 
 bringing forward the argument that a thirty-six 
 inch gauge is all that is neccssarg for any line of 
 railroad on the Pacific Coast, or even in any 
 country. 
 
 It will be necessary to go back to the com- 
 mencement of the railroad era and review the 
 arguments then held in the interests of the new 
 proposed gauges, the wide (7 ft.) and the narrow, 
 (4 ft. 8i in.) The controversy occupied the 
 attention of the ablest European and American 
 engineers for nearly two years, and ended by the 
 advocates of each system building their roads 
 according to their individual theories. 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE 4-81 GAUGE. 
 
 George Stevenson advocated the 4 ft. 91 in. 
 gauge, because the wagons of England had axles 
 of that length, and when the different parts of the 
 " Rocket " were put together, owing to some un- 
 explained cause, it proved to be only 4 ft. 8 ins. 
 The whole railway world then followed the exam- 
 ple, because that engine made 14 miles per hour 
 and the other competing engines made not more 
 than half that distance, hence the present system. 
 
 I. K. Brunei, the most eminent engineer then 
 living, brought forward the seven-foot gauge and 
 the low flanges of the Great Western in England, 
 which have long since been abandoned. Other
 
 8 
 
 engineers of high repute advocated all the means 
 between these two extremes, but no one of them 
 ever imagined that the smallest of their proposed 
 gauges was wider than the experience of thirty 
 years of operation would demonstrate to be the 
 true one. 
 
 It is interesting to examine the conclusions that 
 each party arrived at, and the special advantages 
 that each set forth. It was argued that the broad 
 gauge (7 ft.) was the most advisable. First, from 
 the large capacity of the wheel base, consequent 
 steady motion of rolling stock and a high rate of 
 speed. Second, increased facilities for using more 
 powerful locomotives, and, thirdly, a low centre of 
 gravity for all rolling stock. 
 
 The objections were : 
 
 First Increased cost of construction. 
 
 Second Increased cost and weight of rolling 
 stock, and increased liability of axles breaking, on 
 account of their greater length. 
 
 Third Increased friction of bearings in passing 
 curves. 
 
 As regards the first of these objections, it was 
 argued that the cost of construction was only in- 
 creased in the 7 ft. gauge about seven per cent, in 
 earth-works and land over the 4 ft. 8i in. gauge. 
 This, it will be remembered, was theoretical discus- 
 sion only, as none of the eminent men engaged 
 in the controversy had any experience in the
 
 actual construction of railroads, and it is a curious 
 coincidence that the same arguments that were 
 advanced against the then narrow gauge (4 ft- 
 8zin.) and in favor of the wide gauge are identi- 
 cal with those now held against a reduction of the 
 present standard to three feet. 
 
 As to the objection of increased cost of con- 
 struction in earth-works being only seven per 
 cent : Experience proved, during the construction 
 of roads under these two theories (7 ft. and 4 ft. 
 8i in. gauges) that the cost of earth-works and 
 land damages on the wide gauge railroads 
 as compared to the cost of those items on 
 the Northwestern (a 4 ft. 8i in. gauge) to be as 
 146 to 100. 
 
 As to the various points of objections held 
 against the wide gauge, both as regards increased 
 cost of construction, increased weight, and an 
 enormous increase in the operating expenses and 
 wear and tear of all portions of the equipment : 
 The advantage proven to be so evident in favor of 
 the 4 ft. 8^ gauge that within ten years of actual 
 operations no more wide gauge railroads were ever 
 constructed, and many that had been constructed 
 were reduced to the standard gauge as soon as 
 possible. 
 
 As regards the second objection held, then, 
 against a broad gauge, that of increased cost and 
 weight of rolling stock : It has been fully demon-
 
 10 
 
 strated in practice that the locomotives and rolling 
 stock of the standard (4 ft. 81 in.) gauge have 
 been ample for all purposes of transportation and 
 have been an entire success except as to the cost 
 of construction and maintenance, which time only 
 could demonstrate. 
 
 From that time until within a few years it has 
 been the practice of railroad men and engineers to 
 take it for granted that a perfect gauge had been 
 established, and whenever the subject has been at 
 all discussed or questioned it has generally been 
 concluded that it would be advisable to let the 
 system remain in its present condition rather than 
 to risk the negotiation of the securities of any im- 
 portant project by making a change in the system 
 heretofore adopted. 
 
 Occasionally railroad companies advocating wide 
 gauges in various countries of Europe, and also in 
 America for instance, the railroad system of 
 Russia and such roads as the New York and Erie 
 were commenced, and having been projected on a 
 certain theory of construction, could not retrace 
 their steps and were compelled to prosecute their 
 works to a successful conclusion ; but such as could 
 retrace their steps without loss mostly have done 
 BO, many years ago. 
 
 Many instances have occurred where works of 
 great magnitude have been commenced on the 
 wide gauge system, the projectors have had the
 
 11 
 
 foresight to retrace the steps already taken and 
 adopt the narrow gauge system instead. 
 
 Russia has abandoned the wide gauge Astern, 
 and although their roads, most of them at least, 
 that have been built, will continue to be worked 
 for a time, yet all new roads being constructed in 
 that country are being constructed on the small 
 gauge system. Sweden and Norway are also re- 
 ducing the width of their roads to a standard of 3 
 ft. 7 in. gauge, or to such a standard as the busi- 
 ness may require, the gauge being the first consid- 
 eration in constructing their roads. 
 
 For the sake of argument we will admit that 
 the present system has satisfied all the require- 
 ments that was claimed for it, and that it has been 
 the means of developing cheap and quick commu- 
 nication, as compared with the stage and lumber 
 wagon, to an extent never dreamed of by its first 
 projectors, increasing traffic and business to an al- 
 most unprecedented extent. Yet we find the ob- 
 jection raised that the returns for the capital 
 outlay to stockholders is entirely inadequate ; so 
 much so that it is next to impossible to procure 
 subscriptions to the capital stock of any railroad 
 enterprise, however much needed or however 
 promising the project maj r appear. Any promoter 
 of a railroad enterprise knows from experience 
 that the great objection he meets with is, that the 
 tock of the road will be worthless ; not because
 
 12 
 
 the project itself will not pay, but because the sys- 
 tem compels the corporation to borrow money on 
 its bonds at large rates of interest and at a ruin- 
 ous discount. These bonds are negotiated at a 
 fraction of their par value, and must be protected 
 from the earnings of the road or a foreclosure will 
 follow, the necessary consequence of which is that 
 the stock is worthless, and that the roads built 
 cost much more than they could be built for if 
 built for cash subscriptions. 
 
 WHAT THE STANDARD GAUGE HAS COST. 
 
 It has seemed heretofore that there was no 
 other way to build railroads through the unsettled 
 portions of the United States, except through the 
 medium of issuing bonds, due years hence, at 
 high rates of interest, the effects of which we now 
 see in our enormous bond list and consequent high 
 rates of transportation. If at the commencement 
 of the construction of our present system, some 
 plan more economical had been adopted, the bonded 
 debt of our 60,500 miles of railroad, most of 
 which has now but ten years to run, amounting to 
 $2,200,000,000, would not now have existed, or if 
 it had existed, would have been to a limited 
 extent only, and would have long since disap- 
 peared, and railroads would have been clear of 
 debt and paying dividends to the stockholders at 
 thirty per cent, or more. And while this state of
 
 13 
 
 things has existed, and must exist until the 
 system is changed, it is admitted by all those who 
 are acquainted with the Pacific Coast, that 
 hundreds of miles of railroads should and must 
 be built to open our undeveloped regions. Yet the 
 present system cannot be applied from its exorbit- 
 ant cost; there are few settled countries that can 
 bear the expense of transportation of the present 
 system at $44,600 per mile; much less those 
 partially settled, although known to be almost 
 inexhaustible in wealth; and while knowing 
 that fact, they also are aware that to attempt the 
 development by the present system will entail a 
 debt of such magnitude as to make it almost 
 impossible for any prudent business man to make 
 the attempt to carry. 
 
 It is claimed that on the grounds of first cost 
 alone, if on no other, that this system of railroads 
 should be abandoned, for some other much less 
 expensive in construction, the first cost of which 
 could be provided for by the section of country to 
 be benefitted, without anticipating the revenues of 
 the road for at least one generation. 
 
 There are many other and more cogent reasons 
 why the system has outlived its usefulness and 
 ought to be changed, which will be brought forward 
 in the argument of what the system of railroads 
 for the future ought to be. 
 
 If from the foregoing investigations of the
 
 14 
 
 absolute workings, financially and otherwise, of 
 these companies from whose reports the conclusions 
 deducted here have been drawn, are anything- like 
 correct, then it is evident that any railroad or 
 system of railroads that can be adopted on gauges 
 from two to three feet in width will be productive 
 of immense saving in cost of construction and 
 economy in operating, and railroads would then 
 be within the reach of sparcely settled countries, 
 and would be especially adapted to the Pacific 
 . Coast. 
 
 STOCKS. 
 
 It has been ascertained that of all the railroad 
 stocks issued for the construction of American 
 railroads, amounting to nearly $2.500,000,000, less 
 than one-fifth has a market value of par, and 
 three-fourths or more of the whole are at a market 
 discount of from ten to ninety per cent. Of the 
 550 railroad companies reported in 1871, not more 
 than 200 of them have paid dividends on their 
 stock during that year. 
 
 On these grounds alone, if no other can be 
 adduced, it seems that railroad men should at- 
 tempt to inaugurate some other system, which 
 would secure to stockholders that return to which 
 their expenditures entitle them, and which the 
 business of the country demands and is compelled 
 to pay for. It is evident that such a system can
 
 15 
 
 be found, and that it is being daily established in 
 the reduction of the width of the present gauge. 
 Lines of railroads are being constructed all over 
 the world, on gauges of from 1 ft, Hi in. to 3 ft. 
 and 7 in. in width, which are giving entire satis- 
 faction to their projectors and the public. 
 
 As to the third requirement, that the stability in 
 movement at such rates of speed as the dispatch of 
 public business and the safety and comfort of passen- 
 gers may demand. 
 
 One of the principal arguments held against the 
 narrow (4 ft. 8i in.) gnuge of 1844, and in favor 
 of the 7 ft. gauge, was that the then narrow 
 gauge (of 4 ft. 8i in.), now in almost universal 
 use, was defective in " wheel base," the absence of 
 which, on account of the supposed lateral oscilla- 
 tion, would prevent a high rate of speed and 
 endanger the safety of the passengers. It will be 
 again observed that the same argument is held 
 now, as against a reduction to any smallei gauge 
 than that of 4 ft. 8i in. 
 
 The experience of the last twenty years of the 
 working of 4 ft. 8| gauges has satisfactorily set at 
 rest the objection on this ground, both as to an 
 insufficient " wheel base " and oscillation. In- 
 deed, the theory advanced then could not fail to 
 establish the fact as claimed, and as will be 
 proved now, that the oscillation of any train
 
 16 
 
 operating on a 4 ft. 8i in. gauge, must be abso- 
 lutely less than that incident to a 7 ft. gauge, and 
 by parity of reasoning must be less on a small 
 gauge road in the proportion as the small gauge 
 recedes from the 4 ft. 8i in. gauge, at least to the 
 limit proved of 23i inches. 
 
 [See diagram under head " Theory of Oscilla- 
 tion."] 
 
 In less than two years after the " War of the 
 Gauges " ceased, the result of actual working of 
 roads built on the opposing gauges was established 
 to be true, as claimed by the advocates of the then 
 narrow gauge. 
 
 Thus another of the supposed advantages of a 
 " wide " over a " narrow gauge " was shown to be 
 a fallacy. 
 
 The fourth and fifth requirements already re- 
 ferred to can probably be best satisfied by the 
 question : 
 
 " What gauge will nearest fulfill the require- 
 ments of the railroad system in the future?" 
 
 In order to determine this question with any 
 degree of certainty, we are happily placed in a 
 more favorable position than were the scientific 
 men who argued the question in 1841 to 1844, by 
 having experience in the operations of the 4 ft. 
 8i in. gauge (the wide gauge of our times) as to 
 be able with a reasonable degree of certainty to
 
 17 
 
 apply a remedy for the defects of the present sys- 
 tem, and to show what system will be 
 
 THE RAILROAD OF THE FUTURE. 
 
 It appears plain that the railroads of the future 
 must possess some other attraction than those of 
 the past or of the present, and that they must pos- 
 sess the following, or some such capabilities : 
 
 First That of smaller cost of construction. 
 
 Secondly Smaller cost in maintenance and 
 working. 
 
 Thirdly To have the necessary stability, and 
 to run at such rates of speed as the public dis- 
 patch, safety and comfort of passengers may re- 
 quire. 
 
 Fourthly Capacity to do the business of the 
 country through which they run; and, 
 
 Fifthly To be available for all purposes in 
 times of war. 
 
 With regard to the first and second require- 
 ments, the experience of railroad operations for 
 the last twenty years shows most conclusively that 
 the present system is a financial failure, caused 
 principally from its unnecessary cost of construc- 
 tion and management the result of its false sys- 
 tem of finance and the unnecessary width of its 
 gauge in the same manner and with the same 
 result as followed the seven foot gauge and its al-
 
 IS 
 
 most immediate abandonment for the narrower 
 gauge of 4 ft. 8i in. 
 
 The third, fourth and fifth of these require- 
 ments can best be answered by the actual opera- 
 tions of the narrow gauge roads already built and 
 being built. We will therefore give a brief ac- 
 count of those roads that have already demon- 
 strated the success of the proposed system : 
 
 ROADS BUILT. 
 
 The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, in Colo- 
 rado, three feet gauge and 117 miles in length, 
 which has proved an entire success. 
 
 The Orangeville and Toronto Bruce Railroad, 
 in Canada, of 66 miles of three feet gauge. 
 
 The Tifin road, in Ohio. 
 
 The Sodus Bay Railroad, in the State of New 
 York, and the projected system of 2 ft. 9 in. 
 gauges in British India, consisting of from two to 
 three thousand, miles. Each of these will be de- 
 scribed under their proper heads. 
 
 The 3 ft. gauge, as established in Sweden on a 
 road of 23 miles in length, between Ullinbord and 
 the Maclar seaport at Koping, on the Maclar sea, 
 which will be hereafter noticed ; also the 3 ft. 6 in. 
 gauge system adopted in Queensland, Australia, 
 Ceylon, East Indies, Norway, and in Belgium, 
 amounting to about one thousand miles already 
 constructed, where they are found to give ample
 
 19 
 
 accommodation to the business of populous coun- 
 tries, and built with the capital of the country. 
 The 2 ft. 6 in. gauges that have been built in 
 Northern Germany, aggregating 640 miles, have 
 fully satisfied all the requirements of business of 
 that populous country ; and lastly, the extreme of 
 the proposed system, that of the Portmadock and 
 Fe^tinoig Railroad, in North Wales, which has 
 been operated on a gauge of 1 ft. 1H in. for 19 
 years with complete success. This road being, as 
 may be supposed, the extreme limit to which the 
 proposed system is likely to go, runs from the 
 coast at Portmadock to the town of Dinas, in 
 North Wales. It was originally built as a tram 
 road, and the motive power was horses. The bus- 
 iness is that of carrying passengers, slates and 
 other freight between the seaport and quarries. It 
 has been in operation for 19 years, and is now 
 transporting 400,000 tons of freight and 150,000 
 passengers per annum. While with an original 
 capital stock of $180,000, it has developed the in- 
 dustry for which it was intended, increased its cap- 
 ital stock to $500,000 and paid dividends of 40 
 per cent, on its original cost per annum. 
 
 RUSSIAN COMMISSION. 
 
 It is probable that the best evidence that can 
 be presented of the absolute success of this 
 enterprise is the report made by the Russian
 
 20 
 
 Commissioners, who were instructed to pivceed to 
 examine the workings of this road and to report 
 to their respective governments. The commission 
 consisted of the Duke of Sutherland, accompan- 
 ied by Count Zchemji, of Hungary, 
 
 REPRESENTING RUSSIA. 
 
 Count Alexis Bobrinskoy, President Russian 
 Imperial Commission. 
 
 Count Zarnoiski, Count Berg, Col. Statkowski, 
 Imperial Engineer of Russia. 
 
 Professor SalofF, Institute of Imperial Engineers 
 of Russia. 
 
 M. Raehrberg, Chief Engineer and manager of 
 the Nigne-Moscow Railroad. 
 
 M. Schuberski, Superintendent of locomotives of 
 the Wornesch Rostou Railroad. 
 
 M. Kislinski, Russian Imperial Engineer and 
 Inspector of Karchof-Crementchay Railroad. 
 
 M. Von Desen, M. Sementechymoff, M. Sach- 
 niffski, Russian Imperial Engineers Serat Rail- 
 road. 
 
 REPRESENTING THE INDIAN OFFICE, LONDON. 
 
 Lieutenant-General Sir William Baker, R. E. 
 K. C. B. 
 
 Mr. W. T. Thornton, Corresponding Secretary 
 Public Works, R. R. and Telegraph Department, 
 Indian Office.
 
 21 
 
 Mr. Juland Danvers, Government Director of 
 Indian Railroads. 
 
 REPRESENTING BOARD OF TRADE. 
 
 Captain Taylor. 
 
 REPRESENTING FRANCE. 
 
 M. Gentry, President La Yenda Railroad, M. 
 Duval, Engineer La Venda Railroad, M. Krimer, 
 Director Vote and Tiflis Railroad. 
 
 REPRESENTING SWEDEN. 
 
 M. Shandberg, Chief Engineer Swedish Gov- 
 ernment. 
 
 REPRESENTING NORWAY. 
 
 M. Pihl, Chief Engineer Norwegian Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 REPRESENTING SWITZERLAND. 
 
 Mr. Carl Burkhardt, Chief Engineer. 
 
 REPRESENTING NORTH GERMANY. 
 
 Mr. Malrang, Engineer ; Mr. Livingston Thomp- 
 son, Managing Director Festinoig Railroad ; Mr. 
 Fleming, of Bombay, India ; Mr. George Allen, 
 Chief Engineer, India ; Mr. Power, Vice President 
 Vote and Tiflis R. R ; Mr. G. B. Cranley, Con- 
 tractor, Mexico ; Mr. James Samuel, Chief En- 
 gineer and Director R. R. Construction Associa- 
 tion, London ; Mr. Toline, do ; Mr. A. P. Hobson,
 
 22 
 
 Secretary do ; Mr. E. S. Dallas ; Mr. Cargill ; Mr. 
 Preston, London & N. W. R, R ; Mr. Patchett, 
 Superintendent London & N. W R. R ; Mr. Elias. 
 Generall Manager Cambrian R. R ; Mr. Brough- 
 ton, do Eid Waha ; Mr. Walker, Locomotive Su- 
 perintendent Cambrian R. R ; Mr. Roberts, Chief 
 Engineer Brecon & Merthyr R. R ; Mr. Caulfield, 
 do Neath Brecon R. R ; Mr. Henshaw, Gen- 
 eral Manager Brecon & Merthyr R. R. 
 
 REPORT. 
 
 FIRST SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS. 
 
 Train hauled by a Farlie Engine, " Little 
 Wonder," 19 tons 10 cwt. 
 
 Feb. 11, 1870, started from Portmadoc with the 
 " Little Wonder " and 
 
 TONS. CWT. QRS 
 
 90 Slate Wagons, weight 57 j.10 
 
 7 Passenger cars and Baggage car... 13 10 
 
 57 Passengers 4 00 
 
 Locomotive and Tender... ...19 10 
 
 Total 94 00 
 
 Engine Double bogie 8 3-16 in. cylinders x 13 
 in. stroke. 
 
 Wheels 2 ft, 4 in. in diameter. 
 Pressure of steam 150 Ibs. to the square inch. 
 Steepest grades 1 in. 74, (71.33 per mile.) 
 Shortest curves, If chs., (115.5. per radius.)
 
 23 
 
 On the sharpest curves and steepest grades, the 
 engine in full gear, the average speed was 14 
 miles, exclusive of stopping and starting. Length 
 of train, 854 feet. 
 
 It was observed that on curves of 115.5 ft 
 (If chs) radius, and at a maximum speed of 30 
 miles per honr, there was very little perceptible 
 oscillation or movement of the engine or in the 
 cars, and by no means so much as is usually felt, 
 even on comparatively easy curves on ordinary 
 railways, and less at high speed than at low speed. 
 
 The super elevation of the outer rail on the 
 sharpest curves was 3 inches. 
 
 (Feb. 12. Experiments with " Little Wonder," 
 19i tons.) 
 
 With " Welsh Pony," 10 tons. 
 
 With " Mountaineer, 8 tons. 
 
 To test the steadiness of running on the Traeth- 
 mawr embankment, on the " Welsh Pony " and 
 u Mountaineer." 
 
 On the " Little Wonder," when riding on the 
 foot-plates, no perceptible vertical or lateral oscil- 
 lation, but a smooth, floating movement ; when 
 riding on the bogie frames, slight lateral oscillation, 
 but less than on the other engines. 
 
 The oscillation of the Fairlie engine being con- 
 fined to the bogie, the influence of impact on the 
 rails, from the flanges of the wheels, was far less
 
 24 
 
 than in the case of the " Pony " or the " Moun- 
 taineer," the weight of these engines being brought 
 to bear, in the course of their oscillation, upon the 
 rails. 
 
 In all the above cases the speed was confined to 
 10 or 12 miles per hour, in a straight line, on a 
 grade of 1 in. in 1,200 ft,, or 4-40 ft. per mile, and 
 the line was laid with rails weighing only 30 
 pounds per yard, not fished at the joints. 
 
 The " Welsh Pony " engine, weighing 10 tons, 
 with cylinders 8i in. in diameter by 12 in. stroke, 
 and wheels 24 in. in diameter, took 50 wagons 
 loaded with slate from Portmadock to the engine 
 house, and stopped on a grade of 1 in 85, unable 
 to proceed further, with 150 Ibs. to the square inch 
 steam pressure. 
 
 TONS. CWT. QRS. 
 
 Weight of 50 loaded wagons 123 10 
 
 " " Passengers 3 10 
 
 " " Engine 10 
 
 Total 137 
 
 The " Welsh Pony " then took 25 
 
 wagons, weight 59 7 2 
 
 Weight of Passengers 3 10 
 
 Engine 10 
 
 Total 72 17 2 
 
 And mounted a grade of 1 in. 85 (or 62 ft. 
 per mile) with 145 Ibs. steam in starting, and 130
 
 25 
 
 11>\ after running about one quarter of a mile ; 
 then stopped to return. 
 
 The same engine then tried 30 wagons ; could 
 not start on a grade of 1 in. in 85 but the engine 
 wheels did not move: there was, therefore, no want 
 of adhesion, the load having been reduced to 
 
 TONS. CWT. QRS. 
 
 26 Wagons 62 6 
 
 Passengers 6 10 
 
 Engine 10 
 
 Total 73 16 
 
 With an average pressure of 150 Ibs. steam the 
 " Pony " took them up a grade of 1 in. in 85 for 
 a quarter of a mile at five miles per hour. 
 
 The "Little Wonder" left Portmadock the 
 same afternoon with 72 loaded wagons weighing 
 
 TONS. CWT. QRS. 
 
 Slates 138 17 2 
 
 Empty Wagons 43 13 
 
 jrs... 400 
 
 186 10 
 Engine 19 10 
 
 Total 206 2 
 
 And started with 165 Ibs. of steam and ran to the 
 engine house, and up the grade of 1 in. in 85 
 and was purposely stopped with steam at 125 Ibs, 
 pressure and a low fire, through the misapprehen- 
 sion of the engine driver. She was then backe^
 
 26 
 
 to the locality from which the ' ; Pony " h-id started 
 with 26 wagons, and the fire being made up and 
 steam raised to 170 Ibs. pressure, she freely started, 
 occasionally slipping, attained a speed of 5 miles 
 per hour with the 72 wagons, and after running 
 about a quarter of a mile she was increasing speed 
 on a gradient of 1 in. in 100 when she was 
 purposely stopped, with steam pressure still at 170 
 Ibs. to the square inch. 
 
 In the above experiments the shorter trains were 
 standing, when they were started, or attempted to 
 start, partly on a curve of 2 chs. (165 ft.) and in 
 the last experiment with the " Little Wonder/' the 
 train having been longer, it stood partly on a 
 curve of 4i chs. (297 ft.) and partly on a reverse 
 curve of 8 chs. (528 ft.) radius. The length of 
 this train was 648 feet. 
 
 The weather was fine, with a strong cold wind 
 blowing against the trains, and the rails were in a 
 remarkably good condition for adhesion. 
 
 The slate wagons had no springs ; the diameter 
 of their wheels was 1 ft. 6 in., and that of the 
 journals was 2i inches. 
 
 (Signed) SUTHERLAND. 
 
 COUNT ALEXIS BOBRISKOY. 
 
 W. E. BAKER. 
 
 W. J. THORNTON. 
 
 W. H. TYLER. 
 
 JULAND DANVERS.
 
 27 
 
 SECOND SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS. 
 
 The result of an experiment on the Festinoig 
 railroad on the 16th of February, 1870, with the 
 " Little Wonder." 
 
 Length of Engine, 27 feet. 
 
 Weight of Engine in steam, 19 tons. 
 
 Diameter of Cylinders, 8 3-16 inches. 
 
 Length of Stroke, 13 inches. 
 
 Two 4- Wheeled Bogies. 
 
 Diameter of Wheels, 2 feet 4 inches. 
 
 Wheels coupled in each Bogie. 
 
 Wheel base of each, 5 feet. 
 
 Total wheel base, 19 feet. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF LOAD. 
 
 TONS. CWT. QRS. 
 
 22 Coal Wagons 64 18 
 
 21 Wagons of Slate 49 3 1 
 
 2 Bogie Timber Trucks, carrying 
 
 timber 42 feet long 4 18 2 
 
 15 Passengers 112 
 
 2 Empty Trucks between Timber 
 
 Bogies 141 
 
 1 Workman's Carriage 12 
 
 Engine 19 10 
 
 Total 141 7 2 
 
 Length of Train, with Engine, 407 feet. 
 The whole distance to be run over, from Port- 
 madock to Dinas, 131 miles, having a total rise
 
 28 
 
 from a level of 703 feet, with maximum gradients 
 of 1 in. in 92 for 12 miles, (57i ft. per mile), 
 the Traethmawyr embankment near Portmadock 
 being practically level. 
 
 The maximum curves are 11 chs. (115.5 ft.) 
 Average curves, 6, 7, and 8 chs., the whole of the 
 line being composed of a succession of curves, 
 with the exception of the before named embank- 
 ment and three or four other short portions. 
 
 The train started from Portmadock at 5:4 1 P.M.: 
 at Penrhyn station at 5:58. without stopping 
 there; arrived at Hartford LI} n station at 6:18, 
 where it stobped 8i minutes. Started at 6:26|, 
 arrived at Ddwallt station (watering place) at 6:40, 
 stopping 15 minutes on account of water having 
 frozen, the tank could not be filled in the usual 
 time. 
 
 The train reached the long tunnel at 7:02 p. M. 
 through which it ran in 2 min. 10 sec. (Length of 
 tunnel 730 yards, 2,190 feet.) Ran up to Tany- 
 gresion station, at which it arrived at 7:09 P. M., 
 making the entire journey in 1 hour 34 minutes, 
 including stoppages ; or exclusive of stoppages, in 
 1 hour 10 i minutes. 
 
 Maximum speed, 15 miles per hour. 
 
 Average speed, Hi miles per hour. 
 
 The engine, during the journey from Portma- 
 dock to Hartford, never slipped. 
 On starting from Hartford Llyn station a sligh t,
 
 29 
 
 slipping occurred, (the train being on a curve of 4 
 ehs. 264 ft radius, with an inclination of 1 in. 
 100) the rails being wet and heavy. 
 
 Slight slipping on starting from the watering 
 place at Ddwallt. 
 
 The engine slipped three times in passing 
 through the tunnel, the rails being wet through- 
 out. Considerable slipping took place at the junc- 
 tion of branch lines, this place being always wet 
 and greasy, owing to the slate tr.ains waiting for 
 the down passenger trains. 
 
 The pressure of steam ranged from 160 to 180 
 Ibs., at which latter pressure the train started, the 
 pressure being at one time only 145 Ibs. for a 
 quarter of a mile. 
 
 Average pressure, 175 Ibs. 
 
 The entire journey was run throughout by the 
 engine in only two-thirds gear. 
 
 There was a hard wind during the whole of the 
 journey, such being very strong in some parts of 
 the line against the train. 
 
 (Signed) LIVINGSTON THOMPSON, 
 
 C. E. SPOONER, 
 COUNT ALEXIS BROBINSKOY, 
 J. RAEHBERG, 
 PROFESSOR SALOFF, 
 R. VON DESEN, 
 J. SEMENTECHIMOFF, 
 
 Commissioners.
 
 30 
 
 THIRD EXPERIMENT, 
 
 Under the superintendence of the President and 
 Engineer of the La Vendee Railroad, of France. 
 
 Started from Portmadock with a train of 140 
 empty slate wagons and 7 loaded coal wagons. 
 
 Gross weight of load 100 tons, 16 cwt. 2 qrs. 
 
 Length of train 1323 feet, 
 
 Proceeded to Dinas, the upper end of the Fes- 
 tinoig ' railway. The maximum speed was 16 
 miles per hour ; the average, 12 miles. 
 
 Average gradients 1 in. in 92 ft., 57.4 per mile. 
 
 Average curves 5 60-100 chs., 375 24-100 feet. 
 
 On the return journey the speed attained was 
 30 miles an hour over many portions of the road, 
 the average speed being 25 miles per hour. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSTRCT1ON AND EQUIPMENT OF 
 TB'E FESTINOIG RAILROAD. 
 
 The entire width of right of way procured was 
 but 8 feet. The country through which it is built 
 is extremely rough, there being but ten per cent, 
 of the line tangent, with curves of 132 ft. radius. 
 The iron first used when steam was applied was 
 16 Ibs. per yard, which, with a traffic of about 
 350,000 tons per annum, lasted on an average of 
 14 years. The iron now used is 30 and 32 Ibs 
 per yard. Speed attained, 40 miles.
 
 31 
 
 Locomotives weighing from 10 to 19 1-2 tons 
 haul about 300 tons of average loads. The pas- 
 senger cars 12, 14, 16 ft. in length, by 6 ft. 7 in. 
 width, carrying 14 passengers, or 200 Ibs. dead 
 weight for passengers. 
 
 Freight cars weigh from 1,100 Ibs. to 1 1-2 tons 
 and carry from three to four tons of load. 
 
 E. C. SPOONER ON NARROW GAUGE 
 FOR INDIA. 
 
 In this connection it may not be out of place to 
 quote from the report of Mr. Spooner, Engineer of 
 the Festinoig road, before the Inventors' Institute 
 at London in 1865, on the system of small gauge 
 railroads for India. He says : 
 
 " I have coriie to the conclusion that a 2 ft. 9 in. 
 gauge is the most advisable for India, and it will 
 fully meet all the requirements. And from my 
 experience in working the 1 ft. 11 1-2 in. gauge I 
 deduce the following, to show the sufficiency of a 
 2 ft. 9 in. gauge : 
 
 First. That the cost in first construction in 
 earthworks, bridges, tunnels, etc., depends almost 
 entirely on the gauge. In regard to the construc- 
 tion, there is another matter for consideration with 
 the Indian lines, which is of great importance ; 
 namely : Being able to lay down a double line of 
 2 ft. 9 in. on a single line formation of 5 ft. 6 in.
 
 32 
 
 gauge when required, without altering bridges, 
 tunnels or earthworks, (as on all the Government 
 lines, bridges, tunnels, viaducts, etc., are made for 
 a double line of way) or going into any extra ex- 
 pense, except laying down a permanent way. 
 
 Secondly That the cost of maintenance of roll- 
 ing stock and permanent way will be low, conse- 
 quent on the small weight on each wheel, and less 
 damage to rolling .stock in " shunting " or on col- 
 lissions occurring. 
 
 Thirdly That a speed of foft-j miles an hour 
 can be run with ease and &{fr'-y/, as a speed of thirty- 
 five miles per hour has been attained on a Festin- 
 oig railwa} r . The present woiking speed is 16 
 miles per hour, which is about the standard speed 
 proposed for the Indian railways of 5 ft. 6 in. 
 gauge. 
 
 Fourthly As to the capacity of a 2 ft. 9 in- 
 gauge to carry the required traffic. The Festinoig 
 railway proves that a very heavy traffic can be 
 conducted. The capabilities therefore of a 2 ft. 9 
 in. gauge in this respect must be apparent. To 
 gain adhesion for the secured tractive power, to 
 transmit heavy trains at necessary speed, and roll- 
 ing stock of the required capacity, the most feas- 
 ible known plan should be applied, namely : En- 
 gines of the Bogie principle, with four-wheeled 
 double bogie frames, or six-wheeled double bogie 
 frames ; and if need be, with lines of very heavy
 
 33 
 
 gradients and traffic, quadruple Bogie engines, by 
 which means the weight of engines is distributed 
 evenly and rolling stock dispersed over the line 
 of way " flange " and " drag " friction is reduced 
 to a minimum, saving in wear and tear of rails 
 and permanent way, and great advantage gained 
 in passing sharp curves, all of which means money 
 saved in maintenance of way and rolling stock, 
 besides of fuel consumed for a given load. 
 
 The rolling stock can, by this means, be made 
 to carry proportionately more than on the ordi- 
 nary gauge. For instance, the bogie horse box 
 weighs -seven tons, to carry six horses, with com- 
 partments for groom and fodder, having when 
 loaded 1 ton 6 cwt. on each wheel ; whereas an 
 ordinary horse box on a 4 8i in. gauge weighs six 
 tons and carries three horses, with compartment 
 for groom, and having when loaded 1 ton 171- cwt. 
 on each wheel. The Bogie cattle truck weighs 5 
 tons 15 cwt. and carries ten cattle, weighing when 
 loaded 11 tons 15 cwt., or 1 ton 9 cwt. on a wheel, 
 while an ordinary cattle truck, on a 1 ft. 8i gauge, 
 carrying ten beasts, weighs 5 tons 10 cwt., and 
 when loaded, 11 tons 10 cwt., or 2 tons 17 cwt. on 
 a wheel Surely these trucks, with a low centre 
 of gravity arid steadiness of motion secured, must 
 have a far greater stability and freedom from os- 
 cillation than those in use on the ordinary lines. 
 Bogie trucks can be made for the 2 ft. 9 in. gauge
 
 34 
 
 of any dimensions and convenient size for car- 
 riages for any purpose, of passenger or freight 
 traffic." 
 
 And again I will quote from the same authority : 
 " The Festinoig railway carriages and trucks 
 run very steady at a speed of thirty-five miles an 
 hour, and prove to have the required lateral sta- 
 bility, even when going over the old rails, with- 
 out "fish joints." There is no doubt that the roll- 
 ing stock on the ordinary lines does not give 
 nearly the carrying capacity compatible with the 
 gauge. This can not be increased, as the weight 
 already brought on each wheel is too great, caus- 
 ing the rails in three or four years, under a moder- 
 rate traffic, to become crushed or laminated, and 
 under a heavy traffic at or near stations not lasting 
 as many months. Steel rails have a greater dura- 
 bility but at much greater cost and even these 
 scarcely sustain the great weight and impact blows 
 of the heavy engines and rolltng stock, at high 
 rates of speed ; besides steel rails wear out the 
 tires much sooner than iron. The maximum 
 weight on each wheel should not exceed three (3) 
 tons, and can be reduced to two tons or under. 
 
 From the experience obtained in working small 
 gauge rolling stock, the proportions that should be 
 observed in the construction of trucks for engines 
 and cars are regulated by the gauge, as follows : 
 Width of trucks should be two and a quarter times
 
 35 
 
 the g;iuge ; the depth one and a half times ; the 
 length, four and a half times, and the " wheel 
 ba.se " two and a half times the gauge outside di- 
 mensions." 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF MAJOR ADELSKOLD, 
 STATE NGINEE.R OF SWEEDEN. 
 
 From this report we select such portions as are 
 pertinent to the subject, ;md illustrating the 
 workings of a small gauge which lays between the 
 standard 4 ft. 8| in. and the 2 ft. 9 in. advocated 
 for India, showing that the objection of a trans- 
 shipment from one system of gauge to another is 
 not attended with any inconvenience or much cost. 
 
 The road we refer to in the first instance is 23 
 miles in length, and runs between the seaboard at 
 Maclar seaport to Ullinbord, through a district in 
 which are several large iron works and sawmills, 
 connecting that district with the small town of 
 Koping, on the Maclar sea and the Royal Sweedish 
 Main Line. 
 
 The gauge is 3 ft. 7 in., embankments 13 ft. wide, 
 rails 37 Ibs per yard, with fish joints, ties 6i ft. 
 long, 5 in. by 8 in. 
 
 The grades from the interior to the seaport are 
 1 in. in 200 in the direction of the heaviest 
 trafic, and 1 in. in 100 in the opposite direc- 
 tion ; maximum curvature, 100 ft. radius. The 
 rolling stock was all built in Sweeden, and con-
 
 36 
 
 sists of three locomotives of 13 tons, 9 in. cylin- 
 ders, 16 in. stroke, 4 wheels coupled, 2 ft. 3 in. 
 diameter ; 50 freight cars and 6 passenger cars. 
 
 The freight cars are of 6 tons capacity, 16 ft. 
 long, 6i ft. wide. The passenger cars are arranged 
 for first and second class passengers, and carry 
 twenty-six passengers proportion of weight per 
 passenger of 313 Ibs. 
 
 The average speed is 16 miles per hour, and 35 
 miles per hour have been made on several occa- 
 sions, making scarcely any lateral oscillation. 
 The travel is not yet fully developed, and by 
 doubling the number of cars 100,000 passengers 
 and 150,000 tons of freight can be carried without 
 any difficulty. 
 
 There are a number of other narrow gauge 
 roads that have met all the requirements made of 
 them, and entirely realized the expectations of 
 their owners in every respect. Two of these are 
 4 ft. gauge ; one 26 and the other 56 miles long, 
 and are branches of the Sweedish Main Line. 
 Prior to the completion of the first, it was generally 
 believed that the transfer of freight from the 
 branch to the main line would involve considerable 
 outlay and serious loss of time. This objection 
 has proved to be very trifling ; the cost of trans- 
 shipment does not exceed one cent per ton. 
 
 It was a subject of much doubt whether these 
 small engines would keep the road open in winter.
 
 37 
 
 The experience of several severe winters has 
 shown that no fears need be entertained on this 
 head. 
 
 He further says that " In every case where 
 small gauges have been built they have realized 
 every expectation," and deems it a waste of capi- 
 tal to build broader gauges when a narrower and 
 cheaper one will meet all the requirements of bus- 
 iness. In a thinly settled country, as this, where the 
 available capital will hardly meet the wants of 
 the rapid industrial and agricultural developments, 
 and where cheapness of transportation is of the 
 greatest importance, the smaller gauge may, in 
 many localities, be well adopted, if not positively 
 a necessity, as they can be easily built, and at 
 such cost that with but a small traffic they are 
 able, not only to cover the cost of operating them, 
 but pay a good interest on the capital invested. 
 
 EXTRACT FROM ADDRESS BY MR. HULSE, PRESIDENT 
 MANCHESTER INSTITUTE CIVIL ENGINEERS. 
 
 After discussing the present system on its finan- 
 cial theory, which has been in this paper already 
 examined, with conclusions that the system has 
 been much too expensive both in construction and 
 management, he assigns the following reasons for 
 a change from the present to a smaller gauge : 
 That the 3 ft. 6 in. gauge is much preferable to 
 the existing 4 ft. 8| system for local railroads :
 
 38 
 
 First Because there is no necessity to use rails 
 over 40 Ibs. per yard ; tunnels and bridges need 
 not be of a bight exceeding 10 1-2 feet, earth- 
 work of all kinds may be reduced at least one- 
 third ; curves can be used as sharp as 132 feet 
 radius, locomotives need not exceed 15 tons, car- 
 riages not to exceed 3 tons and the weight on a 
 wheel in no case need be more than 2 tons. 
 Whereas on the 4 ft. 8 1-2 system the rails are 80 
 Ibs. per yard, tunnels and bridges 24 ft. wide, open 
 cuttings in proportion, curves not less than 570 ft. 
 radius, locomotives 30 tons, carriages 8 to 20 ton?, 
 with a minimum load on each wheel of not less 
 than 6 tons. The short curves that can be used 
 on a narrow gauge avoid to a great extent the de- 
 struction of property, and can be adapted to the 
 contour of almost any mountain country, reducing 
 the cutting and embankment from through cuts 
 and high embankments to " side-hill work." 
 
 He estimates that the 3i ft. system costs less 
 than two-thirds as much as the 4 ft. 8 in. system, 
 and can be worked at not to exceed two-thirds the 
 expense. 
 
 This system has been largely adopted in Aus- 
 tralia, Ceylon, Norway and Belgium with com- 
 plete success. 
 
 The system of passenger cars adopted there is 
 mostly what is know as the "Omnibus style," 
 with seats arranged on the sides and a passage
 
 39 
 
 30 to 36 inches in width down the middle, doors 
 opening inward at each end. 
 
 The dimensions of such cars are : Length, 20 
 ft., width 6i ft. and 6i ft. high inside, Carriages 
 of this size accommodate 24 passengers, twelve on 
 a side, and give 30 cubic feet of space to each. 
 
 He further says that in some districts it might 
 be found desirable to adopt 2 ft. gauges, for their 
 cheapness, as has been done in North Wales. 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM THE CIRCULAR OF M. RIRD & CO., ON 
 THE SPEED OF SMALL LOCOMOTIVES : 
 
 The narrow gauge locomotive, with driving 
 wheels of 36 in. diameter, and cylinders 16 in. 
 stroke, at a speed of 36 miles per hour, develops 
 the same speed of piston as a full gauge locomo- 
 tive with 5 ft. driving wheels and cylinders 24 in. 
 stroke at a speed of 40 miles per hour. 
 
 With driving wheels 40 in. diameter and 16 in 
 stroke of piston, the narrow gauge locomotive de- 
 velops the same total travel of piston in going 
 one mile as does a full gauge locomotive with 
 driving wheels 60 in. diameter and 24 in. stroke 
 of piston. 
 
 It is evident, therefore, that equal speeds are at- 
 tainable on the norrow gauge as on the full gauge. 
 The angle of stability of the narrow gauge loco- 
 motive, with 3 ft, driving wheels, is somewhat
 
 40 
 
 greater than that of the 4 ft. 8 1-2 in. gauge loco- 
 motive, with 5 ft. driving wheels. 
 
 [See tables of comparative weights and dimen- 
 sions of narrow gauge cars on closing pages of 
 this work.] 
 
 PATTERNS OF CARS IN USE ON NARROW GAUGE ROADS. 
 
 For passenger trains '8 wheeled cars with bodies 
 26 ft. long and 6 ft wide are proposed as follows : 
 
 1st. First class cars, with revolving back seats, 
 (double seats on the one side of car and single 
 seats on the other, the plan being reversed in the 
 two ends of the car) to carry 28 passengers. 
 
 2d. First class passenger cars, with two rows 
 of turning chairs and aisle between, to accommo- 
 date 18 first class passengers. 
 
 3d. First class passenger cars, with cushioned 
 seats, like horse railway cars ; capacity, 30 pas- 
 sengers. 
 
 4th. Second class passenger cars, with longi- 
 tudinal seats in centre (passengers sitting back to 
 back ;) capacity, 26 passengers. 
 
 All these cars to have wheels 24 inches in di- 
 ameter. 
 
 PROPORTION OF NON-PAYING TO PAYING WEIGHT 
 TWENTY-NINE TO ONE ON PASSENGER TRAINS ON 
 THE STANDARD GAUGE. 
 
 It is now known, and everywhere admitted
 
 41 
 
 among railroad men, that the proportion of non- 
 paying weight in passenger trains to paying 
 weight is as much as 19 to 1 in our ordinary first 
 class cars, and in the sleeping and dining cars as 
 much as 29 to 1. In freight trains about 7 to 1. 
 This terrible disproportion is partly due to the 
 system of management pursued, but in a far 
 greater degree to the gauge. 
 
 The dead weight of trains carrying either pas- 
 sengers or merchandise is in direct proportion to 
 the gauge on which they run ; or, in other words, 
 the non-paying to the paying weight (as far as 
 this is independent of management) is increased 
 exactly as the rails are placed farther apart ; for 
 the simple reason that a ton of materials disposed 
 in the rolling stock on a narrow gauge is stronger, 
 as regards its carrying capacity, than the same 
 weight when spread over a wider base. In prov- 
 ing this we need only cite the Festinoig railroad. 
 The cars used there for carrying timber weigh 
 only 1,341 Ibs., and they frequently carry loads of 
 3i tons, at a speed of 12 miles per hour. In other 
 words, these cars carry a load as much as -five and 
 a half times their own weight, while the ordinary 
 cars on the standard gauge carry not more than 
 one to one. 
 
 In order to demonstrate this part of the argu- 
 ment, it may not be out of place to quote from 
 the returns of the Board of Trade for Great
 
 42 
 
 Britain in the year 1867, by way of comparison : 
 
 " The work done by the locomotives of Great 
 Britain in 1867, the last year for which returns 
 have been made, was 3.924,624 passengers trains 
 hauled 19.08 miles each, with a total tonnage of 
 
 Paying weight, 27,472,368, or 4.89 per ct. 
 
 Non-paying weight, 533,748,864, or 95.11 per ct. 
 And of freight trains, 2,403,866, hauled 30.64 
 miles each. With a tonnage of 
 
 Paying weight, 146,535,826 tons, or 30.34 per ct. 
 
 Non-paying weight, 336,541,240 tons, or 69.66 
 per cent. 
 
 And of total trains, 6,328,490 hauled 23 47-100 
 miles, with a tonnage of 
 
 Paying weight, 174,108,194 tons, or 16.67 per ct. 
 
 Non-paying weight, 870,290,104 tons, or 83'.33 
 per ct. 
 
 Horizontal miles run : 
 
 Passenger trains 10,708,101,106 
 
 Freight trains 14,804,545,302 
 
 Total 25,212,646,408 
 
 This work was done by 8,619 locomotives, show- 
 ing work done by each per annum of 2,960,047 
 horizontal mile tons ; work done by each per day, 
 8,966 horizontal mile tons equivalent to 382 tons 
 hauled 23.47 miles per day. and 17,346 miles run 
 by each engine per year. 
 
 Taking the 23 47-100 miles, the actual average
 
 43 
 
 distance run by each train per day, as consisting 
 of an ascending grade of 1 in. in 300 ft. for half 
 the distance, or 11,735 miles, and a descending 
 grade for the remaining half, and assuming 26 
 miles per hour to be the average speed of each 
 train, the following results are obtained: 
 
 Miles run each day per train, 23.47. 
 
 Tons weight of each train, 165.03. 
 
 Feet run per minute at 26 miles per hour, 2,288. 
 
 Lift of train per minute, 2, 7^ ft. 
 
 Horse power due to lifting, 85^. 
 
 " due to friction at 9 Ibs. per ton, 
 
 109 9(i 
 1UZ 100 . 
 
 Horse power in ascending incline, 188^. 
 
 " in descending incline, 102.9685 
 .41-17.53. 
 
 Horse power exercised in a run of 23.47 miles, 
 205.92. 
 
 Trains hauled per day by each engine, 2.22. 
 
 Each train hauled 23^ miles, at 26 miles per 
 hour, gives 54^ minutes occupied in the average 
 journey, or forjeach engine an average working 
 time of two 'hours per day. 
 
 The average horse power these engines are ca- 
 pable of exercising is probably not less than 400 
 hosse power each, making a total horse power of 
 the 8,6 19 engines in use of 3,447,600, of which 
 only 2,240,940 horse power can be made availa- 
 ble. These results of course cannot be taken as
 
 44 
 
 demonstrating the work that may be obtained 
 from any individual engine, but only as a means of 
 comparing the work done in one year with that 
 done in another in the same country, and in corn- 
 paring the work done by locomotives in one coun- 
 try or one road with that done on another ; and 
 above all, in showing how much the weakness of 
 the present system is responsible for, in taking 
 from the gross horse power which might be nearly 
 all economised in hauling paying freight. Hauling 
 dead weight not only never pays for its transpor- 
 tation, but wears itself and the rails out in one- 
 third the time that the actual business of the 
 country, economically managed, would require. 
 
 And again, if the dead weight of any train be 
 diminished, the weight of the engine may be sim- 
 ilarly affected. And here is one of the strong 
 points of the narrow gauge system. It is evident 
 to any one who examines the rails of any of our 
 lines of railroads that have been in operation even 
 a short time, that the weight of the locomotive 
 and rolling stock is much too great, from the 
 crushed ends and the laminated appearance of the 
 tread of the rails. 
 
 The engines of the present system carry a 
 weight of from 4 to 6 tons, and even more, on 
 one wheel 3 while the actual business of the coun- 
 try can be as speedily and as safely carried with 
 engines, the weight of which are only 2i or 3
 
 45 
 
 tons to each wheel. In one case the weight of 
 the motive power crushes the rails out of existence 
 in five years ; in the other they wear by attrac- 
 tion only and last fifteen years. 
 
 Aside from the locomotives of the present sys- 
 tem being far too heavy, even the weight and 
 power necessary for the system cannot be econo- 
 mically used to much more than one-half their ca- 
 pacity. I propose to examine wiry it is that pas- 
 senger traffic cannot be utilized only in the pro- 
 portion of one to nineteen. Let us look at the 
 
 PASSENGER CARS. 
 
 One of our ordinary passenger cars weighs 
 from 33,000 to 60,000 Ibs., and the average of all 
 through trains does not average 27 passengers for 
 a 60 passenger car weighing, say 4,000 Ibs. The 
 non-paying weight therefore exceeds the paying 
 weight from eight to fifteen times. 
 
 On a 3 foot gauge a car to accommodate thirty 
 passengers weighs from 8,000 to 15,600 Ibs., the 
 passengers, as before, weigh 5,250 Ibs., or from 
 one and a half to three times the paying load of each 
 car. In other words, the locomotive on the 3 feet 
 gauge will have to haul from tivelve to twenty tons 
 lers weight in each car in the train than that of 
 the wide gauge road ; but we will, for the sake of 
 argument, say only seven tons less, and to keep 
 the carrying capacity of the smaller road to the
 
 46 
 
 standard of the wide gauge, business it may be 
 necessary to run an additional car capacity. Sup- 
 pose, then, that five passenger cars are necessary 
 to do the business on an already established road 
 of standard gauge, and seven on that proposed for 
 trains of 3 ft. gauge. The weight of each train 
 will then be as follows : 
 
 WEIGHT OF PASSENGER TRAIN ON 4 FT. 8 IN GAUGE. 
 
 TONS NET. 
 
 5 Passenger cars, at 33,000 Ibs 82 
 
 1 Baggage and Express car 26 
 
 Weight of passengers and baggage 10 
 
 " " Engine and Tender 45 
 
 Total weight of train 
 
 ON A 3 FEET GAUGE. 
 
 TONS NET, 
 
 7 Passenger cars, 18,000 Ibs., 126,000 Ibs. 63 
 1 Baggage and 1 Express car, 19,QOO Ibs. 9i 
 
 Weight of passengers and bag'ge, 22,000 11 
 
 Engine and Tender 17 
 
 Total 10U 
 
 Assuming two trains each way per day for 313 
 days, there will be hauled 
 
 TONS. 
 
 On the 4 ft. 8 1-2 in. gauge, gross tonage... 205,954 
 On the 3 ft. gauge, gross tonnage 126,452 
 
 79,502
 
 47 
 
 Showing a non-paying weight of 79,502 tons 
 hauled on the wide gauge road ; and suppose the 
 actual cost of transportation is 2.56 cts. per ton 
 per mile (which is not far from the cost in this 
 state) we have an amount of saving per year of 
 $2,035.25 per mile, or on 100 miles '$203.525 in 
 favor of the small gauge road in passenger traffic 
 alone, aside from the saving in the wear and tear 
 of the rails and rolling stock, which is nearly 
 three to one. 
 
 And now let us look at the expenses in trans- 
 porting freight on the two systems : 
 
 CAPACITY AND WEIGHT OF FREIGHT TRAINS. 
 
 
 
 An ordinary 8 wheeled freight car on the stand- 
 ard gauge may be taken at 20,000 Ibs., and carries 
 a weight of about 18,000 Ibs. 
 
 If the cai\s were fully loaded in each trip the 
 proportion of non-paying to paying load would be 
 as 10 tons to 9 tons ; but we know that scarcely 
 ever a freight car leaves any depot (except on 
 long through journeys, and sometimes not even 
 then) with a full load ; and in every train that 
 leaves and arrives at a terminus it is found that 
 some of the cars have run empty between stations. 
 For these reasons it is found that the non-paying 
 weight carried by them is in the proportion of li 
 tons to each 1 ton of paying weight, or a 10 ton
 
 48 
 
 freight car cannot average a paying load of over 
 8 tons through the year. 
 
 ' On the other hand, a freight car on a 3 feet 
 gauge, with a carrying capacity of 10,000 ibs., or 
 5 tons, and weighing 7,000 Ibs., or 3 1-2 tons, will 
 carry an average load the year round of 4f tons 
 and still have a contingent capacity of 500 Ibs. 
 per trip for local business. 
 
 In this case the non-paying weight of 3 tons 
 has a carrying capacity of over 4f tuns, or as 1 
 non-productive to 1,$ paying, against 1J non-pay- 
 ing to 1 pay ing load 
 
 A freight train on the standard gauge, trans- 
 porting 200 tons of paying freight will require 25 
 cars, weighing over 250 tons, which is H tons 
 dead weight to 1 ton live weight ; but on the 
 small gauge 200 tons of freight will will require 
 but 17 cars more than the standard gauge, or 42 
 cars in all for the trip, and will weigh 147 tons, 
 or 1 ton of dead weight to 1^ paying load. 
 
 RESULTS OF COMPARISON FREIGHT. 
 
 We have then the weight of a train transport- 
 200 tons of freight 
 
 ON A STADARD GAUGlS. 
 
 TONS. 
 
 25 Freight Cars at 10 tons each 250 
 
 Freight Load 200 
 
 Weight of Engine and Tender 45 
 
 Total Tons of Train ... . . .495
 
 49 
 
 ON A 3 FEET GAUGE. 
 
 TONS. 
 
 42 Cars at 7,000 Ibs. each 147 
 
 Freight Load 200 
 
 Weight of Engine and Tender 17i 
 
 Total tons of Train 364 
 
 Or 130 1-2 tons less dead weight to move the train 
 on the 3 feet gauge than on the standard, and dur- 
 ing 313 working days of 2 trains per day, one 
 each way, the saving in tons hauled to do a busi- 
 ness of 400 tons per day, or 125,000 tons per year, 
 will average 81,690 tons in favor of the 3 ft. gauge 
 and at 2 1-2 cents per ton per mile will show a 
 saving on these two daily trains of $204,250 per 
 annum. 
 
 In the transportation of minerals of all kinds 
 the same or nearly the same results have been ar- 
 rived at ; that is to say, f ton dead weight only car- 
 ried to each ton of paying weight as against l^jjjj 
 tons of dead weight to one ton of paying load. 
 
 COMPARATIVE REVENUE. 
 
 It has been shown that in four daily passenger 
 trains, with a given business, the 3 ft. would save 
 annually 
 
 In working expenses of Pass. Trains $203,550 
 
 In " " 2 daily Ft. Trs.. 204,250 
 
 Total saving on an annual business... $407,800
 
 50 
 
 Which is equal to an interest of 5 per cent, on six 
 and three-quarters millions dollars. 
 
 EARNINGS COMPARED. 
 
 The business assumed for a 4 ft. 8 1-2 in gauge 
 100 miles long, with double track, we will suppose 
 to cost $8,000,000 for construction and equip- 
 ment, and assuming the gross revenue to be of 
 $2,000,000, deduct 60 per cent, working expenses, 
 $1,200,000, leaving net earnings, $800,000 ; or 8 
 per cent, dividend, and 2 per cent, sinking fund. 
 
 A railroad of like character of 3 ft. gauge will 
 cost not to exceed $3,000,000 ; will, of course, re- 
 ceive the same gross revenue of $2,000,000 ; al- 
 lowing the same rate for working expenses, $1,- 
 200,000, less the saving shown above, 407,800, 
 leaving for net earnings $1,207,800, or a net profit 
 of over 40 per cent,, or $3,000,000 ; or in other 
 words, that while the standard gauge roads cost 
 to operate them 60 per cent, of the gross earn- 
 ings and leave but 40 per cent, for revenue, the 3 
 ft. gauge can be operated at a cost of 26 per cent, 
 of the gross earnings and leave 74 per cent, for net 
 reveuue. 
 
 NEW YORK CENTRAL, NEW YORK & ERIE 
 AND OTHER RAILROADS. 
 
 Again let us examine the operations of two of 
 the leading lines of the United States : The New
 
 51 
 
 York and Hudson River, the New York and Erie, 
 and other large roads : 
 
 It will be observed by any one travelling on our 
 leading railroads that the passenger cars reserved 
 for local business on through trains are but par- 
 tially filled during many hours of the day, and an 
 average in our 60-passenger cars of 27 to 30 pas- 
 sengers is considered good work. These trains 
 generally move with about six passenger cars, 
 weighing, with the engine, loaded tender and bag- 
 gage car, about. 360.000 Ibs. 180 passengers to 
 360,000 Ibs., gross weight of train, or 2,000 Ibs. to 
 each passenger ; that is to say, for .every ton of 
 passengers that pays we carry fourteen tons dead 
 weight without pay. 
 
 In the year 1871 the passenger traffic of the 
 New York Central and Hudson River Railroads 
 amounted to 321,365,953 passengers carried one 
 mile; but they carried along with them 477,- 
 750,000 tons of dead weight ; that is, a ton and a 
 half of dead weight to each passenger. 
 
 NEW YORK AND ERIE, 459 MILES OF MAIN LINE. 
 
 The New York and Erie Railroad, a 6 ft gauge 
 double track, did worse than the New York Cen- 
 tral. The number of passengers carried one mile 
 is given at 135,589,100, with 448,250,000 tons of 
 dead weight, which is three and one-third tons of 
 dead weight per passenger.
 
 52 
 
 In the freight traffic the New York Central 
 moved 469,087,777 tons one mile, and 40-5,500,000 
 tons dead weight, or 86-100 of a ton dead weight for 
 every ton of paying freight. 
 
 And the Erie moved 809,862,718 tons of 
 freight one mile with 1,177,250.000 tons of dead 
 weight, or 1^ tons dead weight per ton of paying 
 freight. 
 
 ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN, 387 MILES MAIN LINE. 
 
 The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad car- 
 ried 54,139,269 pass, one mile, and 179,060,000 
 tons dead weight, or three tons and thirty one- 
 hundredths dead weight per passenger ; while 
 there was transported 252,353,696 tons of freight 
 one mile, and 472,686,800 tons dead weight, or 
 nearly two tons dead weight to one of paying 
 freight. 
 
 CHICAGO AND NORTHWESTERN, 834 MILES MAIN LINE. 
 
 The passengers carried on this road for the year 
 1871, amounted to 100,802,512, carried one mile, 
 with 139,980,000 tons dead weight, which is 
 1 39-100 tons dead weight per passenger ; while 
 the freight moved on this road during the year 
 amounted to 268,417,881 tons, one mile, with 
 314,460,000 tons dead weight, or 1 17-100 tons 
 dead to 1 ton paying freight.
 
 It is needless to adduce more examples of the 
 waste of motive power of the present system ; 
 there is, however, one more out of the many that 
 the tables of last year show that we will quote, 
 and then leave the subject : the 
 
 LAKE SHORE AND MICHIGAN SOUTHERN RAILROAD, 
 
 Running through the States of New York, Penn- 
 sylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, a distanee of 
 1,282^ miles of line, consisting of 539^ miles 
 main line, 473^ branch and 26 9^ second track. 
 
 On this road, traversing portions of five states, 
 the passenger traffic is reported at 153,390,937 
 passengers carried one mile, and 569,833,666 tons 
 of freight, with the proportions in passenger traffic 
 of jo tons to each of dead weight, and of freights 
 Ixoo dead to 1 of paying weight ; or for one ton of 
 paying passenger freight carried, the road carries 
 nearly 14 tons of load. 
 
 THEORY OF OSCILLATION. 
 
 It has been asserted in another part of this pa- 
 per that the lateral oscillation on a narrow gauge 
 is absolutely less than on a gauge of 4 ft. 8i inches 
 or over. The best illustration of this subject is 
 taken from the able report of Mr. Sears, Chief 
 Engineer of the Pennsylvania & Sodus Bay Rail- 
 road, in a report recommending a 3 ft. gauge for 
 that company in 1871. He says :
 
 54 
 
 " These systems have ceased to be experimental 
 only on the contrary, so successful have they be- 
 come, that even in the United States where rail- 
 roads are built the cheapest, the public attention 
 is being drawn to them, and prudent men are ask- 
 ing why every section of the country cannot have 
 its own railroad, when they can be provided at 
 such cheap rates." 
 
 He says, on the matter of stability at high rates 
 of speed: 
 
 It is feared by some that a 3 6 -inch gauge will 
 not give as stable equilibrium to our cars as is 
 necessary, and asks the attention of his company 
 to the accompanying diagrams, designated Fig. 1 
 and Fig 2.
 
 i.oo 
 
 1850 
 
 A 
 
 6800 
 
 1.00 
 
 1850 
 
 FIG. 1.
 
 56 
 
 1.00 
 
 2.34 
 
 1.00 
 
 7,250 
 
 ;17000 
 
 7,250 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 C 
 
 
 FIG. 2.
 
 They are drawn to a common scale of four feet 
 to an inch, and exhibit the relative size of a car 
 at present in use on the ordinary gauges, (No. 2.) 
 and a car such as is required on a 36-inch gauge. 
 (No. 1.) 
 
 The smaller car is 7 feet outside width, with a 
 . clear hight of 7 feet under centre of dome. 
 
 The small letters "a" and " b " represent the 
 base on which the cars stand ; that is, the distance 
 from out to out of rail, which in the 3 ft. gauge 
 is 40 inches, so that for this small car the over- 
 hang is 22 inches on a side. 
 
 Now, to compare the stability of cars on the 
 two systems, let us divide each car by two vertical 
 'lines "ac"and "d b," projected upwards from 
 the outside edge of the rail. 
 
 In the smaller car the outside sections A C 
 weigh each 1,850 .Ibs., and the middle section 
 weighs 6.800 Ibs ; that is, if A weighs 100 parts 
 of the whole, B is 368 and C 100. 
 
 To secure this car agaiust overturning, the 100 
 parts that are hung on either side of the rail are 
 counterbalanced by the remaining 468 parts. 
 Whereas, in the larger car, 100 parts of overhang 
 are secured by only 334 parts of counterbrlance ; 
 so that we find our small gauge car is really the 
 safer and more stable of the two chances of over- 
 turning are as 271 to 42 i, or thereabouts. 
 
 No wonder then, that the testimony of Captain
 
 58 
 
 Taylor, Royal Inspector of Railroads in England, 
 issued to the Festinoig railroad in Wales authority 
 to run their passenger trains at any rate the!/ ma/./ 
 desire (although he limited them to 12 miles per 
 hour when first opened, and still limits the stand- 
 ard gauge roads in that country) for he declares 
 that he travelled over this little road at thirty miles 
 per hour with every feeling of safety, and that a 
 system of lines like this can be built costing but 
 two-thirds of those now constructed and maintained 
 at one-half the expense for any country. 
 
 LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE RAILROAD. 
 
 CONCURRING TESTIMONY. 
 
 Again, we have the testimony of J. P. Boyle, 
 Esq., Chief Engineer of the Louisville and Nash- 
 ville Railroad, in a report to his company in ilus- 
 tration of the actual workings of wide and narrow 
 gauges. He says : 
 
 The London & N. W. Railroad, England, has a 
 gauge of 4 ft. 8 inches. The business done 
 amounts to about fifteen millions tons per year, 
 five millions of which is mineral, and ten millions 
 tons of general merchandise. With such a large 
 movement of paying freight let us see what the 
 movement of dead weight would be in handling 
 this business : 
 
 As it has been demonstrated that the propor- 
 tion of non-paying to paying weight transported
 
 59 
 
 over a wide gauge is at least 5 to 1, (and runs 7 
 to 1) the amount of dead weight hauled over the 
 L. &. N. W. R. 11., to transport the ten millions 
 ton-s of freight would amount to fifty millions tons 
 at an average speed of twentj'-five miles an hour. 
 
 LET US SEE WHAT A WIDE GAUGE DOES WITH IT. 
 
 The -entire length of the road named is 1,450 
 miles. The average gross weight of each train 
 hauled is 250 tons, which requires 240,000 trains 
 to haul the sixty millions tons required or in 313 
 working duys 767 trains per day over all parts of 
 the road of 1,450 miles in 24 hours. 
 
 The company's books show that each net ton 
 produces about $1.20, which, at 3 ets. per ton per 
 mile, makes the average distance travelled by 
 each ton of freight 40 miles, and consequently 
 each train only averages 40 miles in distance per 
 day travelled, (the Board of Trade average be- 
 ing 23^5.) The road being 1,450 miles long, it 
 follows that there must be an average of 36 trains 
 distributed along the length of the road con- 
 stantly ; this number divided into the total num- 
 ber of trains per day shows an average of about 
 21 trains per day passing over each mile of road, 
 or one every 70 minutes. Thus, it will be seen, 
 that_ notwithstanding the movement is so enor- 
 mous, if the trains sustain an average .speed of 25 
 miles per hour, one train following another is in
 
 60 
 
 70 minutes behind the preceding one and in dis- 
 tance about 27 miles. It will thus be seen what a 
 large surplus capacity this road has for doing busi- 
 ness that is not utilized. 
 
 Let us now see what can be done with this busi- 
 ness 
 
 ON A 3 FEET GAUGE. 
 
 In the first place it is proven that a speed of 30 
 miles per honr can be maintained on a 3 ft. gauge, 
 vet we will accept the same speed as on a standard 
 gauge, that is, 25 miles per hour. 
 
 The narrow gauge freight cars weigh 1! tons 
 unclwill carry 4 tons of paying freight; ten mil- 
 lion tons paying freight, therefore, would require 
 three million seven hundred and fifty thousand 
 tons dead weight to be moved, or a total of thir- 
 teen million seven hundred and fifty thousand tons 
 gross weight moved on the narrow gauge to sixty 
 million on the wide gauge. 
 
 We will assume that the narrow gauge trains 
 each weigh 150 tons ; it would require then nine- 
 ty-one thousand six hundred and sixty-six trains 
 each year to handle the amount of freight named, 
 or in 313 days 284 trains per day ; each train av- 
 eraging 40 miles per day, the road being 1,450 
 miles in length, there would be an average of 36 
 trains distributable over the road daily in place of 
 21, as heretofore stated. This number divided into
 
 61 
 
 the total number of trains per day, and we have 
 an average of eight trains every 24 hours passing 
 over every mile of the road, or one every three 
 hours, if the trains sustain an average speed of 25 
 miles per hour, one train follows another three 
 hours and seventy-five "miles behind the preceding 
 one. 
 
 TABLE OF COMPARISON OF RESULTS. 
 
 . 
 
 Paying- weight ............... 10,000,000. ..10,000,000 
 
 Non-paying weight ......... 50,000,000... 3,750,000 
 
 60,000,000 23,750,000 
 
 Speed 25 Miles. 25 Miles. 
 
 Total wt. of each train... 250 Tons. 150 Tons. 
 
 No. Trains per day 767 284 
 
 Length of road 1450 Miles. 1450 Miles. 
 
 One train every 70 Minutes 3 Hrs. 
 
 Distance apart in min'ts. 70 " 180 Min. 
 
 Do. Trains apart.... 27 Miles. 75 Miles. 
 
 SUPERIORITY OF THE NARROW GAUGE. 
 
 From the above it will be seen that the capacity 
 of the 3 ft. gauge for freight transportation over 
 the standard gauge is as 180 to 70, and that in 
 transporting the same amounts of dead weight as 
 the wide gauge, viz : fifty million tons, the narrow 
 gauge would move one hundred and thirty-six mil- 
 lions tons paying weight as against ten million
 
 62 
 
 tons of paying weight moved on the standard 
 gauge. These results are most astonishing, but if 
 carefully examined will he found correct. 
 
 HON. H. G. STEBBINS, VICE PRESIDENT SOUTHERN 
 PACIFIC RAILROAD. 
 
 In the summing up of the able article written 
 by this gentleman, he says : 
 
 " To sum up all, the narrow gauge system 
 clearly has the advantage in these particulars. 
 First In the large comparative saving in first 
 construction 'and right of way. Second In the 
 larger proportion of paying load to non-paying 
 weight of train. Third In the great reduction 
 in wear and tear of permanent way, through the 
 advantage gainedf by using lighter rolling stock. 
 Fourth In the great saving in the reduced wear 
 and tear of wheels and tires, from the reduced 
 weight on each wheel. Fifth In the large pro- 
 portionate increased power of locomotives (from 
 the dead weight on the engines being used as 
 tractive power. Sixth In proportionate increased 
 velocities gained by the light system. Seventh 
 In the greater economy in 'working traffic ; and, 
 Eighth In the comparative increase in the 
 capacities of traffic."
 
 63 
 DENVER AND RIO GRANDE RAILROAD. 
 
 THREE FT. GAUGE. 
 
 The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company 
 is practically demonstrating the superiority of the 
 new system over the old, by having undertaken to 
 construct a' 3 ft. gauge road over the almost en- 
 tirely undeveloped country lying between the 
 Union Pacific Railroad and the Rio Grande, a dis- 
 tance of 850 miles and upwards. 
 
 Eighty miles of this road is in successful opera- 
 tion from Denver to Colorado City, built at a cost 
 not to exceed $13,500 per mile, and fully equipped. 
 
 The engines adopted by the company are of the 
 same pattern as the standard engines on the 
 Pennsylvania roads, with slight modifications. 
 
 The passenger engines have four drivers, 40 in. 
 diameter, and one pair of leading wheels ; cylin- 
 ders 9 by 16 inches ; weight on drivers in steain 
 25,000 pounds, with four-wheeled tender weigh- 
 ing 6,000 pounds empty. 
 
 Freight engines have six driving wheels 
 coupled, and one pair leading wheels, cylinders 
 10 by 16 inches ; weight on drivers 30,000 pounds ; 
 total weight, 35,000 pounds ; tender weighs $6,000 
 pounds empty. 
 
 In the construction of the passenger cars there 
 has evidently been too much deference paid to 
 the prejudices in favor of the existing patterns, to
 
 64 
 
 obtain the full benefits of the narrow gauge 
 system. 
 
 They are of the following dimensions : 
 
 Length^ 35 ft. ; over all, 40 ft. ; width inside, 
 6i ft. ; outside, 7 ft.; hight above rail of floor 
 beams, 2 ft. 3 in. ; hight to top dome, 10 ft. 6 in.; 
 hight centre gravity, 3 ft. 2 in.; angle of stability, 
 58 deg. 30 min.; weight, 13,000 pounds. 
 
 Some of these cars are handsomely furnished in 
 the style of the Pullman car, and give the same 
 seating room as the cars on the Pennsylvania 
 road. They are thoroughly ventilated and com- 
 fortable, and eight wheeled, with an arrangement 
 of springs which makes them easy*on the track. 
 They weigh 13,000 pounds 6 i tons. 
 
 Freight cars are made of the present pattern, 
 are four wheeled and weigh about 4,000 pounds, 
 with a carrying capacity of 10,000 pounds, or 5 
 tons. 
 
 A special corresbondent of the Omaha Herald, 
 writing from Colorado Springs, December 24th ? 
 says : 
 
 "NARROW GAUGE. 
 
 " The Denver and Rio Grande Railway (narrow 
 gauge) remains open, notwithstanding the snow. 
 It has not yet failed a single day in getting a 
 train through between this place and Denver, 
 although it crosses "the great Divide," next to the
 
 65 
 
 highest road pass in the world, and 200 feet higher 
 than the Sierra Nevadas on the Central Pacific. 
 The 3 ft. gauge is a complete success. The earn- 
 ings of the first division of seventy-six miles of 
 the road have averaged $3,000 weekly, about half 
 for freight and half for passengers, in the seven 
 weeks of almost continuous snow storms since its 
 opening. The freight traffic offering, however, is 
 double what the company can carry. They have 
 ordered their rolling stock trebled immediately, 
 and when this additional equipment arrives they 
 will have eleven locomotives and 220 freight cars. 
 The road will reach Pueblo, 120 miles from Den- 
 ver, in March next, and Canon City by next 
 
 COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PENNSYLVANIA AND DENVER 
 RAILROADS. 
 
 The standard passenger engine on the Pennsyl- 
 vania road weighs 40,000 Ibs. (double that of the 
 Denver road) and a total weight of 105,000 Ibs., or 
 52i tons. The usual load of passenger trains con- 
 sists of 
 
 TONS. 
 
 4 Pass, cars seating 53 passengers each and 
 
 weighing ' " 
 
 1 Baggage car 1 
 
 Engine and Tender 52$ 
 
 Total... 142*
 
 66 
 
 This train will accommodate 212 passengers, if 
 full. 
 
 The same number of passengers on the Denver 
 road require 
 
 TONS. 
 
 6 Passenger cars, weighing 42i 
 
 1 Baggage car 4 
 
 Engine and Tender 15 
 
 Total 61 
 
 Or less i\\&i\ fort/j-five-hiindrcdtlis the weight of the 
 standard train to do the same business. 
 
 Sleeping cars, as comfortable in every respect as 
 on the standard gauge, can be used on the road 
 without difficulty. 
 
 In the freight train the comparison is about as 
 follows : 
 
 LBS. LB8. TOSS. 1OXS. 
 
 Freight En-?, standard gauge .... 60,000 1 14,000 574 14 10 
 
 Denver & Rio Gr.,nde, 3 ft/guuge.30.000 41.000204 122 
 
 Of this load on full gauge road the proportionate 
 weight of cars being 1 to 1 of freight, there is 
 
 TONS. 
 Weight of cars 720 
 
 Of freight 720 
 
 On the 3 ft gauge the proportionate weight of 
 car to load is 1 to 2i of freight / we have 
 
 TONS. 
 
 Weight of cars 206 
 
 Of freight 618 
 
 Or nearly nine-tenths of the paying weight hauled 
 by the large engine.
 
 EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS 
 
 By J. D. Hoff to General C. B. Stuart, Consulting 
 Engineer, New York, dated Denver Dec. 8th, 71. 
 
 Mr. Huff visited this road in company with 
 company with other distinguished scientists from 
 the Atlantic States during the late snow storms in 
 December, and witnessed the progress of a train 
 of fifteen cars on a small engine of 10 1 tons : He 
 says : 
 
 " I found the heaviest grades 65 ft. per mile and 
 the sharpest curves 9 degrees. The length to Col- 
 orado City is 26 miles ; total cost, $13,500 per 
 mile. 
 
 The Kansas Pacific railway, built by the same 
 engineer, General Greenwood, cost $24,000 per 
 mile, and the difference in grading is in favor of 
 the latter rood. The largest locomotive weighs 
 20i tons. 
 
 The passenger cars seat 34 passengers as com- 
 i n-tabiy u.- any cars in this territory, and, with two 
 closets and stove, weigh only 13,000 Ibs. Their 
 freight cars weigh 3,500 Ibs., and carry a load of 
 10,000 Ibs. when full, or nearly three pourtds of lnn<1 
 to one of car. One ton of coal runs a train < >f. /-//- 
 tif-fice ton* of freight eiglittf miles in four hours. Their 
 books show that the round trip of 152 miles costs 
 about//?// dollars ; or 2 tons one mile for one cent. 
 The trains went through the deep snow, beating 
 all the other roads this winter.
 
 68 
 
 The divide over which the train runs is 7,000 
 feet above tide water, and while the U. P. and the 
 K. P. roads in the same territory have been block- 
 aded for weeks at a time, this little road had not 
 lost a trip up to the middle of December, and was 
 never more than two hours behind time on any 
 trip during the winter. 
 
 ORANGEVILLE RAILROAD. 
 
 The Orangeville Advertiser, C;inada, in speaking 
 of the Toronto & Bruce narrow gauge says : 
 
 "The amount of goods which is brought is 
 truly surprising, and the number of passengers 
 travelling both ways is also very Jarge. The fact 
 is, the railroad is a great success ; having gone to 
 Toronto and back on the line the bresent week, 
 we were agreeably surprised at the comfort of the 
 journey. We have heard a good deal of the "nar- 
 row gauge," the " wheelbarrow railway," but let 
 anybody get into the cars without being told any- 
 thing about narrow gauges, and we venture to say 
 that he wonld not observe the difference between 
 it and any other railway. The cars are seated in 
 the same way as the wide gauge, each seat accom- 
 modating two comfortably ; the track, too, is very 
 smooth. 
 
 RUSSIAN SYSTEM. 
 
 The system of roads in this "country have been 
 reduced from 6 ft. and under to the present stand-
 
 69 
 
 nrd of 3 ft. 6 in., carrying regulorly 354 tons of 
 train, exclusive of engine and tender, on grades of 
 1 in 85, some of which are five miles long. Total 
 freight carried per annum, 376,430 tons; total 
 number of passengers carried per annum, 189,762, 
 at a cost of H cent per mile, and freight at 2 cts. 
 per mile. 
 
 HORATIO SEYMOUR ON NARROW GAUGE. 
 
 First Th:it a 3 ft. gauge can be built fur 60 
 per cent, of the cost of the standard gauge, and 
 cost but one-half to run it. 
 
 Second That- the Festinoig railroad in 1868 
 carried 130,000 tons of freight and 145,000 pas- 
 sengers, and only 13 miles in length, while the 
 Syracuse and Binghamton road, 81 miles long, 
 only carried 424,537 tons and 245,577 passengers, 
 and the Black River and Utica road carried 100,- 
 111 passengers and 25,403 tons of freight, and 86 
 miles in length ; while the Ullinbord road in Swe- 
 den, 23 miles long and 3 ft. 7 in. gauge, carried 
 100,000 passengers and 150,000 tons freight with 
 12-ton locomotives and a speed of 35 miles per 
 hour. 
 
 Thirdly That the narrow gauge system will 
 not cost over two-fifths the present, and fully meet 
 all the requirements of the largest business of any 
 road in the country.
 
 70 
 
 CONCLUSIONS OF MR. SPOONER ON FES- 
 TINOIG AND THREE FT. GAUGE. 
 
 First That through the whole time he has had 
 the control of the Festinoig railroad it has entirely 
 demonstrated the theory of the immense saving 
 on the narrow gauge system : in having carried 
 more freight and passengers at less cost than any 
 line of railway now in use ; that it is almost free 
 from oscillation ; that it has withstood the severest 
 wind storms in the country without being af- 
 fected ; that the cars can run at 35 miles per hour 
 with perfect safety ; that the wear and tear of 
 rolling stock and rails is reduced to an absolute 
 minimum. 
 
 Secondly That a 2 ft. 9 in. to 3 ft. gauge meets 
 the only objection that can now be raised against 
 a narrow gauge, and that all the requirements of 
 commerce can be fully transacted by lines built on 
 that gauge ; that they can be built for from one- 
 fourth to two-fifths of the cost of the standard 
 gauge through the same section of country, and 
 can be maintained at not to exceed one-half of the 
 cost of the present system to do the same busi- 
 ness. 
 
 MR. FAIRLIE ON A SYSTEM OF RAILROADS 
 FOR INDIA IN 1871. 
 
 The gauge established by law for that portion 
 of the Dominion is 5 ft. 6 in. in width, which is 
 now changed to 3 ft. and 2 ft. 9 in.
 
 71 
 
 The arguments that contributed largely to the 
 change were advanced by Mr. Fairly, in which he 
 proved his case by taking the London and North- 
 western Railroad, in England, the business of 
 which being the largest in that country, and be- 
 cause its management is such that any shortcom- 
 ings in its operation is wholly due to its construc- 
 tion and not to its management, and proceeds to 
 show that if its gauge had been 3 ft. instead of 
 4 ft. 8i, its gross traffic could have been done at 
 one-half its present cost, with half the motive 
 power, and in such a way as to reduce the tonnage 
 over the road one-half, and remove the necessity 
 of the heavy expense that is incurred in the con- 
 struction of a third line of rail. He says : 
 
 " The goods and mineral trrffic on the L. & N. 
 W. road for a single year amounted to 15 million 
 tons. I will assume that from out of the 15 mil- 
 lion tons 5 are minerals consisting chiefly of coal, 
 and deal only with goods which are left as the net 
 revenue of the year's business. 
 
 " It has been proven that the proportion of non- 
 paying to paying load is about 7 to 1 ; this would 
 give 70 million tons of rolling weight employed in 
 carrying ten million tons of paying load, or, in or- 
 der to avoid all risk of exaggeration, I will assume 
 the dead weight to be only as four to one ; this re- 
 duces from seventy to forty million weight of 
 wagons employed to carry the ten million tons of
 
 72 
 
 paying load. The whole gross load will then he 
 fifty million tons hauled at an average speed of 25 
 miles per hour. 
 
 " The earnings of the goods traffic on this line 
 sre 6s 3d (currency $1.50) per train mile run, 
 which at an average rate all round of 12d per ton 
 per mile would give about 50 tons as paying- 
 weight and 255 tons as gross weight hauled per 
 train mile (Russian road 345.) Dividing this 255 
 tons into the 50 millions gives 196,078 trains ; di- 
 viding this by 313 working days in a year, gives 
 626 merchandise trains on all parts of the road in 
 24 hours. This makes the average distance trav- 
 eled by each ton to be about 38 miles ; so that as 
 each ton of the total weight hauled runs 38 miles, 
 and the entire length of the road is 1450 
 miles, it follows that there must be on an average 
 37 merchandise trains distributed over the total 
 length. This number divided into the total num- 
 ber of trains per day of 24 hours gives an average 
 of over 17 trains per day passing over each mile 
 of road. My object in bringing the figures to this 
 point is to show that although at first sight the 
 number of 626 trains per day looks large yet when 
 divided over the entire line is comparatively 
 small. 
 
 Having arrived at this conclusion, we are in a 
 position to see how it would affect the question if 
 the gauge was 3 ft. instead of 4 ft. 8 inches.
 
 73 
 
 In the first place, the same or a greater speed 
 can be obtained, say up to 35 or 40 miles per hour. 
 
 The speeds in each case therefore being equal, 
 the next point to examine is the result of the car- 
 rying on the narrow gauge. The proportion of 
 non-paying to paying load has been reduced from 
 7 to 1, to 4 to 1, although the former is the actual 
 proportion. The wagons employed average four 
 tons in weight, so that each wagon carries one ton 
 for every mile it runs. 
 
 The wagons on a 3 ft. gauge weigh each a ton 
 and carry a maximum load of three tons. Sup- 
 posing that the same number run on the narrow 
 as on the broad gauge it follows that the average 
 ton of merchandise now carried would easily be 
 carried in a wagon weighing one ton instead of 
 four tons, and that the gross load passing over the 
 line for one year would be only twenty millions of 
 tons instead of fifty, while the same amount of 
 paying weight would be carried in either case; 
 that is, the small wagons, which are capable of 
 carrying three times the weight of goods now 
 actually carried on a four ton wagon would only 
 have to carry one-third of that quantity, and 
 produce the same paying load as the heavier wag- 
 ons ; thus, instead of fifty million tons travelling 
 over the line there would only be twenty millions, 
 and as the handling costs the same, whether pay- 
 ing or non-paying, it follows that the expense 
 would be reduced two-fifties of what it now is.
 
 74 
 
 We must also consider the enormous saving in 
 permanent way which would have to bear the 
 friction and weight of twenty millions tons instead 
 of fifty millions. If we assume the same number 
 of trains per day, the weight of each would be re- 
 duced from 255 tons to 102 tons ; or it' the same 
 gross weight was employed, the number of trains 
 per day would be reduced from 626 to 250. If 
 there should be sufficient traffic to load the nar- 
 row gauge cars in such a way as to require the 
 same number and weight of trains that are now 
 worked, the result would be that without increas- 
 ing the cost of hauling or permanent way ex- 
 penses the 3 ft. gauge would carry a load of 
 twenty-five millions tons as against the ten mil- 
 lions now carried. 
 
 Now, then, we have established the fact that so 
 far as capacity goes, the narrow gauge is superior 
 to the wide gauge. 
 
 The former can produce 25 millions net out of 
 50 millions tons, while the latter, to produce the 
 same result, if continued to be worked as it is now, 
 would require that 125 millions tons should be 
 hauled, at an increased cost in the same proportion 
 of 125 millions- to 50 millions. 
 
 The gauge now established by law in India is 2 
 ft. 9 in., to be so arranged as to use the 5 ft. 6 in. 
 machinery until new narrow gauge machinery may 
 be required."
 
 75 
 THE ULLENBORG ROAD IN SWEDEN. 
 
 GAUGE 3 FT. 7 IN. LENGTH 37 MILES. 
 
 This road reports a business of 220,000 passen- 
 gers and 327,000 tons of freight per annum, car- 
 ried at per passenger 2^ cents per mile, and for 
 freight at 2 j cents per mile per ton, at speed of 35 
 miles per hour, with a 12 ton locomotive, revenue 
 about 15 per ct. per annum. 
 
 Major AdeUkold, State Engineer of Sweden, 
 says : 
 
 " In every case where small gauge railroads have 
 been built they have realized every expectation, 
 and I deem it a waste of money to build broader 
 gauge when a narrow and cheaper gauge will 
 meet all the requirements of the business of the 
 country. 
 
 SPECIAL CONCLUSIONS FROM THE ROADS ALREADY BUILT. 
 FESTINOIG RAILWAY 13 MILES, 23 IN GAUGE. 
 
 The results of operations of this road are 
 
 Passengers transported yearly, 140,000 passen- 
 gers at 1 ct. per mile. 
 
 Freight hauled, 500,000 tons at i ct. per ton. 
 
 Original cost, $180,000. 
 
 Present value, $500,000. 
 
 Interest on original investment, 40 per ct. per 
 annum.
 
 76 
 
 Interest 011 present value, 23 per ct. per annum. 
 Maximum gradients, 1 in 67. 
 
 Curves, 132 ft. radius. 
 Weight of Engines, 10 to 19i tons. 
 Proportion of non-paying passenger traffic, 
 ton per passenger. 
 
 Proportion of paying to non-paying freight, 3 to 
 1 per ton. 
 
 Freight cars 1,344 Ibs., carrying 3 tons. 
 
 . THE LAREN ROAD IN NORWAY. 
 
 GAUGE 3 FT. 7 LN. LENGTH 73 MILES. 
 
 Cconstructed by Mr. Pihl at a cost of $25,000 
 per mile. Reports annual income of 15 per cent, 
 on the cost, at 3 cents per passenger per mile, and 
 2| cents per ton per mile. Locomotives, 18 tons, 
 grades, 1 in 62 ; curves, 237 ft. radius, speed, 35 
 miles per hour. 
 
 The Hfimer road in Norway, 30 in. gauge, con- 
 structed by Mr. Pihl at a cost of $15,000 per mile. 
 Rails 30 Ibs. per yard, locomotives 12 to 20 tons, 
 grades 1 in 80, and curves 400 ft. radius, at 3 cents 
 per mile per passenger, and 2^ cents freight per 
 mile carried ; annual dividends, nearly 17 per ct. 
 Speed 26 miles per hour. 
 
 Cpst of standard gauge in the same country, 
 $32,000 per mile, pays at same rate of charges 
 less than 8 per cent, per annum.
 
 77 
 SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD. 
 
 WHAT CAN BE DONE THERE. 
 
 We will now take the statistics of the S. F. & 
 8. J. R. R. Co. We will suppose that this com- 
 pany runs two passenger trains per day each way 
 with four passenger cars each, the average weight 
 of each train will be as follows : 
 
 TONS. 
 
 Locomotive and Tender 32 
 
 6 Pastcnger Cars, light 60 
 
 27 Passengers to each 162 Pass 12$ 
 
 Baggage Car and Load 114 
 
 Express Car and Load 124 
 
 Total 1284 
 
 Average weight on a 3 ft. gauge to do the same 
 business : 
 
 TONS. 
 
 Locomotive and Tender 10 
 
 9 Passenger Cars carrying 18 Passengers each 
 
 and weighing 4tons each 36 
 
 162 Passengers 124 
 
 Baggage Car and Load 24 
 
 Express Car and Load 24 
 
 Total 634 
 
 Or less than one-half the train load that is now 
 carried. 
 
 It will be seen that of these two trains the 
 passenger weight of 124 tons, and their baggage
 
 78 
 
 H, and the express matter of about half a ton, 
 amounting to 14i in all, is the paying freight of 
 the whole train, which weighs 128i tons. The 
 proportion, therefore, is nearly 8 tons of non- 
 paying weight to one ton of paying weight. 
 
 While in the 3 ft. gauge train we have the 14i 
 tons of paying weight, as before, to 63i tons total 
 train weight hauled, or less than If tons of dead 
 weight to one ton of paying weight. 
 
 Apply the same system of construction to the 
 freight business, and let us see what is the result : 
 The capacity of a ten ton engine on the grades 
 
 of this road would be 295 tons 
 
 Deduct engine and tender 19 " 
 
 Leaves for load 276 tons 
 
 Cars carry 10 tons and weigh 2 tons, and to carry 
 
 276 tons would require 27 cars at 2 tons each ; 
 
 leaving for paying load, 222 tons. 
 
 We have 222 tons of paying load to 54 
 
 tons of cars, or over 4 tons of paying load to one 
 
 ton dead weight. 
 
 SAN FRANCISCO AND SAN JOSE RAILROAD FREIGHT. 
 
 We will suppose the standard gauge freight 
 engines on the San Francisco and San Jose Rail- 
 road has double the weight on the drivers and 
 double the hauling capacity, or 590 tons ; deduct 
 engine and tender, 40 tons ; leaving load, 550 tons.
 
 79 
 
 The freight ears weigh from 8 to 10 tons, and 
 carry 10 tons. One half will then be cars, 275 
 tons ; leaving freight, 275 tout*. 
 
 This shows that the small engine and cars of 
 the 3 ft. gauge has a hauling capacity of 224 tons 
 for a 19 ton engine, against 275 torus on the 
 present road for a 40 ton engine, or over two to 
 one of hauling capacity. 
 
 Follow this to its financial conclusions, we have 
 the following result : 
 
 Passenger traffic on one train per day each way, 
 324 passengers carried 50 miles per day, 16,200 
 miles ; or per year, carried one mile, 5,913,000 
 miles. Total cost transporting passengers at 
 2 {go cents per mile, $141,912. 
 
 ON THE THREE-FOOT GAUGE, 
 
 With he proportions of 8-lf, we have of 
 the above business, total miles run as above, 
 5,913,000 ; total cost, $31,043 ; leaving a saving 
 of $110,869 or about one-fifth of the present 
 rates of charge, which would be 50 cents from 
 here to San Jose. 
 
 The saving to the farm produce and of freight 
 would equal or exceed the passenger traffic in the 
 .same proportion, as the passenger machinery and 
 rolling, stock recedes in weight from that of freight 
 machinery and rolling stock.
 
 80 
 GENERAL RESULTS. 
 
 It will be admitted that the chief difficulty in 
 building railroads anywhere is their cost. This 
 difficulty hinders the building of many roads that 
 would pay if they were built. 
 
 The present standard gauge railroads in the 
 United States have cost about $44.000 per mile, 
 the construction of which has created an indebted- 
 ness of nearly 2,200 millions dollars (exclusive of 
 stock subscription) which at 7 per cent, interest 
 per annum involves the annual payment of 154 
 millions dollars which the commerce of the coun- 
 try is compelled to pay. If the present system is 
 not changed, and the bond list increases in the 
 next ten years us it has in the last, this indebted- 
 ness will amount to probably not less than 3,500 
 millions dollars, with an annual tax on transporta- 
 tion of 245 millions dollars. 
 
 The change that is proposed will build roads that 
 have an equal capacity, both for freight and passen- 
 ger, and upon which equally fast time can be 
 made, for less than 40 per cent.; and when built 
 can be maintained at not to exceed one-third of 
 the expenses of the present system. Thus two of 
 the most formidable objections in the way of con- 
 struction of railroads in sparsely settled countries 
 would be removed that of an exorbitant cost and 
 an expensive system of management. There is
 
 81 
 
 scarcely a county in this State that could not af- 
 ford to build a small gauge railroad wherever a 
 good public highway was necessary. Even the 
 lines already occupying our principal avenues of 
 business would find it necessary to change the 
 present standard or be compelled to reduce their 
 charges to such low rates as not to be able to pay 
 running expenses. 
 
 The cutting arid filling of the road bed, will not 
 be over one-half through a country of an ordinary 
 even surface, curves can be used and successfully 
 operated as sharp as 200 ft. radius, and thereby 
 reduce the cost of construction in a heavy country 
 to less than tiventy-five per cent, of what a standard 
 (jauge can be built for in those countries. 
 
 The cost of permanent structure can be reduced 
 at least one-third ; ties to two-thirds. The rails 
 will be reduced from 80 Ibs. per yard, to 25 and 30, 
 and their durability increased, from five years to 
 at least fifteen, with the same business. 
 
 The locomotives can be reduced in weight from 
 20 and 60 tons, to 6 and 15 tons, made on patterns 
 suitable to the changed gauge. 
 
 The cars will be reduced from 16 and 30 tons to 
 4 and 6 i tons, while the freight cars can be re- 
 duced from 6 and 14 tons, to 1 and 2i tons. 
 
 The buildings can be reduced in proportion. 
 Turn-tables and all fixtures can be reduced at least 
 three-fifths.
 
 82 
 
 This system of roads can be constructed 
 in one-half the time required to construct the 
 present system, and return interest proportionately 
 enhanced. 
 
 The princtpal cost of maintaining a road de- 
 pends upon the weight the road bed has to carry to 
 do its business, the proportion being as three to 
 one of all other expenses. This is reduced in pas- 
 senger traffic from 1 ton and 3| tons dead weight 
 for each passenger; and of freight, from 7 
 tons dead weight to one ton paying weight, on 
 the standard gauge ; to one-quarter of a ton dead 
 weight for passengers ; and to one-third ton of dead 
 weight to 1 ton to paying weight for the proposed 
 narrow gauge system. 
 
 The present system as a result, has given over 
 60,000 miles of railroads, on which we are obliged 
 to carry at least 6 tons of carriages to one ton of 
 freight, and from 10 to 30 tons of carriage for one 
 ton of passengers, costing for its transportation 
 two hundred millions dollars annually on bonds 
 more than is necessary, and getting in return the 
 satisfaction of knowing that we are expending 
 millions yearly in manufacturing rolling stock for 
 the special purpose only of wearing out the rails it 
 runs on ; while the practical result of the proposed 
 change will be, economy in coustruction and oper- 
 ation, cheap fretghts, large dividends, adaptability 
 to other than mountainous countries, feasibility of
 
 83 
 
 doubling the number of miles of our railway sys- 
 tems at one-third of the former outly, the easy de- 
 velopment of sparsely settled but valuable districts 
 and the long train of advantages, which is sure to 
 follow to the stockholders who invest in those 
 roads, as well as to the people who will by their 
 agency be induced to occupy our unsettled regions. 
 And above all, and before all, other considerations, 
 they will constitute a means through which exist- 
 ing lines of standard gauge roads will be compelled 
 to respect the convenience and necessities of the 
 public, in reduction of freights and charges, from 
 six cents a mile per passenger to less than two, 
 and from ten cents per ton for freight, to at least 
 one-third that amount.
 
 84 
 
 Extract from the Reports of the Joint Committee 
 of the Legislature of the State of Massachusetts, 
 March 11, 1871- 
 
 Estimated cost of building one mile of narrow 
 gauge railroad, where the fills and cuts are 4 feet : 
 
 Rails $ 4,243 
 
 Ties, 352 
 
 Spikes 175 
 
 Fish Joints, Bars and Bolts 400 
 
 Laying Track 250 
 
 Embankments, 6,062 yards 1.513 
 
 Cuts, 5,629 yards ." 1.480 
 
 Rock Cut, 1,611 yards , 1,611 
 
 Ballast, 1,000 yards 1,000 
 
 Sidings 200 
 
 Masonry and Bridges 1,140 
 
 Total $12,364 
 
 Estimate of same road, with similar grades and 
 alignment, of a 4 ft. 8| in. gauge. 
 
 Rails $ 6,600 
 
 Ties 924 
 
 Spikes 264 
 
 Fish Joints, Bars and Bolts 700 
 
 Laying Track 325 
 
 Embankment, 8,604 yards 2,151 
 
 Excavations, 11,703 yards 1,927 
 
 Rock Cuts, 2,085 yards 2,085 
 
 Ballast 2,000 
 
 Sidings 334 
 
 Masonry and Bridges 2,000 
 
 Total $19,301
 
 85 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below 
 
 JAM 11 1958 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CAU# 
 
 AT 
 
 S ANGELES 
 TJBRARY
 
 pp Viatsoti - 
 
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