down in the road. In Fig. 307 the sleeper and chairs were all cast
together in one piece; the rail was held in its place by wooden keys,
and the gauge of the line was maintained by transverse wrought-iron
tie-bars. The sketch represents one of the sleepers used at the
rail-joints, and has three chairs, the larger one in the centre being
for the support of the ends of the rails. This arrangement was the 216
same as was then in use on the ordinary wood-sleeper road, where an
extra large chair was placed at the rail-joints, and was the most
approved method for many years before fish-plates were introduced. The
intermediate sleepers were shorter, and had only two chairs.
Fig. 308 represents a long, flat, cast-iron sleeper made in two
halves, bolted together just below the under side of rail at each of
the three chair-seats. The rail was gripped and held in position
without the use of wooden keys. This being a joint sleeper, three
chairs were used, as in Fig. 307. Only two chairs were used on the
intermediate sleepers.
Figs. 309 and 310 are somewhat similar, but the circular one is higher
and more cup-shaped than the other of oval form. The oval pattern has
two small recesses for holding two small hard-wood cushions. The
circular holes shown in the sides of the sleepers were intended to
facilitate the packing, or tamping, of the light sandy ballast.
Fig. 311 represents a rectangular cast-iron sleeper, as used for the
flange rail. The rail rests on cast-iron cross-ribs, bevelled to give
the proper cant, and is held in position by the tie-bar bolt and
clip-piece, as shown. The small projecting lug, formed on the under
side of sleeper, fits into a corresponding notch in the tie-bar, and
keeps the sleepers to gauge. The tie-bar passes through the loop end
of the same bolt which secures the rail, and is held up tight against
the under side of sleeper.
Figs. 312 and 313, both the same in principle, possessed features
which appeared to give great promise. They were simple in
construction; the rail was kept well down, and did not come in contact
with the cast-iron at any point. The long wooden wedges, which fitted
into the rough or serrated sides of the casting, acted as a cushion to
the rail, and were intended to sink deeper into the recess as the
super-imposed weight increased, or the wood became thinner from
shrinkage. In practice, however, it was found that these sleepers were
not the success that was anticipated.
It was soon observed that sand and fine particles of gravel from the
ballast worked their way into the lower part of the recess, and became
so compact as to prevent the wooden wedges working further down to
increase their grip on the rail. Even when the recess was kept free
and clear of sand, the enormous pressure exerted by the wooden wedges
broke the iron at A, although an extra thickness was given to that 217
part of the section. The cast-iron was exposed to the greatest strain
at the point where it was the least capable of offering resistance.
Much ingenuity was displayed in many of the patterns brought forward,
but in dealing with a hard unyielding material like cast-iron, it is
difficult, if not impossible, to impart any soft, elastic effect; and
the different systems of cast-iron sleepers failed to become popular
on our home railways, on account of the noise and vibration when
trains passed over them. Another objection was the great multiplicity
of parts required in many of the types, and the constant and severe
strain produced on the fastenings on the passing of every wheel. The
bolts might be made tight at first, but the incessant shaking would
work them loose, the threads became stripped, and the rails ceased to
be held in a proper and secure position.
The cast-iron sleeper road was considered unsuitable for the heavy and
fast traffic of our home lines, and was ultimately all taken up and
replaced with wooden transverse sleepers. At the same time, there is
no doubt that cast-iron sleepers have been of great value in India and
tropical climates, where timber sleepers were not only scarce, but
perish very rapidly. Very large numbers of them have been laid down
abroad of patterns very similar to those shown in Figs. 309, 310, and
311, and have done good service for many years. They are not affected
by rain or heat, but, unfortunately, being castings, are liable to
considerable annual loss from breakage.
Improvements in plate-rolling machinery, and in appliances for bending
and stamping wrought-iron, have materially assisted in developing the
introduction of wrought-iron and steel sleepers. Cast-iron and
wrought-iron are, in the abstract, hard and non-elastic as compared
with wood; but whereas cast-iron can only be made into fixed,
unyielding shapes, wrought-iron and steel can be worked into forms
that possess a certain spring-like effect, which not only enables them
almost entirely to resist fracture, but also imparts a measure of
elasticity to the permanent way.
The simplest form of wrought-iron sleeper would be a plain, flat
plate, to which the chair, or rail-bracket, would be attached; but as
this form would have bearing surface only, without any lateral hold on
the ballast to keep the rails to line, it could not be adopted.
During the last few years very many types of wrought-iron and steel 218
sleepers have been introduced, and nearly all of them of the
transverse-sleeper pattern, formed out of rolled plates; the sides,
and in some cases the ends also, are bent, or turned down to obtain a
hold in the ballast. Where bull-head or double-head rails are used,
cast-iron chairs, or wrought-iron bracket chairs, are bolted, or
otherwise secured to the upper surface of the sleeper, a layer of
felt, tarred paper, or other soft material being placed between the
two metal surfaces. Where flange rails are used, they are fastened to
the sleepers either by bolts, clamps, or clips raised up out of the
iron sleeper, and bent over to hold tightening keys. Rolled transverse
sleepers can readily be bent, or set in the centre to give the proper
cant at the rail-seat; and in some types the sleepers are pressed in
the machines, so as to be narrower towards the centre, and with a
deeper turnover, to obtain increased stiffness.
In Figs. 314 to 319 are shown some of the patterns which have been
brought out, laid down in actual practice, and in use at the present
time.
From the fact that wrought-iron and steel sleepers have been laid down
in so many places where cast-iron sleepers were discarded or refused a
trial, it is evident that the former are considered to have qualities
which the latter did not possess. Rolled iron or steel sleepers are
coming more and more into use, especially on foreign or colonial
railways. So long, however, as good, well-creosoted timber sleepers
can be obtained for our home railways at prices from 3_s._ 8_d._ to
4_s._ 8_d._ each, and last from fourteen to twenty years, there is
little probability that they will be supplanted by iron sleepers at
double the cost. But abroad the circumstances of cost and durability
are different, and there the rolled iron or steel sleepers, which will
outlive two or three sets of wooden ones, must claim advantages which
cannot be overlooked. The difficulty will be in the fastenings, the
mode of attaching the rails to the sleepers. The constant hammering of
metal upon metal, resulting from the vibrations of every passing load,
will quickly wear or loosen bolts, rivets, or wedges, and the
fastenings which will prove the most efficient will be those that are
the simplest and most readily adjusted.
Fastenings.--Figs. 320 to 335 illustrate some types of the principal
fastenings used in connection with the chair road, and with
flat-bottomed or flange rails.
[Illustration: Fig. 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319]
The fish-bolts, Figs. 320 and 321, are of a form which is in very 220
general use both for steel bull-head rails and steel flange rails. By
making the neck square or pear-shaped, to fit into corresponding hole
in the fish-plate, the bolt is prevented from turning round when the
wrench or spanner is applied to tighten the nut. A channel or groove
is sometimes rolled on the outside of fish-plate to grip bolts made
with square heads. Some engineers adopt two nuts, others prefer one
nut of extra depth. Washers are used in some cases, but are not
universal. With a deep rail it is preferable to place the nuts inside,
so that the platelayer inspecting his length can see both rows of nuts
as he walks along between the rails. With shallow rails the nuts must
be placed outside and the cup-heads inside, to give ample clearance to
the wheel-flanges.
Fish-bolts are subject to very severe work. Heavy rolling loads
passing over the rail-joints--frequently at very high speeds--bring
into play all the gripping power of the fish-bolts to maintain a firm
support of the fish-plates to ends of rails, and the constant action
of pressure and release produces a loosening or unscrewing motion in
the bolts which is very difficult to counteract. Loose fish-bolts
cause clattering joints and uneven road, and unless promptly remedied,
the screw threads are soon destroyed and bolts rendered useless. Many
devices have been invented to prevent or check this loosening of the
bolts; one of the methods, and a very simple one, consists of a plain
steel bolt with a steel lock-nut, made as shown in Fig. 322. As will
be seen from the section, one-half of the nut is tapped of the same
size as the bolt, and the remainder with deep-locking threads. The
first half of the nut is readily screwed on to the bolt, but
considerable force must be exerted to screw on the portion having the
deep-locking threads; practically the second half of the nut has to
cut a new or deeper thread for itself when screwing round the bolt.
[Illustration: Fig. 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329,
330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335]
The slits or grooves at the angles of the nuts form four distinct
cutting edges for shaping the deep threads. As the upper part of the
lock-nut is divided by the grooves into four separate or detached
segments, these segments will be forced slightly open or outwards
during the action of cutting the deep thread on the bolt, and from
their natural tendency to return to their original position they must
exercise a strong gripping power on the bolt. This combined operation
of cutting the deep threads and of forcing open the upper or detached 222
segments, give an enormous holding and retaining power to the
lock-nut, and enables it to withstand the train vibrations for a very
long time without any perceptible slackening. In case of line repairs
the nut can be readily unscrewed, and taken off the bolt.
Round iron spikes, as in Figs. 323 and 324, and round wooden trenails,
as in Fig. 325, are both used for fastening cast-iron chairs to the
sleepers. The spikes are made with a slightly taper neck, of size
rather less than the hole in the chair, to avoid risk of breaking the
casting when driving the spike down. Trenails are made out of
well-seasoned hard wood, and are compressed by machinery. When driven
into the sleeper, they expand by exposure to the atmosphere, and hold
the chair very securely in position; but being only wood and of very
small scantling, they are subject to early decay. The head, which is
the only part in sight, may be perfectly sound, while the part between
the chair-seat and top of sleeper may be quite rotten and useless. It
would be very risky to depend upon trenails alone; one spike at least
should be used to every chair. In some cases an extra large trenail is
used with an augur-hole down the centre, through which either an iron
spike is driven or a bolt is passed and screwed into a crab-nut on the
under side of the sleeper. This arrangement will work well for a time,
but there will be a great deal of play in the spike or bolt when the
trenail becomes much decayed.
The spikes represented in Figs. 326, 327, and 328, are much used with
flange rails. They are square in section, and finished with either
blunt or sharp points, as shown. The top of spike is made with a
doghead and side-lugs to facilitate the easing or withdrawal when
necessary for renewals of sleepers, or alterations in line. By
inserting the curved double claw end of a platelayers’ crowbar, the
spike can be raised without injuring the sleeper; but if it is
required to be driven into the same sleeper again, a new hole must be
bored, as the old hole will be too slack to be of any service.
Augur-holes must be bored in the sleepers for the above spikes. For
new roads, these holes can be bored by machinery when cutting the
grooves for rail-seats; but when carrying out alterations or repairs,
a large number of spike-holes must be bored by hand-augurs, an
operation both slow and laborious. With the hand-boring there is the
danger that the hole may not be made deep enough, owing to the workman’s 223
endeavour to avoid damaging the point of his augur by forcing it
entirely through the sleeper, and bringing it in contact with a stone.
Augur-holes bored wide to gauge will remain out of gauge, and although
the spike may be driven down firm in its position, a space will be
left for play between the rail-flange and spike.
Fig. 329 is a sketch of a dog-spike for flange rails which the writer
has used for many years both abroad and at home, and which can be
driven without any boring at all. The back of this spike is made
perfectly straight, half of the front side is made parallel to the
back, and the remainder is tapered down to a chisel point not
exceeding 1/16 of an inch thick, the entering edge on the face being
narrowed down to 3/8 of an inch in width. Three jags or spurs are cut
on each side of the tapered portion, or twelve in all, and add greatly
to the holding power. Not only can this spike be driven without any
boring, but it possesses the additional advantage that in driving it
down its taper or wedge-like shape causes it to drift hard up to the
edge of the flange of rail, an element of great value in securing the
exact gauge of line. With these spikes permanent-way laying can be
carried on very rapidly, and they are especially valuable when making
alterations, as augurs for spike-boring can be dispensed with
altogether.
Wood screws with square heads similar to Fig. 330 are sometimes used
for fastening flange rails to wooden sleepers. They are passed through
holes punched or drilled in the flanges of the rails, and are intended
to preserve the gauge as well as secure the rails to the sleepers.
Experience has shown that these wood screws possess very limited
holding power. The screwed portion of the bolt cuts but a very
imperfect and weak holding thread in the soft wood of an ordinary
sleeper, moisture insinuates itself into the bolt-hole, rusting the
bolts and decaying the surrounding timber, and in a very short time
the bolts become loose and incapable of holding the rail down firmly.
As permanent-way fastenings wood screws are very inferior to crab
bolts.
Crab bolts, as in Fig. 331, may be made either with square or
hexagonal heads, and with three spur-nuts or four spur-nuts, as in
A or B. The length of the bolts will depend upon the thickness of
the sleeper or timber-work through which they have to be inserted. The
bolt is pushed down through the hole bored in the sleeper, and the
crab-nut put on from underneath. With a few turns of the bolt, the 224
crab-nut is brought close up to the under side of the sleeper, the
spur-points become embedded in the wood, and hold the nut firmly in
position during subsequent tightening of the bolt. Crab bolts are
extensively used with flange or flat-bottomed rails, and also in
switch chairs and in crossings. A large number of flange rails are
used with one hole through the flange at each end of rail, and a crab
bolt passed through the hole and through the sleeper next to the
joint, as shown in Fig. 332. This system checks the creeping of the
rails by effectually securing or anchoring each rail to two of the
sleepers. As there is always a tendency for these rails to crack
through to the outside at the flange-holes, it is very desirable to
have as few holes as possible. The two above described will be found
sufficient for all practical purposes. To avoid punching or drilling
more holes in the flanges of the rails, additional or intermediate
crab bolts can be used by means of the fang clips shown on Fig. 333.
The crab bolt is passed through the fang clips and through the sleeper
close up to the flange of rail, and by screwing it round in the
crab-nut under the sleeper the fang-clip is pressed down until the two
spurs are driven into the timber, and the rail held securely in its
place and to gauge. Intermediate crab-nuts and fang-clips should
always be used in pairs, one on each side of the rail. Possessing more
holding-down power than ordinary spikes, they are particularly
valuable on sharp curves.
In some cases flange rails are laid in small cast-iron saddles, or
chairs, as shown in Fig. 334, one end of the rail-seat having a recess
to prevent the rail tilting upwards and outwards. An ordinary spike
may be used for the inside end of chair, and a crab bolt with bent
washer for the other. Unless the fastenings can be kept always tight,
the above arrangement makes a very noisy, clattering road, as there
are so many metal surfaces in contact, and so little to deaden the
vibration. For narrow flange rails carrying heavy rolling load, chairs
may be necessary to increase the bearing surface on the sleeper, but
with rails having flanges five inches wide and upwards, it is better
to let the flange rest direct on the wood of a properly grooved
sleeper, and thus obtain a smoother and less noisy road.
On exceptionally sharp curves, wrought-iron or steel tie-bars, as in
Fig. 335, are sometimes used to maintain the line to gauge. They may
be made out of bars 3 inches wide by ½ an inch thick, turned over at 225
the ends to grip the outside flanges. Being made to exact template,
they have to be threaded on to the rails before spiking down, and are
placed between the sleepers at distances from 7 to 10 feet apart.
Laying Permanent Way.--To preserve a good line and level to the
permanent way, it is absolutely necessary that the road-bed should be
kept thoroughly drained. If provision be not made for quickly carrying
away the rain-water, and if it be allowed to collect under and around
the sleepers, the action of the passing trains will work the finer
particles of the packing into the consistency of soft mud, which will
be gradually squeezed away, leaving the sleepers imperfectly supported
and insecure. A loose sleeper involves a depression in the rails, and
a corresponding lurch in the vehicles of the train, and a series of
these depressions may produce such an oscillation in the train as to
cause it to leave the rails.
The height or space from formation-level to rail-level is generally
about 1 foot 9 inches for a flange railroad, and about 2 feet for a
chair railroad.
Figs. 336 and 337 show cross-sections of both descriptions of road as
laid down for a double line in cutting. The same arrangement applies
to similar roads laid down in embankment, merely omitting the
side-drains or water-tables. The bottom layer of ballast or road-bed
should consist of good hard, quarried, or broken stones, each 6 inches
deep, set on edge, firmly and closely hand-packed, forming a
foundation through which the rain-water can be quickly carried away.
On the top of this bottom pitching should be placed a 6-inch layer of
broken stone ballast or strong clean gravel, of which none of the
stones should be larger than will pass through a 2-inch ring. When the
sleepers and rails have been laid on this second layer, and properly
packed to line and level, the top ballasting, or boxing, of either
broken stones or strong clean gravel, should be filled in to the form
and extent specified. Where broken stones are used for the top
ballasting none of them should be larger than will pass through a
1½-inch ring.
Broken stone ballast should only be made from the hardest and soundest
description of rock or boulders, so that, however small the particles,
they will remain sharp and clean.
[Illustration: Fig. 336, 337, 339, 338, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344]
There are many kinds of rock which appear hard and compact when first
excavated, but upon exposure to the weather undergo a complete change, 227
developing into soft masses containing too much clay to allow the
water to pass through readily. Where rock is scarce and gravel
plentiful, the lower layer may be made of the heavier or coarser
gravel, leaving the finer gravel for the upper layer, or boxing; but
there is no doubt that the broken stone pitching makes the most
efficient bottom layer. No gravel ballast should be used which is not
free from clay or earthy sand.
Wherever there are particles of earthy matter, sufficient to furnish
nourishment for vegetable growth, weeds will quickly spring up, and
once established are most difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate.
The presence of weeds checks drainage, and gives an untidy appearance
to the line, besides constantly occupying a large portion of the
platelayers’ time in their removal.
Clean cinders, free from dust or earth, are much used for upper
ballast and boxing, and being lighter than gravel, are specially
applicable for soft boggy ground. Burnt clay, broken into small
pieces, has been largely adopted in districts where both rock and
gravel were difficult to obtain. Chalk, furnace-slag broken small,
crushed brick and sand, are frequently used as ballast. Sand is
objectionable where there is high-speed traffic, as the finer
particles rise in the form of dust and deposit themselves on the
vehicles and machinery of the train.
The water-tables, or side drains in the cuttings, should be cut below
the formation level, and to a depth or width sufficient to take away
all rain-water, or water arising from springs. Where the material of
the cutting is of a loose friable nature, it may be necessary to
protect the sides of the water-tables with low dry stone walls, as in
Fig. 338; or glazed earthenware pipes may be laid, as in Fig. 339,
with open joints, or with grate openings at regular intervals. In some
cases substantial side-walls and invert are requisite to carry away
the flow of water.
Timber sleepers intended for the flange railroad should have the
rail-seats grooved by machinery to ensure perfect accuracy in the
position of the grooves, and in the angle or inclination of the
rail-seats. Fig. 340 is a side view of part of a sleeper grooved to
receive a flange rail. The presence of the grooves materially
facilitate the laying of the rails to gauge, but must not be allowed
to interfere with the constant use of the platelayer’s gauge. In a
similar manner the timber sleepers for the chair road frequently have 228
the spike-holes bored to template by machinery, as indicated on Fig.
341. Steel or iron sleepers are delivered with the recesses for rails,
and holes for bolts or fastenings formed complete by machinery.
The distances apart of the sleepers will be regulated in a great
measure by the weight of the rails and the description of the traffic.
Where light rails are intended to carry heavy engines the sleepers
must be laid closer together than would be necessary for heavy rails.
The joint being the weakest part of the rail, it is usual to put the
sleepers closer together at that place, with a view to gain additional
support, to assist the fish-plates in preserving as much as possible a
firm unyielding surface at the rail-joint.
Fig. 343 shows an arrangement of sleepering largely adopted for steel
flange rails 26 feet long, and weighing 79 lbs. per yard. The length
of a rail is more a question of convenience of handling, facility of
transhipment, and general use, than of actual manufacture. There is no
difficulty in rolling rails up to 50 feet in length, or more; but very
long rails are extremely ungainly things to move about, and are more
exposed to receive permanent bends or kinks in unloading, besides
requiring greater spaces at the joints to allow for contraction and
expansion.
Fig. 344 is an example of sleepering for a chair railroad, for steel
bull-head rails 26 feet long, and weighing 85 pounds per yard.
Line stakes and level pegs must be put in at suitable distances to
guide the platelayers in laying the rails to the correct line and
level, and on the curves the proper amount must be marked off for the
super-elevation of the outer rail.
When the second layer of ballast has been spread for its full width
and depth the sleepers can be distributed, and the rails or chairs
spiked down to the correct gauge. Before putting on the fish-plates
spaces must be left at the ends of the rails to allow for contraction
and expansion, the amount depending upon the temperature at the time
of laying down the rails. As the rails will expand, or increase in
length, with the heat, it is necessary to allow more space for
expansion for rails laid down in the cold, or winter months. On our
home railways rails are very rarely laid down when the temperature is
lower than 25° F., or higher than 125° F., and this range of 100° may
be considered as covering all the variations likely to occur in
ordinary practice. The greater portion of the permanent-way laying is 229
carried on when the temperature is between 40° and 75°. The results of
very carefully conducted experiments show that an increase of
temperature of 1° F. will cause an iron or steel bar, or rail, to
expand or lengthen to the extent of seven one-millionths of its
length. Working this out for a range of 100° F. would give an increase
in length of seven hundred one-millionths, which would be equal to an
extension of 0·2184 of an inch in a 26-foot rail. For our home
railways, therefore, a space of 5/16 of an inch will be found amply
sufficient to meet the variations in length between the extremes of
winter and summer, for a rail from 26 feet to 30 feet in length. Too
much allowance for expansion is detrimental to the rails, because
where the spaces are excessively large the wheels drop into the hollow
and hammer or spread the ends of the rails.
The fish-bolts should not be completely tightened up until the
permanent way is thoroughly set, and packed to its finished line and
level.
On straight line the rail-joints should be laid square and opposite to
each other. Permanent-way laying with broken joints is rarely adopted,
except on curves or station-yards.
On curves the joints of the inner rails gain on the joints of the
outer rails to the extent of--
radius + gauge
-------------- × length of rail.
radius
The amount of this gain, or lead, is adjusted by cutting off a portion
of the end of the inner rails at certain intervals.
Assuming the fish-bolt holes to be spaced as shown on Fig. 342, then,
when the inner rail is leading to the extent of 2 inches, a piece 4
inches long is cut off, as shown by dotted lines, leaving the original
second fish-bolt hole to serve as first or end fish-bolt hole, and a
new or second bolt-hole is drilled by hand at A. This method sets back
the joint 2 inches from the square, and the lead is allowed to go on
again until it becomes necessary to cut off another piece of 4 inches.
Another mode is to have a proportion of the rails rolled 2 or 3 inches
shorter for use on the curves.
On curves of a 1000 feet radius and upwards, the rails should be laid
to the normal gauge, but on curves of lesser radius the gauge may be
slightly increased, and as much as ¾ of an inch allowed on a curve of
500 feet radius.
The amount of cant, or super-elevation, to be given to the outer rail 230
on curves must be regulated by the speed of the train and the gauge of
the line. Many formulæ have been compiled to determine the necessary
amount of super-elevation, but experience has shown that by some of
them the calculated amounts were excessive. Possibly during past years
too much cant has been given in many cases. The following simple
formula approaches very closely to practical experience--
(velocity in miles per hour)^2 × gauge in feet {the super-elevation
----------------------------------------------- ={ of outer rail
radius in feet × 1·25 { in inches.
For high-speed trains uniformity of cant is of the utmost importance,
more so even than the exact amount. Any irregularity in the
super-elevation of the outer rail, sometimes high and sometimes low,
will produce a dangerous swaying movement in the train, which, if not
promptly checked, would lead to derailment.
More injury is done to curves by spreading, arising from rigid
wheel-bases of engines and tenders, than from any want of
counteraction to centrifugal force.
When a long length of permanent way has been linked in, rails spiked
to gauge, and fish-plates bolted together, the platelayers can proceed
to the final adjustment to line and level in accordance with the
stakes and pegs provided for their guidance. The setting to exact line
is effected by means of long pointed round iron crowbars, which are
struck forcibly into the ballast alongside the rails, and serve as
powerful hand-levers to pull or push the rails to the right or left as
directed by the foreman standing some distance back at one of the
line-stakes. The men with the crowbars pass from rail-length to
rail-length, until a long stretch of road has been pulled into correct
line.
The adjustment to rail-level is done by first packing up the sleepers
to the correct height at the various level-pegs, and then packing up
the intermediate sleepers so that the surface of the top of the rails
forms one uniform even line from level-peg to level-peg. On new lines
it is usual to pack a little high in the first instance to allow for
the subsidence or compression which invariably takes place on the
passage of heavy trains over fresh ballast.
The form or contour line of the top ballast will vary according to 231
circumstances. In station-yards it is usual to fill in the ballast
almost up to the level of the top of the rails for the convenience and
safety of the men who are constantly moving about marshalling the
carriages and waggons. Out on the open line between stations, the
ballast on some railways is filled in up to rail-level, while on
others it is only filled in up to the tops of the sleepers, leaving
the rails and chairs quite clear of the ballast. On others, again, the
ballast is filled well up to the rails and channelled in the centre,
as shown on the sketches Figs. 336 and 337. Channelling the centre of
the road reduces the quantity of ballast per mile, ensures good
drainage, and also stability by not permitting any central support to
the sleepers. By covering up the lower table and sides of rails the
noise is reduced to a minimum, vibration is absorbed, and a more
silent road is the result. The contact with the ballast also preserves
the rail from the extremes of temperature. Where the ballasting is not
channelled there is some risk of the sleepers breaking in the middle.
The constant packing of the sleepers just under the rails has a
tendency to drift some of the ballast inwards towards the middle of
the sleeper, forming a hard compact mass, and this mass, acting as
fulcrum, throws considerable strain on the middle of the sleeper when
the trains pass over and depress the ends. Where the ballast is filled
in level with the rails on top of sleepers it should be loosened
occasionally in the middle to prevent it becoming too hard.
Connections with the rails of the main line will have to be made in
various forms to suit the circumstances of the joining lines or
sidings.
Fig. 345 shows a simple double-line junction.
[Illustration: Fig. 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354,
355, 356]
Fig. 346 shows an example of what is termed a _flying junction_, or a
junction of two double lines arranged in such a manner as to cause the
least interruption to a constant train traffic passing UP and
DOWN over both lines. Upon referring to Fig. 345 it will be seen
that a train from F, turning off at the points E and proceeding to
G, must block, or close for traffic the section ABC during its
passage over that line towards G. With a crowded train-service the
blocking of both UP and DOWN main lines for the working of one
train would cause much interruption, and to obviate such delay the
_flying junction_ is substituted. Fig. 346 shows how a train from F
is turned off at the points J and proceeds on to K, where by means
of a bridge it passes either over or under both main lines, and 233
continues on to G without in any way interfering with the train
service on ABC.
Fig. 347 is an ordinary plain siding or _turn-out_, including the
necessary throw-off or trap-points and short dead end.
Fig. 348 is an ordinary _cross-over road_ from DOWN main line to
UP main line, and _vice versâ_.
Fig. 349 is a double cross-over road, generally termed a _scissors_
cross-over.
Fig. 350 is a simple through cross-over road from DOWN main line
to siding alongside UP main line.
Fig. 351 is a similar arrangement of through cross-over road with the
addition of a pair of slip points at S to make a connection with the
UP main line, thus combining the facilities of the ordinary
cross-over and through cross-over road.
Fig. 352 shows a set of three throw-switches with all the sliding
tongues placed side by side; and Fig. 353 shows another arrangement of
three throws with the sliding-rails of the second set of switches
placed just behind the heel of the first set of switches. The latter
method works very well where there is sufficient length for the
purpose.
Fig. 354 shows a square crossing, where one line of railway crosses
another line of railway on the same level.
Fig. 355 shows a connection with a siding by means of an ordinary
carriage or waggon turn-table.
Fig. 356 shows a set of “runaway” points which are sometimes placed in
the main line at the top of an incline close to a station, the object
being to intercept or throw off any portion of a train which may have
become detached, and which would, if unchecked, run away back down the
incline. By means of a weighted lever or spring the points are set to
the normal position of _open_ to the siding, and as they are
“trailing” points for the running road they are readily closed by a
passing train. One or other of the above forms of connections, or a
combination of them, will meet all the requirements which usually
occur in railway work.
Fig. 357 is an enlarged sketch of an ordinary cross-over road, and
Fig. 358 of a double or _scissors_ cross-over.
[Illustration: Fig. 357, 358]
Fig. 359 shows a _single-slip_ point connection, and Fig. 360 a
_double-slip_ point connection. In places where slip connections can
be introduced they add greatly to the facilities for train movements 235
without curtailing the available standing-room for vehicles on the
lines and sidings. They are simple in construction, do not require
crossings, and in many cases save a complete cross-over road. At the
same time slip connections can only be laid down where the angle of
the intersecting lines is sufficiently flat to admit of a connecting
curve of workable radius.
Fig. 361 is an enlarged sketch of a set of ordinary 15-foot switches
or points. By placing them about the middle of the stock rails the
joints of the latter are kept well beyond the sliding rails, and the
road is held firmly together. It is necessary to place the sleepers
closer together at the switches to allow for the reduction in section
of the sliding rails, which results from planing them down to the
requisite shape. By substituting two long timbers for the ordinary
sleepers at the points of the switch rails, as shown on the sketch, a
more efficient support is obtained for the switch-box or crank in the
case of rod-worked switches, and the working distance from the rails
is accurately maintained, irrespective of any packing or pulling of
the road. In the sketch a steel bull-head rail is shown on one side,
and a steel flange rail on the other, each bolted to an ordinary
cast-iron switch chair. Switch chairs are sometimes made of plates of
wrought-iron or steel, forged to the correct shape, and riveted
together. They are, however, much more costly than cast-iron chairs,
and deteriorate more quickly from corrosion.
[Illustration: Fig. 359, 360]
Fig. 362 is an enlarged sketch of an ordinary crossing similar to the
one indicated at C (Fig. 359), and composed of a cast-steel
reversible block. The ends and lugs, L, L, are formed to suit the
connecting rails and fish-plates, as shown in the cross-sections. The
casting is secured to the crossing timbers by bolts passing through
the side lugs, S, a cast-iron packing-washer, W, being placed
between the lug and the timber to ensure a solid seat and avoid
rocking. A very important point in the construction of these block
crossings is to have the groove or flange-path sufficiently deep to
prevent the striking or touching of the flange of a much-worn tyre. A
well-made, carefully annealed steel-block reversible crossing is very
smooth in the road, and has a long life. It is all in one solid piece;
there are no parts to work loose or spread; the wear of the running
surface is very uniform, and when the one side is much worn down,
there is the other ready for service. The writer has had many of these
steel-block reversible crossings in use under heavy and fast traffic 237
for six and eight years without turning.
Fig. 363 shows an ordinary crossing made of steel bull-head rails
secured in strong cast-iron chairs; and Fig. 364 is a similar crossing
made of steel flange rails. In some cases the two rails forming the
V are welded together at the point B, and in others they are
riveted or bolted together. Fig. 365 shows a diamond or through
crossing similar to the one indicated at D, Fig. 359, made of steel
bull-head rails and chairs.
Crossings are constructed in a variety of forms, whether on the
principle of the cast-steel block, or made out of ordinary steel
rails; and the above sketches merely illustrate some well-recognized
types which experience has proved to be efficient and durable in the
road. The angles of the crossings will depend upon the divergence of
the intersecting lines to be connected; ordinary crossings, to the
angle of 1 in 10, work in for very general use in station-yards, but
many are required of angles varying from 1 in 6 to 1 in 14, and in
some cases 1 in 16.
As a rule, engineers endeavour as far as possible to avoid using
ordinary crossings flatter than 1 in 12, or diamond crossings flatter
than 1 in 9, because the gap between the running rails becomes very
considerable beyond those angles. At the same time, there are many
cases of ordinary crossings of 1 in 16, and diamond crossings of 1 in
12 and 1 in 13 laid down in exceptional places, and which have carried
heavy and fast traffic for many years. All crossings should be well
protected with wing rails and guard rails, as shown on the sketches.
Fig. 366 illustrates a method of bringing the UP and down lines of a
double line of railway close to each other, and passing them over a
single-line opening bridge, or a bridge where the works for the second
line have not been completed. This arrangement avoids the necessity of
any switches, and prevents any accidents which would arise from a
misplaced switch. Each set of trains is effectually kept to its own
line of rails. With proper signalling or pilot working, the
double-line traffic can be worked over the single-line bridge without
difficulty. The writer has adopted the above arrangement in many cases
when renewing double-line bridges or viaducts where the width for
traffic working has been restricted to half of the bridge.
[Illustration: Fig. 361, 362, 363, 364, 365]
In some instances the same system has been extended to the carrying of 239
four lines of rails over a double-line bridge, as shown on Fig. 367.
The principal tool used by platelayers for lifting the permanent way
is a long iron-shod wooden lever, as shown in Fig. 368. The point of
the lower end is pushed under the sleeper, and the curved shoulder
placed on a large stone or piece of wood as a support, and then by
pulling down the upper end of the lever the road can be lifted to the
height required. Screw lifting-jacks of various kinds are also used
for the same purpose, the foot or base of the jack resting on the
ballast, while the claws grasp the under side of the rail, and raise
it by means of the screw. With appliances which lift by the rails, the
sleepers have to be raised by the holding power of the spikes or
bolts, an operation which is apt to throw undue strain on spikes.
Where possible it is preferable to lift from the under side of the
sleepers.
Beaters similar to the one shown on Fig. 369 are used for packing the
ballast. One end of the beater is pointed like a pick, and serves to
loosen the ballast or broken stone, and the other end is made somewhat
in the hammer-head form to pack or beat the ballast under the sleeper.
With skilled men the beater is a most useful tool, speedy and
effective in its action. Held in both hands, it is raised slightly,
and then brought down sharply, the hammer-head striking the gravel or
broken stone placed alongside for packing under the sleeper. A series
of smart blows can be given with rapidity and without requiring any
great muscular effort. In some foreign countries there is difficulty
in initiating the natives to work with the ordinary beater, on account
of the stooping position necessary for its use. To meet this
difficulty the writer has in many cases substituted a packing or
tamping bar, as shown in Fig. 370. This bar, about 5 feet long, is
made of light round wrought-iron or steel, with a ring-shaped handle
at one end, and an ordinary beater head at the other. The workman
using this bar stands upright, guides the bar, held loosely, with his
left hand, and with his right gives a continuance of smart blows. This
tool works well in the hands of light active natives, who can thus
give a number of rapid strokes without much exertion.
[Illustration: Fig. 366, 367, 368, 371, 369, 370, 372]
The simple rail-bender, or _Jim Crow_, of the form shown in Fig. 371,
is much used by platelayers for giving a slight bend or set to rails
which have to be laid down on sharp curves on main line or cross-over
roads. The rail is laid across the two arms, and the screw turned round 241
and downwards by means of an iron bar lever used as a spanner or
wrench to the nut shown on the sketch. The same tool is also
serviceable for straightening rails which have become crooked or
kinked. Large and more comprehensive machines are used for bending
rails in large quantities or setting them to exact curvature, but,
being heavy and cumbersome, they are rarely taken away from the
store-yards.
Strong steel shovels of the form shown in Fig. 372 are the most
suitable for platelayers’ general use when working with gravel, sand,
or broken stones.
For driving iron spikes and wooden keys in cast-iron chairs a
long-handled hammer is the most convenient for work, and its long
swinging action produces considerable force without much actual
labour.
Road-gauges, nut-wrenches, short straight-edges, spirit-levels,
ratchet-drills, augurs, and cold setts of well-tempered steel for
cutting rails, are all required by the men engaged in laying permanent
way.
The following summaries give the estimated cost of materials alone for
one mile of steel bull-head rail and steel flange rail permanent way
of different weights. The 90-lb. steel bull-head rail is at present
the heaviest of that section laid down to any extent on our home
railways, and the chairs and fastenings are made heavy to correspond
to the rail and the traffic for which it is intended. As the rails in
the summaries become lighter, the weights of the chairs and fastenings
are decreased. As yet there are not many samples of the 100-lb. steel
flange rail; but in those places where it has been laid down it has
been supported with a liberal supply of sleepers, to obtain increased
bearing surface. With a 5½-inch flange, and a rectangular sleeper 10
inches wide, the bearing surface on the wood is only about 55 square
inches, as compared with about 100 square inches, the bearing surface
of a large cast-iron chair for a heavy bull-head rail. As previously
explained, a small bearing surface on a sleeper tends to the cutting
down into the wood, and rendering the sleeper unsafe and useless even
before it has become unserviceable from decay: hence the reason for
ample bearing surface on the sleeper. The last two summaries refer to
3-foot narrow-gauge lines. In more than one instance the 45-lb. rails
first laid down have been found much too light for the engines
required to work the traffic, and when making extensions of the system 242
65-lb. rails have been adopted. Indeed, when taking into consideration
the weight of most of the narrow-gauge engines, generally from 24 to
28 tons in working order, and their short wheel-base, it would appear
that a 65-lb. rail is the minimum which should be used both for
stability and economy in maintenance.
The summaries are prepared from examples in actual use, and represent
the number and weight of sleepers, chairs, and fastenings in each
instance. Even with the same weight of rail, the practice differs on
various lines as to the weights of the chairs and fastenings; and the
selections have been made to show a fair average. On some railways the
chairs are secured partly by tree-nails and partly by spikes, or crab
bolts; on others only spikes are used. The prices put down are the
estimated values of the materials delivered into the Permanent Way
Stores of our own home railways, and are exclusive of all costs of
freight, carriage, or distribution to the site of laying down. The
prices are only comparative, and fluctuate up or down according to the
current value of the raw materials from which the various items are
manufactured. Lighter rails and smaller fastenings cost more per ton
than those of a heavier type, as they involve more labour and
workmanship.
STEEL BULL-HEAD RAILS (90 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel bull-head rails, 90 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) | 141 8 2 0 | 5 0 0 | 707 2 6
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
41 lbs. per pair | 6 10 0 0 | 6 15 0 | 43 17 6
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 4 0 0 | 12 15 0 | 15 6 0
2112 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 404 16 0
4224 cast-iron chairs, | | |
each 50 lbs. | 94 5 3 0 | 3 10 0 | 330 0 1
8448 iron cup-headed spikes | 3 15 2 0 | 10 0 0 | 37 15 0
8448 tree-nails, at per 1000 | -- | 3 10 0 | 29 11 4
4224 oak keys, at per 1000 | -- | 5 0 0 | 21 2 5
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1589 10 10
---------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL BULL-HEAD RAILS (85 LBS. PER YARD). 243
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel bull-head rails, 85 lbs. | | |
per yard (26-ft. length ) | 134 0 0 0 | 5 0 0 | 670 0 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
38 lbs. per pair | 6 17 3 0 | 6 15 0 | 46 9 10
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 4 3 0 | 12 15 0 | 15 15 7
2030 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 389 1 8
4060 cast-iron chairs, | | |
each 45 lbs. | 81 11 1 0 | 3 10 0 | 285 9 5
8120 iron cup-headed spikes | 3 12 2 0 | 10 0 0 | 36 5 0
4060 tree-nails, at per 1000 | -- | 3 10 0 | 14 4 2
4060 oak keys, at per 1000 | -- | 5 0 0 | 20 6 0
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1477 11 8
---------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL BULL-HEAD RAILS (80 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel bull-head rails, 80 lbs. | | |
per yard (26-ft. lengths) | 125 14 0 0 | 5 0 0 | 628 10 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
37 lbs. per pair | 6 14 1 0 | 6 15 0 | 45 6 2
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 4 3 0 | 12 15 0 | 15 15 7
2030 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 389 1 8
4060 cast-iron chairs, | | |
each 40 lbs. | 72 10 0 0 | 3 10 0 | 253 15 0
8120 iron cup-headed spikes | 3 12 2 0 | 10 0 0 | 36 5 0
4060 tree-nails, at per 1000 | -- | 3 10 0 | 14 4 2
4060 oak keys, at per 1000 | -- | 5 0 0 | 20 6 0
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1403 3 7
---------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL BULL-HEAD RAILS (75 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel bull-head rails, 75 lbs.| | |
per yard (26-ft. lengths) | 117 0 0 0 | 5 0 0 | 585 0 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
35 lbs. per pair | 6 7 0 0 | 6 15 0 | 42 17 3
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 4 3 0 | 12 15 0 | 15 15 7
2030 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 389 1 8
4060 cast-iron chairs, | | |
each 37 lbs. | 67 1 1 0 | 3 10 0 | 234 14 5
12,180 iron cup-headed spikes | 5 8 3 0 | 10 0 0 | 54 7 6
4060 oak keys, at per 1000 | -- | 5 0 0 | 20 6 0
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1342 2 5
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
STEEL BULL-HEAD RAILS (70 LBS. PER YARD). 244
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel bull-head rails, 70 lbs.| | |
per yard (26-ft. lengths) | 110 0 0 0 | 5 0 0 | 550 0 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
32 lbs. per pair | 5 16 0 0 | 6 15 0 | 39 3 0
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 2 0 0 | 12 15 0 | 14 0 6
2030 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 389 1 8
4060 cast-iron chairs, | | |
each 34 lbs. | 61 12 2 0 | 3 10 0 | 215 13 9
8120 iron cup-headed spikes | 3 3 2 0 | 10 0 0 | 31 15 0
4060 oak keys, at per 1000 | -- | 4 10 0 | 18 5 5
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1257 19 4
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL BULL-HEAD RAILS (65 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel bull-head rails, 65 lbs. | | |
per yard (26-ft. lengths) | 102 3 0 0 | 5 5 0 | 536 5 9
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
28 lbs. per pair | 5 1 2 0 | 7 0 0 | 35 10 6
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 1 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 13 13 0
2030 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 9 in. × 4½ in. | -- | 0 3 0 | 304 10 0
4060 cast-iron chairs, | | |
each 28 lbs. | 50 15 0 0 | 4 0 0 | 203 0 0
8120 iron cup-headed spikes | 2 19 0 0 | 10 10 0 | 30 19 6
4060 oak keys, at per 1000 | -- | 4 0 0 | 16 4 9
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1140 3 6
---------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (100 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 100 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) | 157 3 0 0 | 5 0 0 | 785 15 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
42 lbs. per pair | 6 12 0 0 | 6 10 0 | 42 18 0
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 5 0 0 | 12 15 0 | 15 18 9
2464 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 472 5 4
8448 dog-head spikes | 3 6 0 0 | 12 10 0 | 41 5 0
704 fang clips | 0 8 3 0 | 13 10 0 | 5 18 2
1408 crab bolts | 1 6 3 0 | 12 10 0 | 16 14 5
-------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1380 14 8
---------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (79 LBS. PER YARD). 245
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 79 lbs. | | |
per yard (26-ft. lengths) | 125 0 0 0 | 5 0 0 | 625 0 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
37 lbs. per pair | 6 14 1 0 | 6 10 0 | 43 12 8
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 4 0 0 | 12 15 0 | 15 6 0
2030 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 389 1 8
6496 dog-head spikes | 2 10 3 0 | 12 10 0 | 31 14 5
812 fang clips | 0 10 0 0 | 13 10 0 | 6 15 0
1624 crab bolts | 1 10 3 0 | 12 10 0 | 19 4 5
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1130 14 2
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (74 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 74 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) | 116 5 3 0 | 5 0 0 | 581 8 9
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
30½ lbs. per pair | 4 15 3 0 | 6 10 0 | 31 2 5
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 1 0 0 | 12 15 0 | 13 7 9
1936 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 371 1 4
6336 dog-head spikes | 2 9 2 0 | 12 10 0 | 30 18 9
704 fang clips | 0 8 3 0 | 13 10 0 | 5 18 2
1408 crab bolts | 1 6 3 0 | 12 10 0 | 16 14 5
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1050 11 7
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (65 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 65 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) | 102 3 0 0 | 5 10 0 | 561 16 6
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
27 lbs. per pair | 4 4 3 0 | 7 5 0 | 30 14 5
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 0 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 13 0 0
1936 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 371 1 4
6336 dog-head spikes | 2 9 2 0 | 12 10 0 | 30 18 9
704 fang clips | 0 8 0 0 | 13 10 0 | 5 8 0
1408 crab bolts | 1 6 3 0 | 12 10 0 | 16 14 5
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1029 13 5
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (60 LBS. PER YARD). 246
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 60 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) | 94 5 3 0 | 5 10 0 | 518 11 7
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
25 lbs. per pair | 3 18 2 0 | 7 5 0 | 28 9 2
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 0 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 13 0 0
2112 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 10 in. × 5 in. | -- | 0 3 10 | 404 16 0
7040 dog-head spikes | 2 15 0 0 | 12 10 0 | 34 7 6
704 fang clips | 0 8 0 0 | 13 10 0 | 5 8 0
1408 crab bolts | 1 6 3 0 | 12 10 0 | 16 14 5
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£|1021 6 8
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (50 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 50 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) | 78 11 2 0 | 5 15 0 | 451 16 1
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
22 lbs. per pair | 3 9 1 0 | 7 10 0 | 25 19 5
Fish-bolts and nuts | 0 18 0 0 | 13 10 0 | 12 3 0
2112 creosoted sleepers, | | |
9 ft. × 9 in. × 4½ in. | -- | 0 3 0 | 316 16 0
7040 dog-head spikes | 2 7 1 0 | 13 0 0 | 30 14 3
704 fang clips | 0 6 1 0 | 14 0 0 | 4 7 6
1408 crab bolts | 1 2 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 14 6 0
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£| 856 2 3
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (65 LBS. PER YARD).
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line (3-ft. gauge)._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 65 lbs. | | |
per yard (30-ft. lengths) |102 3 0 0 | 5 10 0 | 561 16 6
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
27 lbs. per pair | 4 4 3 0 | 7 5 0 | 30 14 5
Fish-bolts and nuts | 1 0 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 13 0 0
2288 creosoted sleepers, | | |
6 ft. × 9 in. × 4½ in. | -- | 0 2 3 | 257 8 0
7744 dog-head spikes | 2 17 0 0 | 12 10 0 | 35 12 6
704 fang clips | 0 7 2 0 | 13 10 0 | 5 1 3
1408 crab bolts | 2 2 0 0 | 12 10 0 | 26 5 0
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£| 929 17 8
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------
STEEL FLANGE RAILS (45 LBS. PER YARD). 247
_Estimated Cost of Materials for One Mile of Single Line (3-ft. gauge)._
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
| Weight per mile | Price. | Amount.
| of single line. | |
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
|tons. cwt. qrs. lbs.| £ s. d. | £ s. d.
Steel flange rails, 45 lbs. | | |
per yard (26-ft. lengths) | 70 14 1 0 | 5 15 0 | 406 12 0
Steel fish-plates (deep), | | |
16 lbs. per pair | 2 18 0 0 | 7 10 0 | 21 15 0
Fish-bolts and nuts | 0 18 0 0 | 13 10 0 | 12 3 0
2233 creosoted sleepers, | | |
6 ft. × 8 in. × 4 in. | -- | 0 1 10 | 204 13 10
7308 dog-head spikes | 2 14 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 35 2 0
812 fang clips | 0 5 0 0 | 14 0 0 | 3 10 0
1624 crab bolts | 0 18 0 0 | 13 0 0 | 11 14 0
------------------------------+--------------------+----------+----------
£| 695 9 10
--------------------------------------------------------------+----------