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HANDBOOK
OF
RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION;
FOR THE USE OF
AMERICAN ENGINEERS.
CONTAINING THE
NECESSARY RULES, TABLES, AND FORMULÆ
FOR THE
LOCATION, CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF RAILROADS, AS BUILT
IN THE UNITED STATES.
With 158 Illustrations
BY
GEORGE L. VOSE,
CIVIL ENGINEER
“RULES THEMSELVES OBLIGE US TO REFLECT, THAT WE MAY SEE WHETHER WE HAVE
NOT DEPARTED FROM THEM.”—NAPOLEON.
BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE:
JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY.
1857.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1857, by
JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of
Massachusetts.
CAMBRIDGE:
ALLEN AND FARNHAM, PRINTERS.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREFACE.
The object of this work is to give in the plainest possible manner all
instructions, rules, and tables necessary for the location,
construction, equipment, and management of railroads.
As a general thing, American engineers are not educated for their
business; and when they do possess a knowledge of pure science, they are
at a loss how to apply it.
The reader is presumed acquainted with the elements of arithmetic,
geometry, algebra, and mechanics: being thus provided, he will, by a
perusal of what follows, be enabled to correctly proportion bridges, of
wood, stone, and iron: abutments, piers, retaining walls,
superstructure, and locomotive engines; and to plan and lay out,
execute, and estimate any description of work occurring upon railroads.
As the object has been more to be useful than original, the best
engineering writers and experimenters have been consulted; among whom
are,—Gauthey, Navier, Vieat, Tredgold, Barlow, Totten, Fairbairn,
Hodgkinson, Clark, and Lardner. Also a great number of reports by
American civil engineers upon railroad matters.
If assumptions take the place of demonstration, it will be on good
authority. Readers will bear in mind that the work is a “handbook,” and
not a “treatise.” It is intended more as an office companion than as a
text-book for students. It will give in all cases the actual numerical
result needed, whether it be the scantling of a bridge chord, the
thickness of a wall, or the dimensions of a locomotive boiler.
In connection, it will be found convenient to use the works of Trautwine
and Henck, on Field Work: of Lieutenant Smith, on Topography; Davies, on
Surveying; and Gurley, on the Use of Instruments.
Any one wishing a complete treatise on the principles of bridge
construction is referred to the excellent work of Hermann Haupt.
I take this opportunity of heartily thanking the engineers who in many
ways have aided in making the work, as it is believed, of some worth.
G. L. V.
GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Page
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER I.— RECONNOISSANCE 12
II.— SURVEY 24
III.— LOCATION 41
IV.— PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS 55
V.— LAYING OUT WORK 89
VI.— EARTHWORK 97
VII.— ROCKWORK 115
VIII.— WOODEN BRIDGING 122
IX.— IRON BRIDGING 192
X.— STONE BRIDGING 233
XI.— MASONRY 248
XII.— FOUNDATIONS 261
XIII.— SUPERSTRUCTURE 272
XIV.— EQUIPMENT 302
XV.— STATIONS 403
XVI.— MANAGEMENT 413
APPENDIX 459
ANALYTICAL INDEX.
INTRODUCTION.
PAGE
Rise and progress of railroads 1
Influence of railroads 3
Safety of railroad travelling 5
Preliminary operations 5
Mechanical principles of locomotion 6
Determination of character of road 7
Gauge 8
General establishment of route 10
CHAPTER I.
RECONNOISSANCE.
General topography 12
Barometrical levelling 18