┌───────────────────────────────────────_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.

│ 407. TABLE SHOWING THE GENERAL AND DETAILED EXPENSES │

│ OF WORKING AND MAINTAINING THE RAILROADS OF NEW YORK │

│ STATE, FOR 1854, AND THE NEW YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD │

│ FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1855. │

├──────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│ │ LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, CARS, AND FIXED │

│ │ MACHINERY. │

│ │ │

├──────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│Nature of │ │

│ the item │ │

│ is shown │ LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES. │

│ in │ │

│horizontal│ │

│ columns. │ │

│ │ │

│ ├────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│ │ Passenger Locomotives. │

│ │ │

├──────────┼─────┬──────┬────────┬──────┬────────┬──────┤

│ Name of │ │ Oil │ │ │ │ │

│railroad. │Fuel.│ and │Salaries│Whole.│Repairs.│Total.│

│ │ │waste.│ │ │ │ │

├──────────┼─────┼──────┼────────┼──────┼────────┼──────┤

│Cost, in │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│dollars, │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per mile, │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│upon N. Y.│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│State │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│Railroads │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ 395│ 50│ 140│ 585│ 237│ 822│

├──────────┼─────┼──────┼────────┼──────┼────────┼──────┤

│Cost in │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│cents, per│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ton, or │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│passenger │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per mile │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│run, N. Y.│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│and Erie │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│Railroad. │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ .157│ .021│ .107│ .285│ .109│ .394│

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┴─────┴──────┴────────┴──────┴────────┴──────┤

│ RECAPITULATION. │

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ 407. TABLE SHOWING THE GENERAL AND DETAILED EXPENSES │

│ OF WORKING AND MAINTAINING THE RAILROADS OF NEW YORK │

│ STATE, FOR 1854, AND THE NEW YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD │

│ FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1855. │

├──────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│ │ LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, CARS, AND FIXED MACHINERY. │

│ │ │

├──────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│Nature of │ │

│ the item │ │

│ is shown │ LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES. │

│ in │ │

│horizontal│ │

│ columns. │ │

│ │ │

│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┬──────┤

│ │ │ │

│ │ │Total │

│ │ Freight Locomotives. │ cost.│

│ │ │ │

├──────────┼─────┬──────┬─────────┬──────┬────────┬──────┼──────┤

│ Name of │ │ Oil │ │ │ │ │ │

│railroad. │Fuel.│ and │Salaries.│Whole.│Repairs.│Total.│ │

│ │ │waste.│ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┼─────┼──────┼─────────┼──────┼────────┼──────┼──────┤

│Cost, in │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│dollars, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per mile, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│upon N. Y.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│State │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│Railroads │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ 202│ 31│ 122│ 355│ 191│ 546│ 1368│

├──────────┼─────┼──────┼─────────┼──────┼────────┼──────┼──────┤

│Cost in │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│cents, per│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ton, or │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│passenger │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per mile │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│run, N. Y.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│and Erie │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│Railroad. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ .205│ .018│ .080│ .303│ .081│ .384│ .778│

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┴─────┴──────┴─────────┴──────┴────────┴──────┴──────┤

│ │

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ 407. TABLE SHOWING THE GENERAL AND │

│ DETAILED EXPENSES OF WORKING AND │

│ MAINTAINING THE RAILROADS OF NEW YORK │

│ STATE, FOR 1854, AND THE NEW YORK AND │

│ ERIE RAILROAD FOR THE YEAR ENDING │

│ SEPTEMBER 30, 1855. │

├──────────┬──────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│ │LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, CARS, AND │

│ │ FIXED MACHINERY. │

│ │ │

├──────────┼──────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│Nature of │ │

│ the item │ │

│ is shown │ CARS. │

│ in │ │

│horizontal│ │

│ columns. │ │

│ │ │

│ ├──────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│ │ Passenger cars. │

│ │ │

├──────────┼──────────┬────────────┬──────┤

│ Name of │ │ │ │

│railroad. │Operating.│Maintaining.│Total.│

│ │ │ │ │

├──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┤

│Cost, in │ │ │ │

│dollars, │ │ │ │

│per mile, │ │ │ │

│upon N. Y.│ │ │ │

│State │ │ │ │

│Railroads │ │ │ │

│ │ 50│ 145│ 195│

├──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┤

│Cost in │ │ │ │

│cents, per│ │ │ │

│ton, or │ │ │ │

│per │ │ │ │

│passenger │ │ │ │

│per mile │ │ │ │

│run, N. Y.│ │ │ │

│and Erie │ │ │ │

│Railroad. │ │ │ │

│ │ .020│ .079│ .099│

│ │ │ │ │

├──────────┴──────────┴────────────┴──────┤

│ SUMMARY. │

└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ 407. TABLE SHOWING THE GENERAL AND DETAILED EXPENSES OF WORKING AND │

│ MAINTAINING THE RAILROADS OF NEW YORK STATE, FOR 1854, AND THE NEW │

│ YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1855. │

├──────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤

│ │ │

│ │ LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, CARS, AND FIXED MACHINERY. │

│ │ │

├──────────┼─────────────────────────────────────┬──────────┬─────────┤

│ │ │ │ │

│Nature of │ │ │ Whole │

│ the item │ │ │ cost of │

│ is shown │ CARS. │ FIXED │machinery│

│ in │ │MACHINERY.│oiling on│

│horizontal│ │ │the road.│

│ columns. │ │ │ │

│ │ │ │ │

│ ├──────────────────────────────┬──────┼──────────┤ │

│ │ │Total │ Repairs, │ │

│ │ │ cost │ oil and │ │

│ │ Freight Cars. │ of │ waste, │ │

│ │ │cars. │labor, and│ │

│ │ │ │machinery.│ │

├──────────┼──────────┬────────────┬──────┤ │ │ │

│ Name of │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│railroad. │Operating.│Maintaining.│Total.│ │ │ │

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────────┼─────────┤

│Cost, in │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│dollars, │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per mile, │ │ │ │ │ 44 F.│ 841│

│upon N. Y.│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│State │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│Railroads │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ 45│ 206│ 251│ 446│ 55 P.│ 1072│

│Cost in │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│cents, per│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ton, or │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│per │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│passenger │ │ │ │ │ .015 F.│ .466│

│per mile │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│run, N. Y.│ │ │ │ │ │ │

│and Erie │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│Railroad. │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ .022│ .045│ .067│ .166│ .018 P.│ .511│

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┴──────────┴────────────┴──────┴──────┴──────────┴─────────┤

│ │

└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ 407. TABLE SHOWING THE GENERAL AND DETAILED EXPENSES OF │

│ WORKING AND MAINTAINING THE RAILROADS OF NEW YORK STATE, │

│ FOR 1854, AND THE NEW YORK AND ERIE RAILROAD FOR THE YEAR │

│ ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1855. │

├──────────┬─────────┬───────────┬────────────────┬─────────┤

│ │ │Salaries of│ │ │

│ │ Station │ employees │ General │ Grand │

│ │expenses.│ in and │superintendence.│ Total. │

│ │ │ about │ │ │

│ │ │ trains. │ │ │

├──────────┼─────────┼───────────┼────────────────┼─────────┤

│ │ │ │ │Cost per │

│Nature of │ Repairs │Conductors.│ Stationery. │passenger│

│ the item │ and │ Brakemen. │ Salaries. │ or per │

│ is shown │material.│ Weighing. │ Offices. │ton, per │

│ in │ Warming │ Loading. │ Travelling. │mile run,│

│horizontal│ and │ Porters. │ Advertising. │ or cost │

│ columns. │lighting.│ Watchmen. │ Agencies. │per mile │

│ │ │ │ │of road. │

│ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┤ │ │ │ │

│ Name of │ │ │ │ │

│railroad. │ │ │ │ │

│ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┼─────────┼───────────┼────────────────┼─────────┤

│Cost, in │ │ │ │ │

│dollars, │ │ │ │ │

│per mile, │ —│ 371│ 180│ 1905│

│upon N. Y.│ │ │ │ │

│State │ │ │ │ │

│Railroads │ │ │ │ │

│ │ —│ 246│ 170│ 2056│

├──────────┼─────────┼───────────┼────────────────┼─────────┤

│Cost in │ │ │ │ │

│cents, per│ │ │ │ │

│ton, or │ │ │ │ │

│per │ │ │ │ │

│passenger │ .023│ .240│ .045│ .965│

│per mile │ │ │ │ │

│run, N. Y.│ │ │ │ │

│and Erie │ │ │ │ │

│Railroad. │ │ │ │ │

│ │ │ │ │ │

│ │ .026│ .159│ .053│ 1.002│

│ │ │ │ │ │

├──────────┴─────────┴───────────┴────────────────┴─────────┤

│ DEDUCTIONS. │

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

408. The following general measures are recommended by Lardner in his

Railway Economy, as being the means of obtaining increased economy in

the working of railroads.

1st. So to manage the traffic as to cause the cars to carry more

complete loads.

2d. To encourage the transport to long distances.

3d. To regulate the tariff so as to give the largest possible number of

cars to each engine.

4th. To adjust the tariffs where the business is chiefly in one

direction, so as to attract return traffic, that the cars may not run

without a load.

5th. Not to increase the number of trains beyond a reasonable

accommodation of traffic.

6th. To diminish as far as possible express trains, if it be not

practicable to abolish them altogether.

RECEIPTS AND PROFITS.

409. The distribution of expenses, as we have seen, is somewhat

complicated, and is systematically done upon a very few roads. The

classification of receipts is, however, very easy, and is properly

detailed in nearly all railroad reports. Upon the New York State

railroads, the following was the division for the year 1854.

Average receipts per mile of road,

Passengers, $4,074.16

Freight, 3,776.72

Extras, 427.28

—————————

Whole, $8,278.16

Whole expense, $4,710.14

or fifty-seven per cent. of the receipts.

Receipts per mile run by trains,

Passengers, $1.32

Freight, 2.02

Extras, 1.67

—————

Whole, $5.01

—————

Average, 1.67

—————

Whole expense per mile run by train, $0.97

Average receipts per passenger and per ton, per mile,

Passenger, 1.95 cents,

Ton, 2.79 cents,

————

Average of passenger or ton, 2.37 cents,

————

Average expense of passenger or ton, 1.38 cents,

410. Upon the New York and Erie Railroad for the year ending September

30, 1856.

Receipts per mile of road,

Passengers, $3,397.34

Freight, 7,143.42

Express and mail, 397.84

——————————

Whole, $10,938.60

Whole expense per mile of road, 5,263.00

or forty-eight per cent, of the receipts.

Receipts per mile run by trains,

Passengers, $1.16

Freight, 2.13

Average receipts per passenger and per ton, per mile,

Passenger, 2.02 cents,

Ton, 2.37 cents.

411. Upon the New York State roads,

Average number of passengers per mile run, 57.4

Average distance travelled by passengers, 81.4

Average tons per mile run, 90.0

Average distance, whole number of tons carried, 177.0

Length, 496 miles,

Freight tonnage, 150,673,997 miles,

Passenger, 84,069,398 miles.

412. It is of course an object on every railroad to make the gross

receipts overbalance the gross expense by the largest possible amount.

The elements which determine the gross receipts are,

The charge per mile, for transport,

The number of units transported,

The distance carried,

of which the company’s directors can control the first only, except as

adjustment of rates may attract business.

Reduction of tariff, to a certain degree, has the effect of increasing

the receipts by augmenting the number of fares; but the reduction may be

carried too far. So, also, for a certain distance, increased rates will

increase the whole receipts; but in this case, also, the extreme must be

avoided. The point to be arrived at is, evidently, that at which the

difference of expense and receipt is the greatest, and this is not

necessarily when receipts are the greatest.

We can make the receipts nothing either by making the charges so large

that nothing can bear them, or so small as to vanish. Even when the

receipts are 0, we still have the expense of moving the empties.

By forming a table in which one column shall show the different charges,

and the second the corresponding amounts transferred, with the

consequent receipts and cost of working, we shall find which rate of

charge will give the greatest difference between expense and receipt.

EXPRESS TRAINS.

413. Express trains are a source of vast expense, directly and

indirectly, which can never be repaid by any practicable tariff to be

levied upon them. Dr. Lardner, (1850):—

Resolved, That this meeting recommend the adoption of a higher rate of

fare upon express passenger trains, corresponding in some degree to the

increased cost of such trains.—American Railroad Convention of 1854.

INCREASED COST OF WORKING.

This is due to the extra wear and tear of engines, cars, and road, from

increased speed, and also to the delays occasioned to other trains in

motion at the same time.

The influence of express trains is felt not only by themselves, but by

nearly all the trains upon the road.

NOTE.—To determine the most economical speed, regard need only be

had to the variable elements of cost, namely: cost of power, and

maintenance of superstructure, and rolling stock; assuming the power

expended as the resistance, and the cost of repairs of machinery and

superstructure as the velocity, we form the following table:—

Velocity in Resistance Hours con. Product of Cost of

miles per in pounds in going column 2 × repairs. Result.

hour. per ton. 300 miles. 3.

10 8.6 30 258 100 358

15 9.3 20 186 150 336

20 10.3 15 154 200 354

25 11.6 12 139 250 389

30 13.3 10 133 300 433

35 15.2 8.60 131 350 481

40 17.3 7.50 130 400 530

45 19.8 6.67 132

50 22.6 6 136

60 29.1 5 145

100 66.5 3 200

The result is found by adding the product of columns 2 and 3, or

column 4 to column 5, from which the minimum cost is seen to be

produced by a very little more than fifteen miles per hour. The

variable (and above assumed) element is the rate of increase of cost

of maintenance.

All trains in motion at the same time within a certain distance of the

express, must be kept waiting with steam up, or be driven with extra

velocities in order to keep out of the way.

_Where the time table is so arranged as to call for speed nearly equal

to the full capacity of the engine, it is very obvious that the risks of

failure in “making time” must be much greater than at reduced rates; and

when they do occur, the efforts made to gain time must be

correspondingly greater and uncertain. A single example will be

sufficient to show this_:—

_A train whose prescribed rate of speed is thirty miles an hour, having

lost five minutes of time, and being required to gain it, in order to

meet and pass an opposing train at a station ten miles distant, must

necessarily increase its speed to forty miles an hour; and a train whose

prescribed rate of speed is forty miles an hour, under similar

circumstances, must increase its speed to sixty miles an hour; in the

former case it would probably be accomplished, whilst in the latter it

would more probably result in failure; or, if successful, it would be so

at a fearful risk of accident._

_But a failure in either case would have the effect of retarding the

movement of the opposing train, deranging the time of those of the same

and of an inferior class in both directions, involving, perhaps, on the

part of the latter, the necessity of similar struggles for time, and

thus may prove the primary cause of accident to all trains whose

movements may have been affected thereby._

The first cost of locomotives, (assuming the cost to increase with the

weight,) is thirty per cent. greater for express trains, than for those

of the second or third class.

The cost of repairs being assumed as the product of the weight by

distance run, and this distance being the same, is as the weight, or

increased thirty per cent. (This assumes the power to be equally well

adapted.)

The cost of cars does not (though it ought), differ much for express or

slow trains; the cost of repairs will certainly be increased.

The interest of construction capital to be charged to expresses, will

be, their mileage proportion plus any expense which may have been

incurred in reducing curves and grades; the proportion of repairs of

superstructure, charged to expresses, will depend on their weight. The

locomotive causes 25/29 of the wear of rails, and as the weight of the

engines is increased thirty per cent., the increased wear will be of

15/58.

The use of stations and of employees costs no more for express than for

accommodation trains.

The repairs of locomotives will be nearly, if not quite, as the product

of their weight by the distance run; and this, from the above, will be

thirty per cent. greater on an express than on an ordinary train, the

distance being the same.

The carriages for express trains ought to be at once stronger and more

convenient than those for the slower work, the shocks arising from

irregularities in the rails being very much greater as velocity

increases; and the runs being very long, passengers require easier

seats, even, in some cases, accommodation for sleeping. The cost for

repairs, therefore, of express cars, would be somewhat greater than for

any others.

COST AND MAINTENANCE OF WAY AND WORKS.

As the speed is increased, the relative effect of grade and curves is

lessened, but the absolute danger of passing curves is increased.

Express trains require larger radius of curvature, or greater elevation

of exterior rail than others, which extra elevation causes an

unnecessary resistance to all other trains. The rails to resist large

and heavy wheels must be heavier and more firmly fastened. All bridges

and viaducts (particularly if on grades or curves), will require more

strength to resist the increased shocks to which they will be subject.

The wear of rails is nearly as the weight passing over them; the wear of

rails consequent upon stopping and starting the trains depends upon the

momentum of the train which is to be imparted to them.

The proportion, in which the working expenses are distributed under the

several heads on the larger railways of Great Britain, is as follows:—

Direction and management, 7

Way and works, 16

Locomotive department, 35

Cars, 38

Sundries, 4

———

100

And the percentage of increase due to fast travelling, to be applied to

the several items of expense, with the resulting increase in total

expense, is shown below.

Direction and management, 7 0 = 0.0

Way and works, 16 27 = 4.3

Locomotive department, 35 30 = 10.5

Cars, 38 10 = 3.8

Sundries, 4 0 = 0.0

——— ————

100 18.6

or 18 per cent. increase, nearly.

Express trains, as worked on many roads, run at an unnecessary speed, to

make up for frequent stops. Overcoming a long distance in a short time,

depends as much on decrease in the number of stops, as increase in the

speed.

The following figures show the effect of decreasing the number of stops.

A train running 400 miles, and stopping once in fifty miles, each stop

being five minutes, (including coming to rest and starting,) to pass

over the whole distance in eight hours, must run fifty-five miles per

hour.

Stopping once in twenty miles, sixty-three miles per hour.

Stopping once in ten miles, eighty-six miles per hour.

The following table shows the velocities of the different classes of

trains in England, France, and Belgium, including and excluding stops.

EXCLUDING STOPS.

Express. 1st class. 2d class. 3d class.

England, 43.9 32.8 32.8 25.2 miles per hour.

France, —— 27.5 24.3 28.1 miles per hour.

Belgium, —— 26.2 25.7 27.6 miles per hour.

INCLUDING STOPS.

Express. 1st class. 2d class. 3d class.

England, 36.5 24.8 24.8 17.5 miles per hour.

France, —— 22.1 17.9 19.9 miles per hour.

Belgium, —— 20.7 19.3 18.1 miles per hour.

The distances at which the different classes of trains stop in the

several countries, are as follows:—

TRAINS STOP ONCE IN

1st class. 2d class. 3d class. Express.

England, 8 miles, 8 miles, 5 miles, 24 miles.

France, 10 miles, 6 miles, 6 miles, —— miles.

Belgium, 6.8 miles, 5.6 miles, 5 miles, —— miles.

OF THE INCREASED DANGER OF FAST TRAVELLING.

The causes of accident, beyond the control of passengers, are

Collision by opposition.

Collision by overtaking.

Derailment by misplaced switches and draws.

Derailment by obstacles upon the rails.

Breakage of machinery.

Failure of track or bridges.

Fire.

Boiler explosions.

Those _causes_ which are aggravated by fast travelling are the first,

second, fifth, and sixth; the _effects_ of all are worse at high speeds

than at low.

The proportion of accidents due to each of these causes, taken at random

from one hundred cases on English railways, are as follows:—

Collision, 56

Breaking of machinery, 18

Failure of the road, 14

Misplaced switches, 5

Obstacles on rails, 6

Boiler explosion, 1

———

100

In collision by opposition, the engines, tenders, and baggage cars must

be demolished before the shock reaches the passengers; in collision by

overtaking, the engine of the rear train plunges at once into the last

passenger car of the leading train; the force in the last case is the

difference of the speeds, in the former the sum. The _increase_ of

danger from this cause, attendant upon express trains, is due, first, to

the longer time required in stopping, and second, in the greater shock

if collision occurs.

Breakage of machinery is more liable to take place while wheels are

revolving 25,000 times per hour, than when the speed is less.

Failure of the superstructure of bridges, (particularly when on curves

or grades,) is more liable to take place at high than at low velocities.

Accidents from obstacles upon the track, from fire, boiler explosions,

and misplaced switches, are no more attendant upon express than upon

other trains, but the consequences are worse with the high speeds.

From the analysis above, of one hundred accidents, it appears that

eighty-eight per cent. of the cases are due to the causes that are

aggravated by increase of speed, and if we assume the aggravation of

collision, and breakage of machinery, to be (speed being doubled) as two

to one, the danger of travelling a fixed distance, by express, is

eighty-eight per cent. greater than by a slow train.

COMPARATIVE COST OF WORKING HEAVY AND LIGHT TRAINS.

414. The question is sometimes asked, if it would not be better to run a

greater number of trains and reduce the weight of engines. A comparison

of cost is easily made.

The cost of working trains consists of

Fuel, oil, and waste.

Engine-men’s wages.

Wear of rails.

Conductor and brakemen.

Wear of cars.

Suppose we have to move 1,000 tons per day over any road. If we do it by

one engine and 100 cars, the whole cost will be

One Engineer $2.00

One Fireman 1.50

One Conductor 1.75

Four Brakemen 5.00

——————

$10.25

And if we move 1,000 tons by _ten_ trains of one hundred tons each,

Ten Engine-men at $2 $20.00

Ten Firemen at 1½ 15.00

Ten Conductors at 1¾ 17.50

Ten Brakemen at 1¼ 12.50

——————

$65.00

Difference of salaries in favor of the heavy train, of $54.75.

As the whole weight upon the drivers must be the same to move a given

load by either method, the only difference in weights of engines will be

that upon the truck. To lead well a truck must have five tons upon it.

The whole weight upon _ten_ trucks is, then, fifty tons, and that upon

_one_, _five_ tons, which leaves an excess of forty tons to be daily

carried over the road by the small trains. The heaviest freight engine

will not cost over $15,000; the cost of an engine to draw one hundred

tons cannot be less than $5,000.

10 × 5000 = 50000 less 15000 is $35000. 6/100 of 35000 is $2100.

Add to this five times as much fuel used in firing up and standing with

steam up, ten times as much oiling, cleaning, and repairing, ten times

as much engine house and shop accommodation; also that the cars in

frequent trains are much less loaded than in seldom ones, increased

delay and chance of accident from increased number of trains, and

estimating all of them at $170.00 per day, (the cost of the large engine

being assessed at $30 per day, and that of each of the small ones as

$20, the daily difference is $170,) and we have, as the whole daily

increased cost of working ten small over one large train,

170.00 + 54.75 × (6/100 of 35000)/313 or 6.71 = $231.46 per day,

or $72,446.98 per annum, which employs a capital of $1,207,449.

BRANCH ROADS.

415. These lines, when belonging to the main road, are generally worked

at a loss; and when independent, are a poor investment. At a meeting of

the directors of the Boston and Worcester (Mass.) Railroad in February,

1855, it was declared that out of six branches, but one was profitable.

That four of them gave an income upon cost of from one and a quarter to

one and three quarter per cent.

Independent branch lines generally share a joint business by the mileage

standard; and here is where they lose, for if the branch trains do not

traverse the main line, and the tribute passengers help to fill a train

which runs at any rate upon the main, then the branch expense of

carrying the passengers is to that of the main, as (say ninety to ten),

and the branch should take 90/100 of the receipts. In this case the

branch is charged with using both the cars and road of the main. If it

runs its own cars over the main, (as when the branch is near the

terminus,) it should be charged only with the wear of the road.

In like manner several roads, forming a continuous line, should not

divide the receipts according to the mileage; but according to the cost

of working that mileage. Thus if we have the continuous line below,

column one shows the length; column two, the cost of building; column

three, that of maintaining; and column four, the division of receipts.

Division. Length. Construction Maintaining Result.

Capital. Capital.

1 8 10 4 10 + 4 = 14

2 9 6 3½ 6 + 3½ = 9½

3 6 7 2¾ 7 + 2¾ = 9¾

4 10 4 1¼ 4 + 1¼ = 5¼

REPRODUCTION OF ROAD AND STOCK.

416. Besides the annual repairs necessary to maintain a road in proper

working order, there is needed a periodic expenditure for

_reproduction_. Evidently the time will come, upon all roads, when rails

and sleepers, buildings, bridges, etc., need to be replaced. Knowing the

life of rails, we also know the annual depreciation, and from that can

easily find what sum must annually be laid aside, which being properly

invested, shall, at the end of the life of the rail, together with its

interest, be equal to the cost of renewing.

RAILS.

Suppose rails to last ten years, the annual depreciation is ten per

cent. At sixty lbs. per yard we have one hundred and five tons per mile,

which, at $60 per ton, amounts to $6,300. Let the cost of rerolling and

relaying be $30 per ton, the depreciation is then $30 per ton for ten

years, or $3 per ton per annum, or $315 per mile per annum.

SLEEPERS.

If sleepers last seven years, and cost forty cents apiece, their annual

depreciation per mile (at 2,400 per mile) will be $138 per mile

(nearly).

BRIDGES.

If wooden bridges cost $30 per lineal foot, and last twenty years, the

annual depreciation per foot will be $1.50, and if there is ten feet per

mile of road, $15 per annum per mile.

EXTRAS.

Allowing for the annual depreciation per mile of buildings, fences,

etc., $33, we have as the whole annual depreciation, $500 per mile; and

the amounts which yearly reserved and placed at compound interest for

each of the ten years, will pay for reproducing the road, are as

follows:—

At the end of the 1st year $298

At the end of the 2d year 315

At the end of the 3d year 333

At the end of the 4th year 354

At the end of the 5th year 373

At the end of the 6th year 397

At the end of the 7th year 417

At the end of the 8th year 446

At the end of the 9th year 472

At the end of the 10th year 500

which, at six per cent., gives, at the end of the tenth year, $500 each.

NOTE.—Reproduction of rolling stock has been proved to be nothing

more than repairs, as a locomotive may be fitted with one and

another new part until none of the original machine remains. See

Lardner’s Railroad Economy.

As the business upon a railroad increases, so does the amount of station

accommodation necessary, and also of rolling stock, which increase

should be debited to capital, and not to revenue.

The permanent investors in a railroad are in favor of having capital

maintained, even at the expense of revenue. The temporary shareholders,

and the speculators in stock, wish most to produce large dividends, even

at a sacrifice of capital, and would charge nothing to revenue.

The rights of both of the above classes are to be regarded, as the road

is often built mainly by the efforts of the temporary investors.

WORKING RAILROADS BY CONTRACT.

417. An experiment has lately been tried upon the working of railroads

which bids fair to reduce very considerably the cost of operating; and

to render the enterprises more profitable, namely, working the several

departments by contract; that is, paying certain persons a fixed price

for supplying the necessary amount of power, cars, or material per

annum, thus bringing into play _private interest_ and _individual

enterprise_. There is no doubt but that by a judicious system of this

kind, correctly applied, many roads which are now worthless could be

made to pay, while the value of good roads would be also increased.

CLASSIFICATION OF FREIGHT.

418. Freight is classified according to its nature, the commercial

nature of the country traversed by the road, and the direction of the

principal market. The distribution adopted upon some of the large roads

is as follows:—

CLASSIFICATION OF ARTICLES.

[Articles marked thus * at owner’s risk.]

_Double First Class._

Baskets, * Band Boxes;

* Camphene;

* Carboys, and contents;

* Demijohns, and contents;

* Eggs;

Feathers, in bags;

Furs;

Hobby Horses;

Musical Instruments;

* Plaster of Paris, (ornaments);

Pictures, in frames;

Teazles, in casks;

Wagons, (children’s);

Willow Ware.

_First Class._

* Ale, in glass;

* Apples, green, _pre-paid_;

Bacon, loose;

Batting;

Bells;

* Berries, _pre-paid_;

* Blinds, (window) in packages;

Bonnets;

* Books, in boxes;

Boots;

Bran, in bags;

Brass, in sheets and pigs;

Brass Castings;

Brass Vessels;

Bread and Biscuit;

Brooms, in bales or bundles;

Broom Handles, in boxes or bundles;

Brushes;

Buffalo Robes, packed;

Buttons;

* Candies and Confectionary, canvassed;

Cane;

Cards;

Carpeting;

Caps;

China Ware;

Chocolate;

* Cigars, in boxes;

Cinnamon;

* Clocks, in boxes;

Cocoa;

Cassia;

Coffee, ground;

Collars;

Combs;

Copper, in sheets and pigs;

Copper Vessels;

Corks;

* Cotton, in bales;

* Cotton Waste;

Covers and Sieves;

* Cranberries;

* Cutlery;

Deer Skins, in bundles;

Doors;

Dry Goods;

Fancy Goods;

* Figs, in boxes;

Fire-arms;

* Fish, fresh, _pre-paid_;

Flour, in bags;

Forks, hay and manure;

* Fruits, fresh, _pre-paid_;

* Game, _pre-paid_;

Garden Seeds;

Ginger;

* Glass, in boxes;

* Glass Ware, in boxes or casks;

Glue;

* Grapes, _pre-paid_;

Gun Stocks, in boxes or bundles;

Hair, in sacks;

Hams, loose;

Harness;

Hides, dry;

Hoe Handles;

* Hollow Ware;

* Honey;

Hops, pressed;

* Ice, _pre-paid_;

Indigo;

Ink;

Iron Castings, light;

Ivory;

Japan Ware;

Joiners Work;

* Lemons, in boxes, canvassed;

* Looking-glasses, well boxed;

* Machinery, boxed, light;

Marble, wrought, at owner’s risk of breakage;

Mats;

Mattrasses, double, at 150 pounds each;

Mattrasses, single, at 100 pounds each;

Mill Stuffs, in bags or casks;

Measures;

* Meat, fresh, _pre-paid_;

Meat, in bulk, salted;

Medicines;

* Melons, _pre-paid_;

Moss, in sacks;

Nuts, in sacks or casks;

* Oranges, in boxes, canvassed, _pre-paid_;

* Oysters, in cans or kegs;

Palm Leaf, in bales;

Paper, brown wrapping and straw, (light);

Paper Hangings;

Pelts;

* Porter, in glass;

* Poultry, dressed, _pre-paid_;

* Prunes;

Rags, (see second class);

* Raisins;

Rake Handles;

Rattan;

Rugs;

Saddle Trees;

Saddlery;

* Sash, in packages;

Scale Beams;

Scythe Snaths;

Shoes;

Shovel Handles;

Soap, fancy;

Soda;

Spices;

* Spirits Turpentine;

Stationery;

Straw Goods;

Teas, (see third class);

Tin Ware, in crates or hhds.;

Toys;

Trunks, empty, 80 pounds each;

Tubs;

Turners’ Work;

* Vegetables, _pre-paid_;

Veneering;

Wadding;

Warp, on beams;

Warp Beams;

Waste, woollen;

Wax;

Whalebone;

Wheelbarrows;

Whips;

Wicking;

* Wines, in baskets or boxes;

* Wooden Ware;

Wool;

Woollens.

_Second Class._

Alcoholic Liquors;

* Ale, in casks;

Apples, dried;

Alum;

Anchors;

Anvils;

Ashes, pot or pearl;

Axes, in boxes;

Axles, iron;

Bacon, packed;

Bagging;

Barilla;

Bark, tanner’s, 1¼ cord per ton;

Beans;

* Beef, in casks or boxes;

Beer, in casks;

Bleaching Salts;

Bones;

* Bottles, packed, (empty);

Brimstone;

Burr Blocks;

Burlaps, in original packages;

* Butter, in firkins;

* Candles, in boxes;

Cannon;

Canvas;

Castings, heavy;

Cement;

Chains;

Chalk;

Chair and turned Stuff in bales or bdls.;

Cider, in casks;

Cheese, in boxes or casks;

Clay, Coal, and Coke, in casks or boxes;

Clover Seed;

Coffee, in sacks;

Copperas;

Cordage;

Crockery Ware, well packed;

Domestics, in original packages;

Dye Stuffs, in woods;

Earthen Ware, well packed;

* Fire Brick;

Fish, dried or salted;

Flax Seed;

Flocks;

Floor Cloth, painted;

Flour, in barrels, 20 barrels or less;

Furnaces;

Grain, of all kinds;

* Grindstones;

Groceries, generally heavy, not otherwise specified;

Gunnies, in bales;

Hoes;

Hams, shoulders or sides, in casks or boxes;

Hardware, except Cutlery;

* Hemp, in bales;

Hemp Seed;

* Hides, green;

* High Wines;

Hoops, shaved or split, 3,000 pounds per cord;

India Rubber;

Iron, pig, bloom, boiler, rod, and bar;

Iron, hoop, sheet, or bolts;

Iron, nuts, rivets, and spikes;

Junk;

Lard, in barrels or casks;

Lead, sheet, pig, or pipe;

Leather;

Liquors, in barrels or casks;

Lime, in barrels or casks;

Marble, unwrought, at owner’s risk of breakage;

Meal, in bags or casks;

Molasses;

Moss, pressed;

Nails, in kegs;

Oakum, in bales;

Oil, owner’s risk of leakage;

Oil Cake,

Oil Cloth;

* Oysters, in shell;

Paints, dry or in oil;

Paper, (white,) in boxes or bundles;

Paper, (heavy brown and hardware);

Pasteboard;

Pepper;

Peaches, dried;

Peas, in sacks or casks;

Pickles, in casks;

* Pipes, in boxes;

Pitch;

Plaster, in casks or barrels;

Ploughs;

Pork, packed;

* Porter, in casks;

Potatoes, in casks or sacks;

Rags, foreign, pressed;

Rakes;

Railroad Chairs and Spikes;

Rice;

Rope;

Rosin;

Saleratus;

Salt, in bags or casks;

Saltpetre;

Scales, in boxes;

Scythes, in bundles;

Scythe Stones;

Shot, in bags;

Shovels and Spades;

Sizing;

Slate;

Soap, (common,) in boxes;

Soda:

Spelter and Zinc;

Spikes, in kegs;

Spirits, domestic;

Starch;

Steel, in boxes or bundles;

Steel Springs;

Stone;

* Stone Ware, well packed;

Sugar;

Sumac;

Tallow, owner’s risk of heat;

Tar;

Tiles;

Tin, metal and plate;

Tobacco, in bales, boxes, or hhds.;

Tow, pressed, (in bales,) owner’s risk of fire;

Twine, in bales;

Vegetable Roots, in sacks or casks;

* Vinegar;

Water, Mineral;

Whiskey, in casks;

White Lead;

Whiting;

* Wine, in casks;

Wire, in rolls and casks;

Woods, in shape, unfinished;

Woods, of value, namely, Mahogany, Lignum Vitæ, Rosewood, Cherry,

Cedar, Walnut, etc.;

Wool, foreign, pressed, in bales;

Yam, pressed;

Zinc and Spelter.

_Third Class._

Includes the following articles in quantities of 8,000 pounds, and less

than 16,000 pounds, in any one shipment from one consignor to one

consignee. Same articles shipped in like manner, in quantities of 16,000

pounds and upwards, will be taken at special rates.

Anchors;

Anvils;

Ashes, pot and pearl, in casks;

Axes, iron;

Bacon, packed;

Bark, tanner’s, 1¼ cord per ton;

Beans, in sacks or casks;

Beef, packed;

Burr Blocks;

Cannon;

Cement, in barrels or casks;

Chain Cable;

Cider;

Clay;

Coffee;

Copper, in boxes;

Flaxseed, in sacks or casks;

Flour, in barrels;

Grain, of all kinds;

Grindstones;

Hams, packed;

High Wines;

Iron, pig, bar, bloom, sheet, hoop, or rod;

Iron Castings, heavy;

Lard, in casks or barrels;

Lead, sheet, pig, or pipe;

Lime, in barrels;

Marble, unwrought, at owner’s risk of breakage;

Molasses;

Nails, in kegs;

Plaster, in barrels;

Pork, packed;

Potatoes, in sacks or casks;

Railroad Iron, Chairs and Spikes;

Salt, in sacks and barrels;

Shot;

Slate;

Spikes, in kegs;

Sugar, in casks;

Teas;

Tobacco, in boxes or hhds.;

Vinegar, in barrels;

Whiskey, in barrels.

Besides the above regular articles, are the following special objects of

transport:—

Stores;

Cabinet Ware;

Brick;

Charcoal;

Pressed Hay;

Broom Corn;

Boxes of Cigars;

Barrels;

Bags;

Corn in the Ear;

Poultry;

Looking-glasses;

Trees and Shrubbery;

Safes;

Mill-stones;

Steam-engines;

Machinery;

Agricultural Implements;

Lumber;

Live-Stock;

Carriages;

Coal and Coke.

TIME TABLES.

Fig. 158, (see end of volume).

419. The most complete graphic solution of an engineering problem, is

doubtless the time table of S. S. Post, Esq., chief engineer of the New

York and Erie Railroad. Let the vertical lines represent _time_ in

spaces of ten minutes each, and the horizontals, distances, the heavy

lines representing the several way stations. Suppose now that we leave

station A at six, A. M., and wish to arrive at K at two, P. M., stopping

ten minutes at each station; the number of way stations being eight, the

whole time consumed in stops will be 10 × 8 = 80 minutes. From two, P.

M., and on the line K, go back eighty minutes or to M, and from A draw A

B, in the direction A M, which cuts the line B B at B, which is four

miles, or thirteen minutes from A. Now, as we _wait_ ten minutes, pass

along _on the line_ B B one division (ten minutes) to B′ and start again

parallel to A B, arriving at C at one and a half hours from starting.

Proceeding thus, we arrive at K at the required time. The inclination of

the line shows the speed. Thus, if it passes twenty horizontal spaces in

six vertical divisions, we have twenty miles in sixty minutes, or twenty

miles per hour.

Suppose now we would start an express train at eight, A. M., from A to

arrive at K at one, P. M., (see line 8 F,) it will pass the first train

at station F, and will run at the rate of seventeen miles per hour from

A to F, at the same rate from F to G, and at _thirteen miles per hour_

from G to 1.

Suppose also that we start a train from K at six, A. M., to arrive at A

at eleven, A. M., we pass the before-mentioned trains at E and D.

Also a freight train which is required to pass the above named trains,

leaving K at eight, A. M., and arriving at A at one, P. M., will stop

ten minutes at G, ten minutes at M, pass the first train at L, wait ten

minutes on a siding at two and a half miles from L, and run to A at

nearly a uniform rate of speed.

So also may the motion of any train be laid down and traced through the

hours of the day upon the table. By plotting the profile of the road

upon the line A K, the places are shown at which grades will oblige us

to use a less speed. Curves also may be shown by increasing the

steepness of the grades; or by making a grade on the profile when the

road is level, steep enough to involve an amount of power equal to that

consumed by the curve.

LOCOMOTIVE REGISTERS.

420. American railroad reports are, as a general thing, quite destitute

of detailed accounts of the performance of the power. Some of the large

roads, indeed, are of late improving in this respect.

That fares and tolls may be properly applied to the different articles

of transport, the cost of moving each article should be known.

Such items as the salaries of employees, and repairs of machinery, are

easily distributed to the proper heads; but the correct amount of fuel,

oil, and waste, to be charged to any department, is not so evident. What

we require is, the exact amount of fuel, oil, and waste used, and work

done by each engine; to obtain which, some system of registering these

quantities must be adopted.

The following five blanks being filled, we have all that is required:—

Number 1 is the engineer’s weekly return to the master of machinery, and

gives, as seen, the times of arriving at, and departing from, each

station. The fuel should always be ready at each station for delivery,

in cords and half cords, or in tons and fractions, when coal or coke. It

may be delivered either from a small car placed on a pair of rails at

right angles to the track, or from a box hung upon a crane, which may be

at once swung over and lowered into the tender; the box which is already

in, being first removed. The latter method gives the most correct

results, as whatever fuel is left at the station may be credited to the

engine. The whole operation of wooding would not take longer than it

does to describe it, and would lead to a systematic and economical

method of working.

The tanks and pumps being charged to construction, we may, without

material error, charge the cost of the water supply to the trains

according to their mileage.

Number 2 is the wood register, showing the amount of fuel delivered to

the several engines from the different stations, and should be weekly

signed and returned by the station wood master to the fuel agent. The

engineer’s fuel receipts (No. 1) check these reports.

Number 3 is the conductor’s mileage account, giving the exact weight

left at, and taken from, each station; and, consequently, the load

carried between stations, which is checked by the station master’s

return.

Number 4 is the monthly account of the performance of engines, compiled

from the weekly return by the superintendent of machinery, and reported

to the superintendent.

Number 5 gives the annual performance of each and all of the engines

upon the road, and is obtained from the monthly reports, and from those

of the repair and transportation departments.

The work done by different classes of cars should be registered in like

manner.

Knowing the amount of material used, and also the work done, it is easy

to find the cost per mile of moving any article of transport, regard of

course being had to the character of the parts of the road traversed by

the several engines. An engine working a sixty feet grade should be

allowed more fuel than one which works a level only.

NUMBER 1.

A. and B. Railroad. Report of amount of material consumed, and of work

done by Engine No. 50, during the week ending July 4, 1856.

————————, Engineer.

┌───────┬───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│MONDAY.│Name of train. │

├───────┼──────────────────┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬────┤

│ │Name of station. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├───────┼──────────────────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼────┤

│ │Time of arriving. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├───────┼──────────────────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼────┤

│ │Time of departing.│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├───────┼──────────────────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼────┤

│ │Fuel taken. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├───────┼──────────────────┼───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┼────┤

│ │ │Whole cost fuel consumed │————│

│ │ │Whole time under steam │————│

│ │ │Whole time running │————│

└───────┴──────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┴────┘

And the same for each day of the week.

WEEKLY MEMORANDA.

Cords of wood used ————

Gallons oil used ————

Pounds tallow used ————

Pounds waste used ————

Miles run ————

Whole time running ————

Whole time under steam ————

Time under repairs ————

Cost of repairs ————

————, Master of Machinery.

NUMBER 2.

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐

│ —— RAILROAD. AMOUNT OF FUEL DELIVERED TO ENGINES FROM —— STATION │

│ DURING WEEK ENDING ——. │

├───────────────────────┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───────┤

│ Name of Engine. │A. │B. │C. │D. │E. │F. │G. │H. │K. │Total. │

├───────────┬───────────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───────┤

│MONDAY. │Morning. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │

├───────────┼───────────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───────┤