IMPROVEMENT IN RAIL ROADS. 339 



VII. 



Account of an Improvement in Tram Plates for Carriages 

 on Rail Roads. By Mr. Charles lk Caax, of JJanellj/ 

 in Wales *. 



Silt, 



1 1IAVK forwarded to the Society of Arts &c. a specimen Rail roads 

 of my new method of laying rails, or tram-plates, on sucli [^f^^Sr 

 a plan as has met the entire approbation of those who have advantages. 

 seen it, and are acquainted with the principle on which such 

 roads should be formed. Rail roads are daily increasing, 

 from the great advantage they afford to manufactories con- 

 nected with mines and minerals, and particularly to collieries. 

 They also promote Agriculture, by occasioning lime to be 

 procured from places almost inaccessible by any other 

 means, or whence it could be otherwise brought on moderate 

 terms. 



I (latter myself, that every improvement on this system 

 will be of national importance. The honour I received last 

 year from the Society of Arts &c. has stimulated me to 

 submit the present subject to their consideration. 



I have also sent a drawing of my method of laying the Improved rail* 

 tram-plates, with an estimate of the saving that will arise ortram P ale »« 

 to the public, by adopting the said method, with necessary 

 remarks on the principle on which it is founded. The lead- 

 ing rail or tram-plate has neither tenon nor mortise over the 

 plug. The stop-plate terminates the specimen, which stop- 

 plate should go in with some degree of tightness when laid 

 for actual use, but in the present case that force is not ne* 

 cessary, as the wooden blocks, by a carriage of upwards 

 of 200 miles, may in some small degree be misplaced. I 

 hope any impediment of that nature will be rectified or 

 allowed for. I wish it to be understood, that a stop-rail is 

 intended to be placed at every 30 yards, at w r hich distance 

 any repairs may be made withiu ten minutes, Which by the 

 present mode frequently occupies more than twice that 

 time, exclusive of disturbing in some measure the line of 



: Transactions q£ the Society of Arts. vol. xxv, p. 87. Twenty 

 cuineas were voted to Mr. le C;un for this improvement. 



Z k road 



