672 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889 

 THE STEVENS RAIL IN AMERICA. 



Fig - . 43 shows the Stevens rail as used on the Philadelphia and Read- 

 ing Railroad iu 1837 



Fig. 43. 



The Stevens Rail supported hy Cast-Irox Chair. Philadelphia 

 and Reading Railroad, 18^7. 



(From a drawing in the U. S. National Museum.) 



The rail was supported by chairs. This method was believed at the 

 time to be a considerable advance upon previous practice, but was soon 

 abandoned on account of the increase in expense which it entailed. 



The Stevens rail was laid on the Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad in 

 1840 (see Fig. 44). In the Southern States the longitudinal planks. 





^-L 



Fig. 44. 

 The Stevens Rail as laid on the Vicksburg and Jackson Railroad, in Mis6iPSirpj, 1841. 



(From a drawing in the U. S. National Museum. ) 



which were placed under the ends of the cross-ties on many of the rail- 

 roads, were called "mud-sills," and this name became historic during 

 the civil war, 1861-'65. 



The Stevens rail had come into general use in America before 1845, 

 although several railway eompauies which had imported T-rails from 

 England continued their'use on their tracks until the rails were woru 



