DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN RAIL AND TRACK. 703 



In 1880 the length of the road iu operation was 2,653 miles in Illinois, Iowa, and 

 Nebraska. Of this mileage, 1,100 miles were steel rails. 



When the 60-ponnd rail was discarded as a standard in 1879, two sections of steel 

 rail were adopted of a substantially similar design and weighing 50 and 66 pounds 

 per yard, respectively, for lines of light and heavy traffic. The joint used on the 66- 

 pound rail is already mentioned, and the joint on the 50- pound rail provides for a 

 " supported " or " on-tie " joint, the idea being that with a stronger or heavier rail 

 a suspended joint could be used, where it would not be a good thing for a weaker 

 rail. Both these rails continued to be used almost up to the present date. During 

 this period considerable dissatisfaction was found with the angle bar for the 56-pound 

 rail, which, on account of its slot iu the center, frequentlybroke. To obviate this 

 difficulty, without seriously adding to the cost of the rail, I lengthened the angle bar 

 at one end for this rail and the old 60-pound rail 5A inches, thus allowing the slot at 

 the joint to be omitted, and yet preserving the on-tie or supported joint. This was 

 adopted as standard early in 1889. During this period also considerable dissatisfac- 

 tion was found with the suspended joint on the 66-pound rail, and in the latter part 

 of 1889 the angle bar was lengthened 6 inches, so as to allow a three- tie supported 

 joint, the same cross-section of angle bar, however, being used. 



Quite recently, in the year of 1890, the old 66-pound section of rail has been super- 

 seded by a new standard, namely, the Northern Pacific 66-pound rail, with the angle 

 bar. The notable dirt'ereuce between this rail and the other 66-pouud rail lies in the 

 fact that the distribution of metal in the different parts of the rail is more equal. 

 The rail itself is stiller and higher, and the angle bar very much stiffer. These differ- 

 ences have been made chieily by putting considera de less metal in the head of the 

 rail, because we have found in practice that a very small portion of the head wears 

 away, and that the rail is usually removed from track for other causes. 



You will note particularly what an advance has been made in perfecting the joint. 

 After trying the suspended joint, we returned again to the supported joint, at thesame 

 time making the angle bar much stiller, bringing the bolt-holes closer to the end, and 

 using seven-eighths instead of three fourths bolts. 



In the mean time the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad is experimenting 

 with a view of adopting for lines of the heaviest traffic a heavier rail. In 1888 two 

 sections of 85-pound rail w T ere designed, and 7^ miles of each section were rolled and 

 laid in track side by side in 1889. In 1890 a similar amount of each section has again 

 been rolled and laid in track. It is impossible at present to determine which rail is 

 likely to give the best satisfaction, but we hope before spring to get some light on the 

 subject. Besides the test iu track which is being made of these two sections of 85- 

 pound rail, quite elaborate tests of each section were made about a year ago at the 

 United States Government Watertown Arsenal, the results of which I dare say you 

 have seen. 



In the mean time, while we are debating what shall be the design and weight of 

 our rail for the lines of the heaviest traffic, it is a Bottled fact that we shall not again 

 buy for standard-gauge railroad any rail lighter than 06 pounds per yard. The 

 Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, owning and controlling as it does upwards of 7,000 

 miles of railroad, always has large quantities of rail not sufficiently good for main track 

 use, but which either with or without the sawing off of the ends is perfectly good 

 for branch-line service, so thai our lines with very light traffic will usually be laid 

 either with the light rail which was originally put there or with second-hand rail 

 removed from main line. 



Hoping that I have given you the information you desired, I have the honor to re- 

 main, yours, truly, 



Fred. A. Delano. 



Mr. J. E. W ATKINS, 



Curator, U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. 



