98 - REPORT—1849. 
Railway, at the same place, and in precisely the same order as before, and 
travelled over for the first time on that date. : 
They remained exposed to traffic and corrosion for two years, and on the 
18th October 1844 were removed from the line and brought home for ex- 
amination and weighing. Prior to this the beams and the standard weights 
were again examined as to their accuracy and adjustment, which were found as 
perfect as before. I prepared to weigh the rails in the same order as before. 
These rails having been divided into three classes or sets, viz.— 
No. 1. Not coated, exposed to corrosion alone and not to traffic. 
No. 2. Not coated, exposed to corrosion, and also to the abrasion 
of traffic. 
No. 3. Coated with coal-tar and exposed to abrasion of traffic, but 
protected from corrosion,— 
presented, when removed, the following appearances :— 
The set No. | had a very dark red rusty colour, and an obvious scale of 
adherent rust all over, which a closer inspection, and on passing the point of 
the finger over the surface, proved to be papular or tubercular, and nearly 
uniformly so all over, each separate circular tubercle of oxide being about 
[pth of an inch in diameter. The spaces between these were less dark- 
coloured, or buffish; this aspect was quite uniform over every part of the 
rails, except where they had been in contact with the chairs. 
The set No. 2 had no scale of rust on the surface, but a perfectly uniform 
dark buff or reddish buff thin dusty coating of oxide all over the sides and 
edges ; the top surface was bright and polished by traffic, but the wear was 
not perceptible in dimension ; the lower surface, where in contact with the 
wood filling slips, on the sleepers was of a deeper colour, and where in con- 
tact with some parts of the chairs was bright and polished from the effects 
of jarring or vibration produced by traffic. There was no loose rust what- 
ever on any part. 
The set No. 3, which had been coated with coal-tar, were found bright 
and polished, like No.2, on the top edge, where borne upon by traffic. The 
coal-tar varnish was fresh and sound everywhere else, and no rust had taken 
place, nor any scaling off from any part of the bars. The surface, how- 
ever, until it was washed clean, presented a uniform tint of yellowish brown, 
arising from the fine particles of rust from the other rails, and probably also 
from the wheels, of passing trains being blown upon the coal-tar coating, and 
washed upon it by rain, &c. 
Prior to being cleaned for weighing, the whole of these rails were examined 
as to their magnetic condition. The results ascertained will, however, be 
best reserved for a subsequent part of this Report. 
The sets of uncoated rails, Nos. 1 and 2, were rubbed briskly with a fine 
wire brush until all adherent rust was removed, and then finally cleaned 
with dry cloths. 
The set No. 3 was exposed to a heat of about 700° Fahr. over a charcoal 
fire, until the whole of the coal-tar coating was burnt, and removed as char- 
coal dust by the brush and cloth. The weighings were then made in the 
same order and way as before; and the following Table No. 2 gives the 
results. 
The rails, after being cleaned and weighed, presented all over a light red- 
dish black tinge, perfectly uniform, and free from any scaling, or other indi- 
cation of unequal action. 

