Processes in the Useful Arts. 153 



plan of railroads in general, of 6s. per yard, or L. 528 cheaper per mile on 

 a single railroad, and 12s. per yard, or L. 1056 per mile of a double railroad 

 viz. calculating for the vicinity of London, and ill many other districts still 

 cheaper, as I shall afterwards show. 



Agreeable to the annexed sketch, I propose, for a simple railroad, to lay 

 two continuous lines of kirbing of granite, or other strong, hard, durable 

 stone, close jointed on the ends ; four to five inches broad on the top ; ten 

 inches deep, and ten to twelve inches broad at bottom ; and on the top of 

 each row, to lay wrought-iron bars, in length about twelve feet, one inch 

 broad by one-half inch deep, with a cross T, welded on the under side at eve- 

 ry four feet, checked down a little, and fixed into the stone. The wheels of 

 the waggon to run on the top of the iron bar, in the usual way of common 

 iron rails. The stone kirbing will be kept in its place by the road-stuff on 

 each side, and the ironrail acting as a tie-bar, will make a perfectly smooth 

 railroad, not liable to derangement. 



In situations, where railways had to pass public roads or streets, it 

 would perhaps be best to lay the space between the kirbing with small 

 paving-stone. As the iron bars would be very little raised, and lie per- 

 fectly close on the stone, no breakage could take place, as is the case with 

 cast-iron rails. As the stone kirbing would be more than sufficient to car- 

 ry any weight that could be brought upon them, the iron bar on the top 

 is only intended to give a smooth surface, and offer the least possible 

 friction. 



With regard to branches, turnings, and passings, it is evident they can 

 be formed with the kirbing with the greatest facility. I have laid down 

 the width as five feet between the rails, which is greater than usual ; but 

 perhaps it would be better to make the rails still wider, which would allow 

 the body of the waggon a greater area, and less depth, and admit of higher 

 wheels, requiring less power to move them on the rails ; more accommoda- 

 tion would also be afforded, in the event of locomotive engines being ap- 

 plied. Square bushes would be a great improvement for waggon axles, 

 which would only have to touch in four points, in place of embracing the 

 whole circumference, as they have to do by the present mode. 



The labour of forming the railroad, embanking, metalling, &c. &c. be- 

 ing the same in both schemes, I shall not enter into the expence of that 

 department, but confine myself to a comparative estimate of what I pro- 

 pose to substitute. 



Estimate by the present plan of Cast-iron Railways, similar in weight 

 to the one on Dartmoor. 



To 92 lbs of Cast- Iron in a yard of length of a common single railroad, 



including 2 chairs, one for the end of each rail, which at the lowest quoted 



prices at present is 18s. fid. per cwt. or 2d. per lb - L. 15 4- 



To 2 Stones for fixing do. including boring - - 3 



To 4 Buts for Chairs, exclusive of Plugs - - 6 



L 18 10 



