WOODEN RAILWAYS. 



807 



required load up the gradients, which are se- 

 vere. Thus on one of the lines, where 20-ton 

 engines are employed, from 60 to 80 tons can 

 be taken up gradients of 1 in 60, while there 

 is no difficulty on far steeper inclines, of 1 in 

 21, in taking up 20-ton trains with engines 

 weighing 14 tons. Experience has also shown 

 that the wooden rails remain in at least as 

 good a condition in winter as iron ones, and 

 with the use of the snow-plough there need be 

 no check to the traffic even when the snow 

 lies on the ground to a depth of 3 or 4 ft. 



In the Levis & Kennebec Railway a some- 

 what heavier form of construction has been 

 adopted than was considered necessary for the 

 earlier lines. The width of embankments at 

 formation level is nowhere less than 14ft., and 

 that of cuttings varies from 16 to 22 ft., but 

 the amount of earthwork upon the line is 

 comparatively small, 'as very steep gradients 

 and sharp curves have been adopted. The 

 permanent way consists of cross-sleepers laid 

 upon ballast 1 ft. deep, and 2 ft. wider than 

 the length of the transverse sleepers, which 

 are of tamarac or hemlock, 8 ft. long, and 8 

 in. in diameter at their smaller end. The rails 

 themselves are of maple, 14 in. by 7 in., cut in 

 lengths of 14 ft., and resting on edge upon the 

 sleepers; the face of the rails is slightly 

 rounded. The sleepers are placed 2 ft. apart, 

 and notches are cut in their upper sides, into 

 which the rails are laid and kept in place by 

 wedges cut from, the logs from which the rails 

 are formed. 



Although the employment of timber instead 

 of iron forms the chief item of saving in these 

 wooden railways, the utmost economy is ob- 

 served throughout the whole construction, 

 while the quantity of rolling-stock is reduced 

 to the smallest amount possible for accommo- 

 dating the traffic. On the Levis & Kennebec 

 Railway, only two locomotives, weighing 30 

 tons each in running order, are at present to 



be ordered, and the rest of the rolling-stock 

 will consist of 2 first-class cars to carry each 

 40 passengers, 2 second-class with seats for 60 v 

 passengers ; 2 luggage-cars ; 4 cattle-cars ; 10 

 freight box, and 30 platform cars, 2 snow- 

 ploughs, and a few minor pieces. 



Including the whole of this rolling-stock, the 

 contract cost per mile of the line is $6,600. 

 The total cost of the permanent way is $950.50 

 per mile, divided as follows ; 760 rails 14 ft. 

 long, 7 in. by 4 in., sawn and ready for laying, 

 60 cents each ; 4,300 transverse sleepers, 8 ft. 

 long, 12 cents; and 9,200 wedges, 1 cent 

 each. The cost of laying the permanent way 

 is $700 per mile, of which $500 is expended in 

 placing the ballast, etc., and $200 in laying and 

 adjusting the track. The average cost per 

 mile of trestle-work, bridges, stations, plat- 

 forms, water-tanks, turn-tables, and crossings, 

 is $1,250, and that of grading, $2,700, of which 

 $2,300 go to the construction of earthworks, 

 drains, culverts, etc. The prices of the loco- 

 motives and stock are as follows : 



Engines and tenders, each $10,000 



First-class cars 2.000 



Second-class cars 1,000 



Luggage-cars COO 



Freight-cars 500 



Cattle-trucks 500 



Post-office cars 600 



Platform-cars 320 



Hand-trucks 120 



Snow-ploughs 1,000 



The price of labor upon the line averages 90 

 cents per day of ten hours, and the cost of 

 earthwork is 30 cents, and rock-cutting from 

 $5 to $9 per cubic yard. Timber costs, in 

 logs 12 ft. long, and 14 in. diameter, black 

 spruce, 25 cents per log, tamarac, 43 cents. 

 white and yellow pine, 30 cents. Squaring 

 the logs adds 25 cents to their prices. The 

 cost of timber and the rates of wages fix the 

 prices of trestle-work at $5 per running foot, 

 and those of wooden bridges complete and over 

 20 ft. span, at $35 per lineal ft. 



