RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. 31 



and as far as the outer ends of the buffer castings. As passenger 

 carriages pass from one company's line to another's, it is essential 

 for the public safety that, although the widths of the carriages 

 on the different lines may differ from each other, the widths 

 across the carriages from the outside of the continuous footboard 

 on one side, to the outside of the continuous footboard on the 

 opposite side, should be identical for the carriages of all railway 

 companies, so that the lines of rails may be laid at the proper 

 distance from the edges of the passenger platforms. 



3. There should be efficient means of communication between 

 the guard, or guards, of every passenger train and the engine- 

 driver, and between the passengers and the servants of the 

 company in charge of the train. 



4. The tyres of all wheels should be so secured as to prevent 

 them from flying open when they are fractured. 



5. The engines employed with passenger trains should be of 

 a steady description, with not less than six wheels, with the 

 centre of gravity in front of the driving-wheels, and with the 

 motions balanced. They should, as a rule, be run chimney in 

 front. 



6. Records should be carefully kept of the work performed 

 by the wearing parts of the rolling stock, to afford practical 

 information in regard to them, and to prevent them from being 

 retained in use longer than is desirable. 



7. In addition to the block-telegraph instruments, it is 

 desirable that there should be speaking-instruments, or tele- 

 phones, for communication between signalmen, and books for 

 recording the running of the trains. 



8. When drovers or other persons are permitted to travel 

 with goods or cattle trains, suitable vehicles should be provided 

 for their accommodation. 



9. It is considered that, in fixed signals, the front lights 

 should show 



Green, for all right ; 

 Red, for danger ; 



and that back lights, visible only when the signals are at danger, 

 should show white. 



10. Refuge sidings should be provided at all main-line 

 stations where slow trains are liable to be shunted for fast 

 trains to pass them. If at such stations it is impossible to 



