1 86 RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. 



and imperfect as the primitive locomotives must have been, a 

 very short trial of them served to show that the rails of cast-iron 

 then in use were totally unfitted to form a trackway for the 

 newly invented machines. The short fish-bellied cast-iron rails 

 were made in lengths merely to extend from chair to chair; 

 they possessed little or no continuity, and from the inherent 

 brittleness of the material they were constantly breaking and 

 giving way under the increased weights imposed upon them. 

 It became necessary to adopt a more reliable material, and 

 attention was naturally turned to forged or wrought iron. The 

 suggestion once made was promptly responded to by the iron 

 makers. Special machinery was designed and constructed, and 

 very soon wrought-iron rails were manufactured in large 

 quantities. At first they were made very similar in section 

 to the fish-belly cast-iron rails, but in lengths to extend over 

 three or four sleepers. The increased length gave greater 

 stability to the road, and permitted an increase of speed. The 

 manifest superiority of the wrought-iron rails led to their 

 universal adoption, and a great impetus was thus given to 

 their manufacture. Improvements were made in the machinery 

 for rolling, and more care was bestowed in the working of 

 the iron. Changes were made in the section of the rails ; the 

 fish-belly form was discarded, and a double-head type was 

 introduced to give more lateral stiffness. At this period in 

 its history the capabilities of the iron road began to be more 

 fully recognized, and the supporters of the system foresaw a 

 great future success, both for the conveyance of passengers as 

 well as goods. Hitherto the tramroads or railroads had been 

 used for minerals and merchandize only, but it was now claimed 

 that on a carefully constructed line, and with improved loco- 

 motives and rolling-stock, it would be possible to convey 

 passengers more conveniently and rapidly than by any other 

 method. 



Inventive minda were at work to accomplish so desirable an 

 object, and public enterprise was forthcoming to provide funds 

 for the purpose. The successful working of the first passenger 

 line formed the dawn of a new era in travelling, and similar 

 lines were soon projected for other places. The wrought-iron 

 rails in use at this time were generally of a double head form, 

 and rarely exceeded 12 or 15 feet in length. They were held 

 by wooden pegs in cast-iron chairs, which were secured to 



