RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. 239 



carrying of four lines of rails over a double-line bridge, as shown 

 on Fig. 367. 



The principal tool used by platelayers for lifting the perma- 

 nent way is a long iron-shod wooden lever, as shown in Fig. 368. 

 The point of the lower end is pushed under the sleeper, and the 

 curved shoulder placed on a large stone or piece of wood as a 

 support, and then by pulling down the upper end of the lever 

 the road can be lifted to the height required. Screw lifting-jacks 

 of various kinds are also used for the same purpose, the foot or 

 base of the jack resting on the ballast, while the claws grasp the 

 under side of the rail, and raise it by means of the screw. With 

 appliances which lift by the rails, the sleepers have to be raised 

 by the holding power of the spikes or bolts, an operation which 

 is apt to throw undue strain on spikes. Where possible it is 

 preferable to lift from the under side of the sleepers. 



Beaters similar to the one shown on Fig. 369 are used for 

 packing the ballast. One end of the beater is pointed like a 

 pick, and serves to loosen the ballast or broken stone, and the 

 other end is made somewhat in the hammer-head form to pack 

 or beat the ballast under the sleeper. With skilled men the 

 beater is a most useful tool, speedy and effective in its action. 

 Held in both hands, it is raised slightly, and then brought down 

 sharply, the hammer-head striking the gravel or broken stone 

 placed alongside for packing under the sleeper. A series of 

 smart blows can be given with rapidity and without requiring 

 any great muscular effort. In some foreign countries there is 

 difficulty in initiating the natives to work with the ordinary 

 beater, on account of the stooping position necessary for its use. 

 To meet this difficulty the writer has in many cases substituted 

 a packing or tamping bar, as shown in Fig. 370. This bar, 

 about 5 feet long, is made of light round wrought-iron or steel, 

 with a ring-shaped handle at one end, and an ordinary beater 

 head at the other. The workman using this bar stands upright, 

 guides the bar, held loosely, with his left hand, and with his 

 right gives a continuance of smart blows. This tool works well 

 in the hands of light active natives, who can thus give a number 

 of rapid strokes without much exertion. 



The simple rail-bender, or Jim Crow, of the form shown in 

 Fig. 371, is much used by platelayers for giving a slight bend or 

 set to rails which have to be laid down on sharp curves on main 

 line or cross-over roads. The rail is laid across the two arms, 



