RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. 281 



Goods-sheds may be built of stone, brick, iron, or timber, or 

 a combination of all of them. Where the requirements are well 

 proved, and the traffic certain, it is better to build a substantial 

 permanent structure. Iron sheds, with sides and roofs of galvan- 

 ized corrugated iron sheets, will last for many years if not made 

 of too light materials. There are many cases where it is more 

 prudent to put up a goods-shed in timber than to incur the 

 cost of one of more permanent character. Where the traffic 

 is uncertain, or the foundations bad, or out in undeveloped 

 districts abroad, a building of timber will serve the purpose for 

 a number of years, or until the period of probation has passed, 

 and the actual requirements are accurately ascertained. In a 

 timber-built shed, the decay usually commences about the ground 

 line, but if the nature of the soil will permit of the construction 

 of a small dwarf foundation wall of masonry or concrete up to 

 about nine inches above the ground line, the life of the building 

 will be prolonged for several years. 



The best method of admitting daylight into a goods-shed is 

 from the roof, and a liberal extent of roof -glazing should be 

 provided for the full length of the building, and so distributed 

 as to be well over the loading-banks. In tropical countries the 

 amount of roof light must be reduced, on account of the great 

 glare from the sunlight. 



An ample supply of artificial light will be necessary when 

 working after dark or during the night. In some instances the 

 goods-sheds in large and important business centres have one or 

 more upper storys, in which goods are warehoused pending the 

 owners' instructions, the goods being transferred between the 

 loading-banks and upper floors by lifts or cranes. 



A proper supply of weighing machines for carts, drays, rail- 

 way trucks, and packages on the loading-banks will be necessary 

 to facilitate the checking of the goods. 



There is always a large proportion of traffic which can be 

 dealt with outside the goods-sheds, either on loading-banks or 

 cartways alongside the sidings. Outside loading-banks should 

 be of good width, with approach roads of easy gradient. In 

 tropical countries a light shed, open on all sides, is frequently 

 erected over a portion of these outside banks, to protect the goods 

 and workmen from the heat of the sun. Fixed cranes or travel- 

 ling cranes will be required for lifting the large packages, heavy 

 castings, and logs of timber. Where there is a large cattle traffic, 



