398 FORESTRY INVESTIGATIONS U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUKE. 



yet that after three or four years the cost becomes rapidly less, while for wooden ties the expense 

 increases year by year until renewals are necessary. 



As a result of the investigations, the following general conclusions may be presented : 



First. Metal ties are used very extensively, and their use is being continually extended. 



Second. While different results are reported, the experience is usually favorable, particularly 

 where well designed ties have been used. 



Third. The introduction of metal ties effects an appreciable economy in timber, and may lead 

 to an important development of the iron and steel industries. 



Fourth. Among the advantages of metal ties over woodeu ties the following may be noted ; 



(a) Redaction in the annual consumption of timber. 



(b) Greater length of life, with consequent saving in renewal expenses, and a general economy 

 in track work. 



(c) Maintaining a better and more uniform track for a longer time and with less work upon 

 the track. 



(d) Reduced expenses for maintenance and renewals, owing to the greater durability of 

 the track. 



() Increased safety, owing to the more efficient fastenings and the more permanent character 

 of the ties. 



In view of the durability of the track and the economy in track work which result from the 

 use of an efficient system of metal ties, it would seem thai there are already many special locations 

 in this country where such ties might now be used with financial and practical advantage. This 

 is particularly the case on busy main lines near large cities and terminals, where the continued 

 traffic not only makes constant work necessary, but makes it difficult and expensive to carry on 

 the work. 



For street railway track metal ties are particularly well adapted. They are extensively used 

 for this purpose abroad, and in this country they are used much more for such track than for 

 steam- railway track. 



The following tabular summary, which is condensed from tables given in my report of 1894, 

 shows what an important extent of the railway's throughout the world is laid with metal ties. 

 Such ties were then in use on 35,000 miles of track, or nearly 10 per cent of the total railway 

 mileage, or on nearly 20 per cent, if we exclude the mileage of the United States and Canada, 

 whose railways have but an infinitesimal percentage of metal track. At the present time the 

 percentage is probably about the same or even somewhat higher, the use of metal ties having 

 increased more rapidly than the construction of new railways. 



Statistics of metal track. 

 SECTION NO. 1. EUEOPE. 



Miles. I Hilts. 



England 73 Sweden and Norway 



France 128 j Denmark 18 



Holland 322 Russia 9 



Belgium 176 j Turkey (Europe) 71 



Germany 11,605 



Austria and Hungary 216$ 



Bosnia 12 



Switzerland 480 



Spain 264 



Portugal 1 



Turkey (Asia) 309 



Greece . . 28 



Total metal track 13,404 



Total track 137,000 



SECTION NO. 2. AFEICA. 



Egypt 866 South Africa (Portuguese) 48 



Algeria 164 j Cape Colony 906 



Abyssinia 14 East Coast 125 



Sudan 2 



Senegal 30 



Kongo ( Portuguese ) 5 



Kongo (Free State) 64 



South African Republic '. 115 



Reunion 62 



Total metal track 2,401 



Total track 5,675 



