598 report— 1884. 



towards a uniform gauge of 4 feet 8^ or 9 inches, and there nave been 

 several noted changes on long lines from 6 feet gauge to 4 feet 8i inches, the 

 operation being performed in an almost incredibly short interval of time. 



Rails are connected together by joints, and the more closely a joint 

 approximates to a continuous rail, tbe nearer it reaches perfection. Some 

 years ago the joints were placed on the supports, but they proved too 

 rigid, the ends of the rails being hammered or battered down under 

 service, and it was found best to place them between the supports. The 

 use of double fish-plates has now become almost universal. These fish- 

 plates or splices are made to hug up well between the top and bottom 

 flanges of the rail, and in their best form are generally about 24 inches in 

 length, with a wide angular flange spreading out over the lower flange of 

 the rail. Two splices are used at each joint, one on each side of the rails, 

 and they are connected together through the webs of the rails by four 

 bolts which draw them up tightly together, rigidly binding the rails into 

 line and surface. These bolts have semi- spherical heads, allowing as little 

 obstruction as possible, and they should be arranged so that tbey cannot 

 turn in the holes ; the nuts, which are always placed on the outside of the 

 track, being provided with some approved mechanical device to prevent 

 turning and consequently loosening of the bolts. A spiral washer, as 

 shown in the illustration of standard track Pennsylvania Railroad, answers 

 very well, and the arrangement used by the Cambria Iron Company (see 

 Plate VI.) is also good. An allowance must always be made in a joint 

 between the ends of the rails, for expansion. The maximum amount will 

 vary probably somewhat with the climate, being dependent upon the 

 difference between the extremes of temperature at different times of the 

 year, and the space actually allowed in the process of track-laying is of 

 course different at different seasons. In latitude 40 degrees it is customary 

 to give 5-16ths of an inch in winter and l-16th of an inch iu summer. 

 Iron shims of the requisite thickness should be used to separate the rails 

 in laying. The best practice places the joint of one line of rails opposite 

 the centre of the rail on the other line of the same track. This arrange- 

 ment tends to break up any tendency to a regular jolting or jumping of 

 the cars as tbey pass over the joints, an effect that increases by the regular 

 repetition, and is very disagreeable on roads laid with the joints opposite. 

 Plate VI. shows another form of rail-fastenings, for which the author is 

 also indebted to the Cambria Iron Company. 



Supports of iron for the rails have been adopted with success, whei'e 

 timber is very scarce or is liable to rapid decay, as in India or other 

 tropical countries. In terrqjerate climates, however, timber is used almost 

 universally, creosoting or some other preservative process being some- 

 times employed, particularly in Europe, to increase its longevity. There 

 is a prevalent opinion that timber, on account of its elasticity, is essential 

 for supports in order to make a good road ; but this does not seem to be 

 borne out in fact, as iron has been irsed quite successfully where its ex- 

 pense has not been an objection. In America timber is still abundant, and 

 many years may elapse befoi-e other material is used to any extent ; but 

 the time ivill come when something else must take its place, and far- 

 seeing railroad men are already looking forward to the wrought-iron or 

 steel cross-tie of the future. Notwithstanding the experience of Europe, 

 it is a question whether preservatives are of much use for wooden ties in 

 America. On roads where there is heavy service, the material often wears 

 out before decaying; the harder kinds of wood, which are the best for 



