608 report — 1884. 



point rails and one side rail to a wrought-iron bed-plate, the two pieces 

 forming the point of the frog being dovetailed together and secured by 

 heavy mortise rivets. The other side rail is loose, being kept in place by 

 a cross-bar passing through a slot in the point and the fast rail, the loose 

 rail being kept close against the point by rubber springs and a rod 

 connecting it with the fast rail some distance beyond the point. There is 

 an objection, however, to the rivetwork and also to the plate underneath, 

 from its accumulating ice, dirt, &c, and interfering with tamping of ties. 

 The best construction is that with keys, the type being illustrated by fig. 

 3, Plate VIII., showing the pattern made by the Pennsylvania Steel Com- 

 pany. The fixed parts are tied together by two heavy clamps, secured 

 by split keys, and the ' throat ' or space between the point and wing rail 

 is maintained by closely fitting iron blocks, which are prevented from 

 moving by rivets and pins through the rails. Spring rail frogs give easy 

 riding, smooth tracks, but some of the best roads do not use them now to 

 any extent, preferring the 'stiff' frog. These also are made in several 

 ways : with riveted plate, with dividing blocks, and bolts, and with keys. 

 The keyed pattern is decidedly the best. These frogs are best with three 

 clamps, but the split keys for fastening are considered preferable to bolts. 

 This form of frog possesses all the elasticity of the rails, just the same as 

 in the regular track, making it very easy riding ; the strength of the rails 

 remains as originally, the peculiar modes of fastening have great advan- 

 tages over bolts or other arrangements, as there is nothing: that can 

 interfere with wheel flanges, and the frog rests on the ties in their usual 

 positions, giving ample room for tamping up, &c. First quality steel rails 

 should be used, drilled for the standard splice of the road ; the pieces 

 of rail forming the point should be dovetailed by planing cold, and 

 thoroughly secured by heavy rivets ; the clamps should be of heavy 

 •wrought iron, and the parts within should be secured by bevelled 

 split keys. Solid iron throat-pieces fit the rails perfectly and maintain 

 the throat space. The whole forms about as perfect a frog as can be 

 designed. There is nothing movable about the frog but the keys. These 

 should be examined by the trackmen in their course of duties, and if found 

 loose, driven tight, the split end being spread open to hold them to place. 



"Where two railroads cross each other on a level — not at all an uncom- 

 mon thing in this country — expensive crossing frogs are required. Much 

 the same style of work is used in making these frogs as for the ordinary 

 frogs, although the work is more complicated. Where the angle is very 

 acute, they can be made like the keyed stiff frogs, but in other cases it 

 appears difficult to design them without the wrought plate underneath. 



The subject-matter of this paper might be extended almost inde- 

 finitely, including interlocking switches, signals, the Westinghouse 

 Automatic air system, where compressed air is used as the moving power 

 applied by electricity, &c. ; but the author fears he has extended his limits 

 already, and he must come to a conclusion. He would like to say that, 

 on a visit to Europe in 1869, he examined very closely into the inter- 

 locking and blocking systems, returning full of ideas on these subjects; 

 but could get no one to bestow a thought upon them. It was agreed that 

 such things would not suit this country at all, that they were not needed, 

 and that the operating of switches and signals through long distances 

 would not succeed in our freezing winter climate. But there has been a 

 revolution since then. The accumulation of business and exigencies of 

 travel have demanded these improvements, and they are now in active use. 



