ECONOMICAL TRANSPORTATION. 219 



interest. The rails have a length of 5.00 m. (16.40 

 feet), and are bolted on the sleepers, which are placed 

 about every metre (3.28 feet) ; the total trav^e, which 

 is composed of two rails 5.00 m. (16.40 feet) each, 

 and five sleepers, two fish-plates, united on the end, 

 weighs but 47 kilog. (103.4 lbs.), which can be easily 

 carried by a man standing in the middle with a rail in 

 each hand. It is only in very exceptional cases where 

 it wonld be necessary to use wooden sleepers in addi- 

 tion to the above. These can be fastened by small 

 bolts passing through holes that are placed by way of 

 precaution. On many soils this would become im- 

 portant. 



In many cases where a horse cannot enter the field 

 on account of the mud, the tracks will not sink even 

 vrhen the porteur passes full. This track can be 

 made permanent, and even then the wooden sleepers 

 are not, as a general thing, necessary. To unite the 

 sections one to the end of the other the fish-plates are 

 riveted cold — these are of soft iron. As for the curves, 

 they have radii of 8 metres (26.24 feet), 6 metres (19.68 

 feet), or even 4 metres (13.12 feet), and generally form 

 one piece ; curve to the right and to the left or in one 

 direction only. Frequently the factory is established 

 on the other side of the main road, then a "passage a 

 niveau'^ is at our disposal. This is also portable. When 

 it becomes necessary to change the direction of the 

 track the movement of the switch is accomplished by 

 a kick with the foot. The turn-tables are here also 



