82 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



nine cui-ves on the line, varying from 497 to 945 feet radius. The first 

 year the road was built a distance of about a quarter of a mile. In 

 1867 the track was extended to "Waumbek Junction," where it crosses 

 Fabyan's foot-path, a distance of one mile and eight rods. Work was 

 resumed May 7, 1868, and in eighty-four working days it had advanced 

 more than a mile, or to the top of "Jacob's Ladder." The work was 

 continued till cold weather set in, and the last few rods of the track was 

 laid in July, 1 869. The road was built under the superintendence of J. J. 

 Sanborn, of Franklin, N. H., at a total cost, including depots, turn-outs, 

 and rolhng stock, of about ^150,000. The indispensable peculiarity of 

 this railway is its central cog-rail, which consists of two pieces of wrought 

 angle iron, three inches wide and three eighths of an inch thick, placed 

 upon their edges, parallel to each other, and connected by strong iron 

 pins an inch and a half in diameter, and four inches apart from centre to 

 centre. The teeth of the driving wheel of the engine play into the 

 spaces between the bolts, and, as it revolves, the whole engine is made to 

 move, resting upon the outer rails. These cog-rails cost about two dol- 

 lars per foot, delivered at the base of the mountain. The appliances for 

 stopping trains are of the most perfect kind. Both friction and atmos- 

 pheric brakes are employed, and their complete reliability has been 

 proved by the severest tests. The speed of descent is entirely regulated 

 by their means without the use of steam. The engines employed have 

 been built by Walter Aiken, of Franklin, N. H., each weighing six and a 

 half tons, and rated at about fifty horse-power ; but on account of their 

 gearing they are practically two hundred horse-power. When moving, 

 the engine always takes the down-hill end of the train. While this rail- 

 way was in process of construction it was visited by a Swiss engineer, 

 who took away drawings, etc., of the machinery and track, from which a 

 similar road has been since built upon Mt. Rhigi in Switzerland : and 

 thus we have set an example worthy of imitation to an older country. 

 This road has a double track, and its length and grades are about the 

 same as upon Mt. Washington. 



Casualties upon Mt. Washington. 



Before the construction of these improved and even luxurious methods 

 of ascent, several persons had lost their lives in attempting to climb this 



