March 1, 1865.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



WOOD FOE RAILWAY SLEEPERS. 3H 



Native Indian woods (Sal (Shorea robusla), &c), chiefly from the 

 forests of the Himalaya and West Coast. 



The first of these appear to be durable in all the variations of 

 Indian climate — in Scinde and in Bengal. A part of the East Indian 

 Railway near Bally was laid with fir sleepers in 1852, and they are now 

 perfectly sound, and promise to last for several years to' come. Dr. 

 Brandis, in a report written at the beginning of last year, considers that 

 the average life of a good creosoted fir sleeper is probably not less than 

 fifteen years. In Scinde, they are liable to split and twist, owing to the 

 great dryness of the climate, but show no signs of decay. The cost is now 

 .Rupees 5 a sleeper in Calcutta. In Kurrachee four years ago it was 

 Rupees 4-7. 



Australian woods have been more extensively used in Madras and 

 Bombay than on Bengal lines. Of those hitherto tried, the Jarrah or 

 Australian mahogany is preferred. This is a heavy wood, weighing 

 52£ lbs. to the cubic foot. It is very hard, and in Madras is found 

 more liable to split from exposure to the sun than teak or the Indian 

 native woods ; so that, in an average period of eighteen months from 

 the time of laying, 10 per cent, of the sleepers were found to have de- 

 teriorated from this cause. The Madras climate is, however, much 

 drier than that of Bengal, and it is probable that it would prove more 

 durable here. A wood called " Jarool," which may possibly be the same 

 as the above,* sleepers of which were laid at Howrah in 1858, is found 

 to be still sound. Blue and white gum have been tried on the Scinde 

 Railway, but were found to split by the driving of the spikes. But many 

 woods, which would prove unsuited to the dry climate of Scinde, might 

 give more favourable results elsewhere, and we must therefore consider 

 their applicability as sleepers on our Indian railways as still an open 

 question. The cost of blue gum at Kurrachee was Rupees 4 a sleeper 

 But, like Jarrah, this is a heavy wood, and carriage to the interior would 

 therefore add much to its ultimate cost. The possible supply of 

 Australian woods appears to be unlimited. 



We are indebted to Dr. Brandis for some very valuable infor- 

 mation on the capability of the Burmah forests of yielding a supply of 

 sleepers. Of the durability of teak, there appears to be little or no 

 question ; while its weight (between 40 lbs. and 50 lbs. per cubic foot as 

 stated by Dr. Brandis ; by Mr. Brunton, as the result of actual experi- 

 ment on seasoned timber, at 33| lbs.) is considerably less than that of 

 sal or the Australian woods above mentioned. Its cost, however, is 

 greater, viz., Rupees 6 per sleeper, in Calcutta ; but Dr. Brandis considers 

 that it would prove so much more durable than sal or other woods yet 

 tried, that this would fully compensate for the greater cost. There is a 

 large quantity of small and second-class timber in the Burmah forests 



* "Jarool" is the Bengalee and Hindostanee name for the wood of Lager- 

 strcemia regime. — Editor Technologist. 



