LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR NEW SOUTH WALES. 63 
reduction in running train miles of one thousand one hundred and 
sixty-five daily, which would represent about £15,000 per annum. 
Now take a small branch of our system, say the Cootamundra 
to Gundagai, thirty-four miles, where there is an average of about 
two and a-half trains moved daily, as against the one thousand 
one hundred and twenty-eight of the London and North Western 
section referred to. It is clear that even if the present ruling 
grade of one in fifty, which is good for say twenty-two vehicles, 
were increased to one in forty, with sixteen vehicles, the trains 
moved, to carry the same daily traffic, would be only increased by 
one, or taking the running expenses at even double the English 
rate, £887 per annum additional would be incurred, and if the 
time of the trains’ crew is not at present fully occupied, as is likely, 
probably very much less. Now £887 capitalized at four per cent. 
represents £22,175 or £652 per mile. So that if £652 or more, 
per mile could have been saved by adopting one in forty instead 
of one in fifty, it would have been justifiable to do so. As the 
country, in this particular instance, is flat, probably not even that 
amount would have been saved by keeping closer to the surface, 
and of course, in this as in nearly all cases, the traffic realized 
cannot be accurately determined beforehand. The instance there- 
fore is only brought forward as an illustration. The conclusion 
therefore is, that in dealing with such light railways as those in 
which an average traffic, probably of one train per day each way, 
can only be reckoned on, considerable boldness in steep grading, if 
money is to be saved by it in the first instance, may be displayed. 
Culverts and bridges would be modified by the closer alignment 
to surface which the adoption of steep grades and sharp curves 
imply, and their consideration, in this light, closes that of those 
items which are affected by the roughness of the country. 
We now come to the lines through flat country, and to the works 
common to both classes. Harthwork may be reduced to what is 
called forming, but in a great many instances flooding may rise 
above it, and this contingency must be put up with. Culverts 
and bridges, apart from their modification as already mentioned, 
