XXIV. C. O. BURGE. 



when momentum, due to the combined greater speed and weight, 

 as well as the greater inertia of the heavier stock in shunting, 

 has to be considered, it is easily seen that the necessary strength, 

 and therefore weight, of the waggon must increase in a much 

 greater ratio than the weight of the load which it has to bear. 

 If, therefore, a maximum load, in each case, could always be 

 ensured, the advantage, as regards lesser proportion of non- 

 paying or dead load, would largely lie with the 2ft. gauge. But 

 there is a marvellous quantity of virtue in this particular "if," 

 especially in the particular case before us, a qualification of the 

 principle not often enough brought forward when this supposed 

 superiority of the narrower gauges is urged ; for maximum 

 loading is quite exceptional ; such, for instance, as exists in the 

 heavy slate carrying business of the Festiniog 2ft. line in Wales, 

 the case of which, therefore, should never be quoted, as it often 

 is, as an example for other projects under altogether different, 

 conditions. The ore carrying 2ft. Zeehan line in Tasmania, 

 which has been recently put before us as a pattern, has a traffic 

 of a similar character. 



There are two points to be considered in measuring the capacity 

 of a truck, weight carrying capability, and space. If we are 

 called upon to carry a load of pig lead, for instance, the space 

 available is evidently excessive in either small or large trucks, 

 and as the maximum weight can be carried in either, owing to 

 low centre of gravity, the dead load is proportionately much 

 smaller in the smaller gauge, and still more so if the conditions of 

 the traffic necessitate the waggons returning empty, or nearly so. 



If, however, we have hay or straw to carry, we can load up 

 in the large truck, without unduly raising the centre of gravity, 

 about a third of the weight capable of being carried by it, but in 

 the 2ft. gauge truck we are obliged to stop at about 5ft. 6in. 

 over the floor, to avoid having the centre of gravity of truck 

 and load, too high for stability, this height being little more than 

 the sixth part of the height which the weight carrying capacity 

 would allow. Again, as to the loading of sheep, regard must be 

 had to overcrowding, so that this is a light load for the space 



