TRAMWAY RAIL JOINTS. XCIX. 
Although endeavour will be made to adhere as closely as 
possible to the subject of this paper, it may not be inappropriate 
to briefly touch on the history of the present Sydney tramway 
permanent way. Passing by the Larson and Gjedsted rails first 
used, and which had a short existence, we come to the 42 Ibs. T 
rail. This rail was first laid on sleepers 8’ x 8” x 4”, 3’ apart, 
centre to centre, and concreted from rail level to 4” below the 
sleeper, the concrete forming the street surface. The guard, 
22ibs. per yard, was separate, and bolted to the rail with 3” bolts 
through cast-iron distance pieces 1’ 6” apart to form the groove. 
Owing to the difficulty in repairing the joints, the practice of 
concreting to the surface was soon abandoned, and not allowed to 
come higher than half way up the sleeper, the surface then being 
formed with tarred metal and screenings. Concrete with this 
rail was finally abolished in 1890 as previously described. 
The difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory joint led to an experi- 
ment of laying down 71} Ibs. T rails in Devonshire-street, the 
guard rail belonging to the 42 Ibs. T rail being made adaptable 
for this purpose. The idea was that the stronger fishplate would 
give better results. These rails have been in their present position 
‘Sixteen years, although the original guard rails have been removed, 
and guards formed from worn 42 bbs. rails substituted. The fish- 
plates have also been repeatedly renewed. 
The Devonshire-street experiment was considered so satisfac- 
tory that a further length of 714 Ibs. rail was laid in Phillip-street 
in 1886, special guard rails being provided. This guard rail also 
forms the fishplate on the inner side, and weighs 33 ibs. per yard. 
The 60 Ibs. T rail was similarly treated for the outlying sections. 
In 1891 the grooved girder rail, 86 tbs. per yard, was intro- 
duced in wood-paved streets, sleepers being dispensed with, the 
rail resting directly on the cement floating covering the concrete. 
Now, in all these description of rails, from the Larson rail laid 
in 1879 to the more recent grooved girder rail, notwithstanding 
many improvements, there is still the same inherent weakness, 
