A
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bureau of railway efto^iowiics
washingto
PART I.
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS. IRELAND,
WITH PLATES, &c.
by
WILLIA M LEWIS,
CIVIL ENGINEER.
PART II.
LIGHT RAILWAYS, OR REMUNERATIVE
RAILWAYS
FOR
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
by
C. F. GREEN, M. INST. C.E., M. INST. C.E.I.,
CHIEF ASSISTANT ENGINEER, OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS, IRELAND.
HE
3 B2-/7 LON
Lss
DUBLIN:
JOHN FALCONER, 53 UPPER SACKVILLE STREET.
DON: E. & F. N. SPON, 15 CHARING CROSS:
NEW YORK: 44 MURRAY-STREET.
1 882.
H£3g
0.7
/ L 5T?
Price Two Shillings and Sixpence.
PART I.
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND,
WITH PLATES, &c.
EY
WILLIAM LEWIS,
CIVIL ENGINEER.
PART II.
LIGHT RAILWAYS, OK REMUNERATIVE
RAILWAYS
FOR
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
BY
C. F. GREEN, M. INST. C.E., M. INST. C.E.I.,
CHIEF ASSISTANT ENGINEER, OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS, IRELAND.
DUBLIN:
JOHN FALCONER, 53 UPPER SAC KV ILLE-STREET.
LONDON: E. & F. N. SPON, 15 CHARING CROSS;
NEW YORK : 44 MURRAY-STREET.
1882.
G. E. STECHERT & COs
APR 2 1 W2ff
¿7.2-6
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
The author of Part I. of this pamphlet being asked by many
interested in the above subject for an epitome of his paper, read
before the Institute of Engineers in 1881, also to give his ex¬
perience of the Construction and Working of the Narrow Gauge
System introduced by him into the North of Ireland some ten
years ago, has thought it better for facility of reference to
reduce his Paper to pamphlet form*—hoping that the national
importance due to the introduction of a cheap and effective
Railway System, already proved, and the detailed information
herein given, may induce inquiry leading to practical results
in " The further extension of the System throughout Ireland,"
and consequent profitable developement of her Industries.
The System in its working has been found to be singularly
free from accidents common to Wide Gauge lines, such as in
porterage at stations and accidents to travellers by trains
leaving the line, this immunity being in a great measure due
to facilities in loading and unloading goods at stations, and
from the centre of gravity of carriages and wagons being
lower, thus giving greater stability of load, and safety to the
travelling public.
Cheapness of first cost, combined with a large distribution
of paying to dead load in working, enables lines, constructed
for cash through isolated or mountainous countries, to pay a
fair dividend where the Standard or Wide Gauge could not
possibly do so—the engine power (due to the difference of
dead weight) being more profitably employed on Narrow than
on Wide Gauge Railways.
* To which has been added a paper on a kindred subject, by Mr. C. F.
Green.
4
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
Thousands of miles of Narrow Gauge have been already
constructed through India, Australia, New Zealand, South
America, Mexico, Canada and the United States, producing
the most satisfactory results.
The Narrow Gauge System in Ireland has been favourably
reviewed in the Times, Railway News, Revue Générale,
Chemins de Fer, and other scientific journals.
Electricity as a motive power for long lines has not as yet
been applied, on some short lines it has, but the system
is not matured. Steam still remains in possession, and is
likely to do so for this decade certainly, or until economy in
working and greater safety in travelling eclipse by some other
the existing system.
Fishery Piers and small Harbours have been well and
judiciously constructed by the Board of Works within the
last two years along the coast, and will, no doubt, from
the protection they afford, give a strong impetus to the im¬
portant fishing industries, but the intrinsic value of such works
can best be realised when connected by tramways or railways
with main lines, thus affording quick despatch with the metro¬
polis, chief towns, and markets.
The Port of Larne, the terminus of the Ballymena and
Larne Railway, has more than quadrupled its trade since the
opening of the Narrow Gauge Railway some four years ago,
a result due mainly to the favourable and sheltered position
of the harbour and its proximity to Scotland. Vessels draw¬
ing 18 to 20 feet of water can leave at all times of tide.
Extensive quays and wharves have been erected by the pro¬
prietor, Mr. Chaîne, M.P., and suitable machinery for loading
and unloading vessels of any tonnage erected, hence no delay
to shipping occurs, the advantages of which have been duly
appreciated by the general public, merchants, and mining
proprietors, by largely supporting this port and railway.
The author is happy to say that experience of the successful
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
working of this system has toned down a good deal of the
prejudice and objections existing heretofore to Narrow Gauge
Railways, and that many strenuous but honourable opponents
of the system heretofore are now leaning to the opinion that,
as feeders to main lines, and in supplying remote districts
with Rail accommodation, Narrow Gauge railways and
tramways are useful and necessary, and may be safely intro¬
duced without inj uriously affecting in any way or disparaging
the property or principle of the Wide Gauge lines. Neither
is the system considered unworthy the attention of our friends
at the other side of the Channel having an interest in Irish
projects, who, in forming syndicates for the development of
our mines, minerals, and railways, introduce Capital into the
country, open up new industries, improve their own properties
and ours and give employment to the many.
At this stage the author would take the liberty of digressing
for a moment from the exact text of this paper, and call the
minds of some of the older members back to a period of some
12 or 14 years ago, when Engineering was at a very low ebb
indeed. Public works being almost stagnant, Enterprise and
Capital seemed to have left our shores, no remunerative
employment could be obtained by members of the Engineering
Profession, many of whom (luckily perhaps for themselves),
went abroad, and in foreign climes obtained there the employ¬
ment, and attained the eminence their industry and ability
entitled them to at home.
This exceptional state of affairs occupied the attention of
many well-wishers of Ireland, and amongst others the late
Sir John MacNeil, with whom the author was at that time
associated in business. The subject was frequently discussed
by us with the view of arriving, if possible, at some remedy or
panacea which would restore confidence, and imbue railway
property and projectors with new life and fresh energy.
Railways were admittedly required in the country, but money
6
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
could not be obtained to construct Wide Gauge lines. It
became, therefore, necessary to cheapen their construction by
some other and effective means, which, in giving the accommo¬
dation suitable to the requirements of the country in its then
depressed state, would at the same time develop her industries.
This was proposed to be effected by extending a cheap net¬
work of Narrow Gauge Railways over Ireland, which it was
expected would meet the exigencies of the times, and give the
facilities to trade and employment then so much required.
Various plans were proposed. Sir John MacNeil recom¬
mended a 3 feet 6 inch gauge, which was estimated could at
the time be constructed and equipped for £3,000 per mile ;
fast speed was not considered necessary to the system, which
was intended for branch lines, and mineral districts, and
goods being the principal traffic—15 to 18 miles per hour
was considered sufficient speed. Stations would oidy be
erected at Terminal points. Public roads crossed on the
level (save where a bridge would be cheaper), the carriages
constructed on something of the omnibus plan, guards would
pass through, take money and give out tickets, thereby
avoiding to a great extent the heavy expenses attending the
construction of intermediate stations, platforms, signalling,
and employment of station masters, porters, and other costly
paraphernalia indispensable to the working of a Wide Gauge
system, but less required on the Narrow.
It was proposed that a company should be formed in
London, which would advance two-thirds of the capital if
the remaining one-third could be raised by baronial guarantee,
or otherwise obtained locally. The scheme fell through,
owing to panic and financial difficulties, and our Narrow
Gauge Railway was doomed to temporary oblivion, and
remained so until the year 1870, when Mr. William Valentine,
of Belfast, a gentleman of great commercial experience and
ability, anxious to develop the mineral districts of the County
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
7
Antrim, employed the author to lay off a Narrow Gauge
Railway from Ballymena to Cushendall, a distance of 21 miles,
and for which project an Act of Parliament was obtained. This
line—the first Narrow Gauge Railway constructed in Ireland—
was completed and opened for goods traffic in the year 1875.
This railway was followed by another, promoted by Mr.
Chaîne, M.P., and others, from the Port of Larne to
Ballymena, with branches, a distance of some thirty miles.
This useful project was opposed both in the Lords and
Commons, but was carried, and the line completed and
opened for passenger traffic and goods in the year 1878.
In continuation of the same system a Bill was applied for
in 1879, for a line from Ballymena to Portglenone, a distance
of some 11 miles, which was also opposed in Lords and Com¬
mons, but was carried, and for the construction of which the
contract drawings have been prepared, and the line pegged out.
These projects, simple and useful in themselves, were
obtained at great Parliamentary expense to the respective com¬
panies. And here the author would take the liberty of calling
attention to the conduct of Irish Railway Bills through Par¬
liament, and the heavy expenses, delays, and inconveniences
attending their progress through committees. He knows of
many good measures that were abandoned in consequence of
this dreaded expense, and which he, in common with other
engineers, found to act as a great bar to the development of
useful measures for Ireland, and discouragement to local
promoters and others actuated by good wishes and desirous to
further her industries.
When we consider the heavy cost of obtaining an Act for
a simple project, such as a plain local railway, or other
useful scheme, requiring but ordinary engineering skill to
project, and little legal acumen to exercise in the preparation
of the Bill, surely a local commission composed, say, of five
Irish members of Parliament, having no direct interest in
8
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
the schemes proposed, could, from their residence in, and
knowledge of the requirements of the country, and the
merits of the proposed measures, arrive at a more direct and
satisfactory conclusion at one quarter the expense and time
than by the present tedious and expensive process " of
lodging plans in London, where they lie for probably 4 or 5
months, then hurrying over witnesses to committees (many of
whom are not examined at all), employing a host of counsel,
Parliamentary agents, and so-called experts, who often from
their ignorance of the country and its necessities muddle a
clear plain case, and allow clauses to be inserted in the Act
which in practice are afterwards found to be injurious and
destructive to the success of an otherwise good and remu¬
nerative project."
The author hopes that public attention will be directed to
to this—a real grievance—and that through its powerful
voice energetic members of Parliament may be induced to
bring this matter before the House for inquiry. In the
Isle of Man local bills are locally disposed of. Why cannot
the same thing be done here ? The standing orders could be
easily adjusted to meet the requirements of this country, such
as the clauses affecting the gauge, the time and place for
lodgment of documents, and constitution of the commission
of inquiry, which could be held at the nearest assize town,
where the cases could be practically decided, and, if approved,
the plans for construction at once proceeded with, the Poyal
assent being obtained in the usual course, thus effecting a
saving in time of at least a half, as compared with the
present system, which takes from 9 to 12 months from time
of lodgment of documents to that of obtaining the Act.
It is hoped that these remarks will not be considered foreign
to the subject matter of this paper, or that it will be thought
that they are influenced by any feeling other than a sincere
desire in the interests of our country to have the abuse
NAKROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
9
remedied, our bills facilitated, and useful measures carried,
at a reasonable expense and in a practicable shape.
The County Antrim is the only part of Ireland at present
where Narrow Gauge Railways have been introduced, about
70 miles of which have been constructed and are at work.
On the Ballymena and Cushendall Railway, only used at
present for mineral traffic, the working expenses average
about 38 per cent, of the receipts. On the Ballymena and
Larne Railway, a passenger and goods line, the receipts at
present are not more than £9 per mile per week ; the
working expenses are necessarily high, some 60 per cent., but
as the traffic is rapidly increasing, this high rate will reduce
in proportion to the receipts, as the appliances for working
the line can accommodate at least double the traffic at
present brought over the railway.
On the Cushendall Mineral Railway, 4 per cent, has been
paid in dividends, and on the latter 2 per cent.
The average cost per mile proper exclusive of land and
rolling stock of the Cushendall Railway was £3,600. The
average of the Ballymena and Larne £3,400.
In the case of the Cushendall Railway, had a Wide Gauge
Line been made, it would have been both costly and un-
remunerative from the physical difficulties of construction.
And in the case of the Ballymena and Larne, the line would
have been (if practicable at all) very costly, and unsuited to
the requirements of the district.
But for the introduction of the Narrow Gauge Railway
System, the County Antrim would now be deprived of the
benefits obtained from the development of its mines, mills,
and other resources, and a large tract of country left un¬
opened and unconnected with the markets and seaports.
The rate of speed on Narrow Gauge Railways in the North
of Ireland averages 18 miles per hour for goods or mixed
trains, and 23 miles per hour for passenger trains ; this rate
10 NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
of speed can be increased if found necessary, but as there is
no necessity for fast speed, it is found that all the requirements
of present traffic are fully provided for by this rate.
Narrow Gauge Railways can be constructed cheaply through
hilly districts, where the Wide Gauge, from its great expense,
would be rendered impracticable. Wide Gauge Lines with
proportionate curves, and necessarily heavy earthwork and
masonry, incident to a rough country would be doubled and
quadrupled in cost. Some of the railways for instance already
constructed in the North of Ireland, namely the Larne and
Ballymena, and Cushendall Railways, would have proved sad
examples in the history of railway failures if formed on the
Wide Gauge principle, as from his long experience of Wide
Gauge Railway construction the author feels sure that they
could not have paid one shilling dividend, and it is doubtful
if they could have even paid " working expenses."
Narrow Gauge Railways constructed through rough
countries contrast most favourably with Wide in point of
cost. But even through level countries, apart from the
saving in land, permanent way, &c., the advantages are very
great in avoidance of heavy bridges, road approaches, and
expensive lands and houses, by the introduction of curves and
gradients, not applicable to a Wide Gauge Line.
Narrow Gauge Railways have been constructed to the
extent of hundreds of miles through India, Norway, Queens¬
land, Canada, and in the United States, where the standard
gauge is 3 feet, and great savings effected in working expenses.
On Narrow Gauge Railways in Ireland, the waggons are
constructed to hold 6 tons of goods, with a tare of 2\ tons.
On some of the Wide Gauge, as at present worked, the
proportion is about 1 to 1, that is, 6 tons of paying load to
ti tons of dead weight, and on the Narrow, !> tons of paying
load to 2| tons of dead weight. It is found in actual work
that the disparity between paying and non-paying load is
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND. 11
much increased (except in mineral traffic) from large or Wide
Gauge Waggons being unable always to carry their maximum
load arising from bulky freights, which, though filling the
waggon, only weigh perhaps some 2 or 3 tons.
The carriages are constructed on the Bogie system, to hold
an average of 40 passengers each, the accommodation is found
sufficient, and the motion to be at least as smooth as on first-
class constructed railways.
The engines for passengers are Bogie tank engines, weigh¬
ing about 18 tons full, and the goods engines about 24 tons.
Narrow G auge stock we find in practice to be proportionately
stronger than the Wide, the waggons are easier loaded and
shunted, and from their strength not easily injured by fly
shunting.
A Narrow Gauge Railway fully equipped with suitable
stock, for say a length of 30 miles, may be constructed over
an ordinary country for £5,000, and as low as £4,000, per
mile, where a Broad Gauge Railway could not be constructed
for less than from £7,000 to £9,000.
The working expenses of the Bally mena and Larne Railway
are Is. 8d. per train mile; Broad Gauge Railways average
2s. 6d. to 3s. per train mile.
Steam tramways (fenced off) for light traffic may be profit¬
ably introduced to suburban districts, along country roads,
where wide and suitable, and for country districts where the
cost of a railway from the very limited character of the
traffic could not possibly pay, and which could be afterwards
converted into a railway, if the traffic increased and justified
the change, by widening the roads, if necessary, and fencing
in the railway, as we propose to do, with some tramways in
this country.
In other provinces much good could be accomplished by
the promotion and extension of cheap railways and tramways.
Hundreds of miles of country are at present unprovided with
12 NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
railway accommodation to markets and the sea board, and the
people, in consequence thereof, thrown almost a century back
in commercial pursuits and industries, which this system
would inevitably develop and remedy.
In giving the comparative cost and savings, effected on each
main item, " Broad and Narrow Gauge, Single and Double
Lines," the author hopes he will be acquitted of any attempt
to institute invidious comparisons between the two systems
which are both necessary of their kind, the cost and working
expenses of either depending upon local conditions, some lines
from their traffic showing large receipts and cheap working
expenses, whilst others from small receipts, show necessarily
large working expenses.
The accompanying diagrams may assist in illustrating the
two systems, and conveying perhaps more clearly the objects
of this paper.
In Plate 4, Diagrams 1 and la, are shown in Red tint,
the savings effected in earthworks and ballasting, for Narrow
Gauge, Single and Double lines, as compared with Broad
Gauge Railways.
In Plate 3, Diagrams 2 and 2a, the Red tint shows
the savings in construction of Public Road Bridges, Single
and Double line.
In Plate 4, Diagram 3, the savings in permanent way,
and in Plate 3, Diagram 4, is shown in Red the savings
in earthworks, metalling, fencing, &c., in road approaches
to bridges, as compared with Wide Gauge lines.
The author estimates the cost of 1 mile of Narrow Gauge
Railway through ordinary country, taking as data the cuttings
at an average depth of 5 feet, with two public road bridges per
mile, independent of rolling stock, Parliamentary expenses, Law
and Engineering, at £4,100 per mile, and of a Wide Gauge
Railway upon similar data, at £5,700 per mile, making a
saving of £1,653 per mile in favour of Narrow Gauge.
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND. 13
He estimates the cost of a Double Narrow Gauge Railway
at £5,800 per mile, as compared with £8,214 of Wide Gauge,
making a saving of £2,411 per mile in favour of the Narrow
Gauge upon the data heretofore stated.
The savings therefore, upon construction of a Single Line
of Narrow Gauge (say 30 miles long), would be £49,590, and
upon a Double Line, £72,330, apart from maintenance of
works, which is nearly in the direct proportion to gauge—ie.,
3' : 5-25". (See Board of Trade Returns). And from savings
in cost of rolling stock, which would be very considerable, the
cost dependent of course (as already stated), on the character
of the traffic.
The savings on a mile of Single Narrow Gauge Railway
Construction and on a mile of Double Line ditto, as com¬
pared with the Wide Gauge Lines are as follows :—
SINGLE LINE.
Earthwork, per mile -
-£150
10
0
Road Approaches -
- 194
4
0
Fencing of Road Approaches -
- 16
10
0
Road Metal -
- 12
12
0
Ballast and Boxing -
- 133
12
0
Public Road Bridges
- 211
0
0
Permanent Way—Rails and Fastenings 423
0
0
Sleepers -----
- 133
6
8
Carriage of Materials and laying
5
16
0
Culverts -----
7
10
0
Accommodation Works -
- 20
0
0
Land -
- 75
0
0
Proportion of Signals
- 20
0
0
Stations and Platforms
- 100
0
0
£1,503
0
8
Contingencies, 10 per cent.
150
0
0
Saving on 1 mile
£1,653
0
0
or (Say £1,653 x 30 = £49,590 on 30 Miles.)
14
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
DOUBLE LINE OF NARROW GAUGE.
Savings on a mile of Narrow Gauge Construction:—
Earthwork, per mile
-£200
13
0
Road approaches -
- 194
4
0
Fencing of Road Approaches
- 16
10
0
Road Metal -
- 12
12
0
Ballast and Boxing -
- 177
0
0
Road Bridges -
- 224
0
0
Permanent Way, Rails and Fastening 841
10
0
Sleepers -
- 266
13
4
Carriage of Materials and Laying
- 11
12
0
Culverts - - - - -
7
10
0
Accommodation Works
- 20
0
0
Land -----
- 100
0
0
Proportion of Signals
- 20
0
0
Proportion of Stations and Platforms
i- 100
0
0
£2,192
4
4
10 per cent. Contingencies -
- 219
8
5
£2,411
12
9
Say £2,411 x 30 = £72,330 on 30 miles.
These amounts are calculated upon the most favourable
condition of prices—viz., the earthworks at 1/- per cubic
yard; fencing, at 1/6 per yard; ballast, 2/6 per cubic yard;
rubble masonry, at 15/-; arching, 30/-; rails at £8 per ton;
land, £100 per acre, and all other prices in proportion—
the proportion of cost (Wide and Narrow) being regulated by
the current prices of labour and materials and the physical
character of the country.
On the Ballymena and Larne Railway the ruling gradient
is 1 in 41, and 1 in 46 for a length of 1 mile 37 chains, out of
Larne, round some curves of 7 chains radius, from which No. 3
Engine brings up a nett load of 80 tons at a speed of about
12 miles per hour—a good deal of course depending upon the
condition of the rails—when the rails are dry and no slipping
narrow gauge railways, ireland.
15
occurs, this average load and rate are exceeded. With No. 1
Engine and 1 Saloon Carriage we have run the 24 miles in 52
minutes. Fast speed, however, is not now required or con¬
sidered important on this line of railway.
As regards working expenses, on the Ballymena and Larne
Railway the receipts are under £9 per mile per week, the
working expenses on receipts are 5811 per cent., and per
train mileage 18'94d., the average fare per passenger 6'28d.,
and the traffic receipts per mile 2s. 6d.
The actual cost per train mile is—
a.
Traffic ______
5-56
Locomotive -
4-89
Permanent Way
3-53
Carriages and Waggons -
1-13
General Charges - - - - -
216
Compensation, Loss, and Damage of Goods
003
Rates and Taxes -----
034
174)4
Repairs and Renewals -
1-50
Total -
19-14
narrow gauge railway rolling stock.
Plate 2 exhibits the engines used on the Ballymena
and Larne Railway. The full details are given thereon.
No. 1 engine is a Bogie engine, having driving and trail
wheels coupled ; her total length 20 feet, and weight, loaded,
19 tons 3 cwt. 3 qrs. ; the Bogie wheels are 2 feet diameter,
and weight on wheels 3 tons 18 cwt.; the driving wheels
are 3 feet 9 inches diameter, and weight on wheels 7 tons
14 cwt. 2 qrs.; the weight on trailing wheels 7 tons 11 cwt.
I qr. ; the height from rail to top of funnel 9 feet 8 inches,
and height of foot-plate from rail 2 feet 9£ inches ; cylinders,
II inches diameter and 18-inch stroke.
16
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
No. 2 engine is a side-tank engine ; 6 wheels coupled, 3 feet
3 inches diameter ; weight on leading wheel 7 tons, on driving
wheels 7 tons 7 cwt. 3 qrs., and on trailing wheels 6 tons
14 cwt. 1 qr.; her total weight, loaded, 21 tons 2 cwt.; total
length, 19 feet ; wheel base, 10 feet 6 inches ; outside cylinders,
13¿ inches diameter and 18-inch stroke.
No. 3 engine, saddle-tank, 6 wheels coupled, 3 feet 3 inches
diameter, with Bogie wheels 2 feet diameter; the weight on
Bogies 4 tons 2 qrs., on the leading wheels 7 tons 1 cwt. 2 qrs.,
on the drivers 7 tons 1 cwt. 2 qrs., and on the trailing wheels
7 tons 10 cwt.—the total weight of engine, loaded, being
25 tons 13 cwt. 2 qrs. ; total length of engine 20 feet 6 inches,
and height 9 feet 8 inches from rail—the fixed wheel base
being 7 feet 6 inches; cylinders, 14 inches diameter and
18-inch stroke.
There are 5 locomotives of the above type working on the
Ballymena and Larne Railway, their average nett load being
90 tons, lifted over an incline of 1 in 40, at a speed of
12 to 15 miles per hour, and round curves of 7 chains radius.
The average price of the engines is about £1,450.
CARRIAGES AND WAGGONS.
The carriages used on the Ballymena and Larne Rail¬
way (Plate 1) are Bogie carriages, averaging 35 feet in
length, and weighing about 9 tons each, and Cleminson's
flexible wheel base carriage, averaging 30 feet long, and
weighing about 7 tons. The number of people carried
comfortably in each carriage averages about 40. Only
1st and 3rd class carriages are used. The floors of the
carriages are 2 feet 10 inches over rail, and 6 feet
8 inches wide in clear, and 6 feet 4 inches from floor to
inside of roof. The guard's look-out projects 10£ inches at
each side of carriage, and the overhang 1 foot 7 inches both
sides. The average cost of a Bogie carriage is £530 ; that of a
narrow gauge railways, ireland.
17
Cleminson, £430. The tare of the coal trucks averages 2± tons,
and carries a profitable load of 6 tons, and costs about £40.
The cattle trucks weigh some 3 tons tare, and carry 8 to 10
fat cattle, and 12 to 15 store. The cost of the trucks
averages £60.
The iron hopper waggons weigh 2 tons 8 cwt. (used for
iron ore), carry 5 tons, and cost £50 each.
The end tip waggons weigh 2 tons 8 cwt., carry 6 tons,
and cost £41 each.
On the Cushendall Mineral Railway the ore is discharged
from a high level narrow gauge, by side tip waggons, into
the Northern Counties broad gauge waggons, and by hopper
waggons from a high level stage—both are found in practice
to be suitable ; the cost of interchange averaging Id. per ton.
The cost of transferring and discharging by steam crane
into the ships at quay averages about 3d. per ton; and
this would fairly represent the average cost of interchange
of traffic with broad gauge lines, the cost depending very
much upon the appliances and local facilities for exchange.
The continuous brake power used on the Ballymena and
Larne Railway is that known as Smith's Vacuum Brake. The
experiments made and given herein may be interesting.
The train consisted of 1 single Bogie engine (No. 1) with
side tanks, loaded, weight about 20 tons, and 3 Bogie
carriages, each 35 feet long—the total weight being about
60 tons of train load.
Results.
Experiment
Miles
per
Hour
Train Stopped in
Seconds
Gradient
No. 1
25
35
35
33
33
20
110
160
180
150
112
134
in 12 Fall, 1 in 710.
„ 12 Fall, 1 in 667.
„ - Slight rise.
,, 14 Falling.
„ 14 Falling 1 in 65.
„ 19 Falling 1 in 40.
18 NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND
Before entering into the question of detail and compara¬
tive expenses the author would wish to say a few words upon
a subject which seems to occupy some attention at present in
Parliament, the result of which may have an important bearing
on the future of our Narrow Gauge Railways in Ireland.
He alludes to the Gauge question, whose resurrection now
seems likely to occupy more general attention than even in
the palmy days of the great Brunei, when each system had its
own strenuous and consistent advocate.
The Irish 5' 3" gauge is generally conceded to have been
a sort of compromise between the two English gauges—wide
and narrow—at one time extensively used, but, témpora
mutantur, only one now remains—viz , " the narrow or 4' 8^"
gauge," proving by long experience that " public opinion has
declared in that country of commercial fame" in favour of
the narrow, by reducing, in one fell swoop, 2' 5" off width
of their wide gauge system, and reducing it to a general
gauge of 4' 8^".
Now we do not look for or want in Ireland this wholesale
change of gauge, but, profiting by the example given us by
our sister country, ask for the reasons herein given, that the
standard costly gauge of 5' 3" may be altered and adjusted
in future lines to meet the circumstances of each case, and the
requirements of the country. According to Board of Trade
returns, we have about 1 mile of line for every 15 square
miles of country, whereas in England there is 1 mile of rail¬
way to about 5 square miles of country.
The average cost of Irish lines, including rolling stock, is
given at £14,150 per mile, the fares and rates are much
higher than in England, and the number of passengers and
goods carried vastly less in proportion to the population.
These with other important statistics were forcibly brought
before the House of Lords by Viscount Liflford, in Session
1879, when,after afull debate, Viscount Cranbrook's resolution,
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND. 19
in effect the same, was carried :—" That, in the opinion
of this House, the construction of railways in Ireland on a
gauge narrower than W 3", where the construction of railways
on the standard gauge would be neither remunerative nor
practicable, is desirable."
Here this " honourable and impartial tribunal " admitted
the merits and necessity of a change of gauge in some cases,
recommending its adoption through districts where the costly
5' 3" would infliet injury rather than service—viz., through
undeveloped and sparsely populated districts. In practice we
find a ton of goods disposed upon a narrow gauge to be
stronger as regards its carrying power, than the same weight
extended over a broader base. No accident in travelling has
occurred in this country to mar the success of this now wide¬
spread principle, or weaken public confidence in its favour;
and, with the expressed sanction of the House of Lords, " so
traditionally slow to countenance new-fangled schemes," the
author looks forward to an impetus being given to Narrow
Gauge Railways in the future.
In the estimates attached to this paper of comparative cost—
Broad and Narrow Gauge Railways, single and double lines —
it will be seen that an average depth of 5 feet cutting has
been assumed, having two public road bridges, and the usual
accommodation works per mile, on a railway passing through
an ordinarily level country. This data is by no means a
favourable one to illustrate the Narrow Gauge Railway
advantages; it rather cuts the other way, for the more difficult
the country traversed and the more valuable the property,
the greater the advantages of the narrow gauge (as already
stated) in avoidance of costly lands and physical difficulties,
by the introduction of quick curves and stiff gradients. The
object, however, of submitting this additional paper is not
with the view of magnifying or colouring in any way the
advantages of a narrow over a wide gauge line, but to exhibit a
20 NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
plain unvarnished case, supported by practical experience and
figures.
Taking the items seriatim, in the estimate attached, of
single lines broad and narrow gauge, there is in No. 1 item
a saving in earthworks of 3,010 cubic yards, which, at Is.
per yard in both cases, makes a saving of £150 10s. per
mile. This saving is produced by the narrow gauge base
being reduced to 11 feet from 14 feet, the least required on
the broad, the consequent savings following, as shown in red
on the cross sections (Plate 4)—the Board of Trade Regula¬
tions, as shown on diagram, as to widths and distances from
standing work, fixing these widths respectively.
Item 2—Public Road Approaches.—The saving effected
here in quantity is 3,884 cubic yards of earth, representing
£194 4s. in cash, the amount being made up by the difference
in headway of bridges (over railway), as shown in diagram
No. 4, Plate 3, the quantity in road approaches being obviously
much less in narrow than on wide.
Item 3—Fencing of Railway.—No credit is taken for
savings in this item, although the form of fence used is
different in style and much cheaper in construction than that
commonly used on wide gauge lines ; but as this fence can be
equally applied in either case, it is altogether omitted in the
credits.
Item 4—Fencing of Road Approaches.—A saving is effected
here of £16 10s. per mile, the length of approaches being
obviously shorter. This also applies to Item 6—Road Metal—
where the saving is £12 12s. per mile.
Item 5—Ballast.—£133 12s. per mile is here saved, the
ballast being 7 feet wide on the narrow gauge and 10 feet
wide on the broad.
Items 7 and 8—Public Road Bridges (Plate 3).—The style
or character of bridges used on narrow gauges is shown in
diagrams 2 and 2a, the masonry being of sound rubble, and
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND. 21
the quoins and coping of hammered square work. The
savings effected amount to £211 per mile, caused by less work ;
the bridges in one case being 14 feet span and 14 feet high,
and in the other 11 feet span and 10 feet 9 inches high.
Items 9 and 10—Permanent Way (Plate 4, diagram 3).—
The rails used on Narrow Gauge Railways are 44 lbs. per
yard, the fish plates 5 lbs. each, and the sleepers 5' 6" long
X 8" X 4¿". The diagram represents a flange rail, found in
practice to be the most suitable section for this form of road.
A broad gauge of similar section flange rail—also shown on
drawing—75 lbs. per yard, with suitable fish plates, sleepers,
and fastenings, would cost £1,345 per mile, the saving being
£562 2s. 8d. per mile, at the prices quoted. The fish plates
are sometimes quoted at £1 per ton in advance of rails, but
by arrangement with manufacturer may be obtained same price
as rails.
Item 11—Fastenings.—A saving is effected of £21 per
mile, due to smaller section of fish bolts, fang bolts, spikes,
and top and bottom plates.
Item 12—In Sleepers a saving of £133 6s. 8d. per mile is
due to shorter lengths and smaller scantlings.
Item 13—Carriage of Materials and Laying.—The saving
is obvious; less weight per mile to be carried, and greater
facility and cheapness in handling materials.
Item 14—Culverts.—Shorter, due to difference in length
of base of slope in embankments.
Item 15—Accommodation Works.—Saving due to pro¬
portionate heights and widths of bridges.
Item 16—Land.—In this item there is a saving of £75
per mile, due to less width, as shown in cross sections.
Item 17—Proportion of Signal Saving.—This depends
very much on the requirements of the Board of Trade officer.
The speed not being so fast on Irish lines, and the trains
not so frequent, a less elaborate and expensive system should
22 NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
he tolerated on narrow lines. Signals at facing points and
stations and a distant signal are necessary ; but why we should
he saddled with locking gear, ground signals, and all the
mysteries of the metropolitan block system, where only 4
trains both ways would be the maximum traffic, remains to
be corrected, and no doubt will in future Narrow Gauge
Lines. It is estimated, however, that a saving of £20 per
mile is effected by less signalling than required on the broad
gauge.
Item 18—Proportion of Stations and Platforms.—The
author estimates the savings effected in this item at £100
per mile, caused by carriage floors being 1 foot 2 inches lower
than on broad gauge, and less work in consequence in the
foundations of stations and platforms when used. Simple
intermediate sheds would effect great economy in outlying
districts, where the passenger traffic must necessarily be
limited.
There has been no experience in this country of the working
of Double Narrow Gauge Railways ; the items and estimates
given in Abstract apply to their construction, and are calcu¬
lated upon the same principle and prices of single lines. The
author will not, therefore, go through these items again, as
the diagrams and annexed detailed estimates will show their
meaning and intention. Suffice it to say, that he calculates
a difference of 29 per cent, in railway construction on single
lines, and 29*35 per cent, on double lines in favour of narrow
gauge.
In the detailed estimates following the item land is taken
at £100 per acre, which includes severance. This price is
considered in Ireland to be a full average value for Railway
purposes.
Now that the judicial rents have been lowered some 25 per
cent., the benefit of the reduction should fairly apply to
Railways and further stimulate their construction.
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, IRELAND.
23
In many parts of Ireland, and in particular where Narrow
Gauge Lines have been laid down, as in the North of
Ireland, landowners anxious to encourage this system, such
as Lord Waveney, Lord Donegal, Mr. Chaîne, M.P., &c.,
have taken shares or annuities for the value of their lands,
which operation materially assists struggling Companies
where local subscriptions are difficult to obtain, and enables
cash contracts to be entered into to complete their works
with economy.
The author would call attention to the fact that (due to
the difference of gauge) Ireland is saddled with a more costly
and cumbrous working system than either England or Scot¬
land, although her general traffic cannot favourably compare
with either country, and that, no matter how the Rolling
Stock may be altered or lightened, the Standard Irish Gauge
inflicts a loss upon the profitable working of our Railway
system, but which, in many future lines, may be remedied
by an " alteration of the gauge"
o. 1
2
3
4
5
«
1-8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Cash Estimate of Comparative Cost of One
SINGLE LINES.
NARROW GAUGE
Quantity
Price
Earthworks.
One Mile, base 11 ft., slopes If to 1, average 5 ft.
cutting, - - - - - c. yds.
18,320
1 /-
Publie Boad Approaches (2), incline 1 in
25, „
3,084
1/-
Fencing Bailway, •
- 1. yds.
3,520
1/6
Do. Boad Approaches, -
»
250
2/6
Ballast, ....
- c. yds.
1,662
2/-
Boad Metal, ....
it
186
3/-
Public Boad Bridges (2)—
Bubble Masonry, 182 c. yds. at 15/-,
£136 10 0
Quoins, Coping, & Bings, 217 c.ft. at 2/6, 27 2 6
>(2) -
—
Arching, 12 c. yds. at 30/-,
18 0 0
Permanent Way.
Bails (44 lbs.), ...
Fish Plates, -
tons
t>
69 )
2i)
£8
Fastenings, ....
it
2|
£14
Sleepers, ....
No.
2,000
1/8
Carriage of Materials and Laying,
tons
141
li¬
Culverts, ....
- 1. yds.
60
so 1-
Accommodation Works (3 level crossings,
1 bridge), -
—
—
Land, ....
-
5f acres
£100
Proportion of Signals,
-
—
—
Do. Stations and Platforms,
-
—
—
Contingencies, 10 per cent.,
-
—
—
Without Stock, &c.,
-
—
—
Note.—The cost of Boiling Stook for the above mileage would average £700 per mile.
and Broad Gauge. Railway, Single Line, say 30 Miles Long.
SINGLE LINES.
BROAD GAUGE
Quantity
Cost
Saving
in
Quantity
Saving
in
Cost
Earthworks.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d.
One Mile, base 14 ft., slopes 14 to 1, average 5 ft.
cutting, - - - - c. yds.
21,330
1,066
10
0
3,010
150
10
0
Road Approaches (2), incline 1 in 25,
»
6,968
348
8
0
3,884
194
4
0
Fencing Railway,
- L yds.
3,520
264
0
0
—
—
Do. Road Approaches,
»
382
47
15
0
—
16
10
0
Ballast, - - -
- c. yds.
2,998
299
16
0
1,336
133
12
0
Road Metal,
»
270
40
10
0
—
12
12
0
Public Road Bridges (2)—
Rubble Masonry, 300 c. yds., at 15/-,
£225 0 0
)
Quoins, Coping, &c., 305 c. ft., at 2/6,
38 2 6
>(8)
574
5
0
—
211
0
0
Arching, 18 c. yds., at 30/-,
24 0 0
)
Permanent Way.
Rails (75 lbs.), ».
Fish Plates,
tons
»
117
4
936
36
0
0
0
0
!-
402
0
0
Fastenings,
tf
H
59
10
0
—
21
0
0
Sleepers, -
No.
2,000
300
0
0
—
133
6
8
Carriage of Materials and Laying,
tons
257
12
17
0
—
5
16
0
Culverts, -
- 1. yds.
65
97
10
0
—
7
10
0
Accommodation Works (3 level crossings, 1 bridge),
—
170
0
0
—
20
0
0
Land, ....
-
6 acres
600
0
0
f acre
75
0
0
Proportion of Signals,
-
—
120'
0
0
—
20
0
0
Do. Stations and Platforms,
-
—
200
0
0
—
100
0
0
5,173
1
0
1,503
0
8
Contingencies, 10 per cent.,
-
517
0
0
150
0
0
Without Stock, &c., -
•
5,690
1
0
1,653
0
8
Noie.—The cost of Rolling Stock for above mileage would average £1,000 per mile.
Cost of
One Mile of Narrow
Items
NARROW GAUGE
Quantity
Price
Cost
Earthworks.
£
s.
d.
1
One Mile, base 21 ft., slopes 1J to 1,
cutting, -
average 5 ft.
- c. yds.
28,353
V-
1,417
13
0
2
Road Approaches (2), incline 1 in 25,
55
3,084
V-
154
4
0
3
Fencing Railway,
- 1. yds.
3,520
1/6
264
0
0
4
Do. Road Approaches,
55
250
2/6
31
5
0
5
Ballast, ....
- c. yds.
2,220
2/-
222
0
0
6
Road Metal, -
55
186
3/-
27
18
0
7 8
Public Road Bridges (2)—
Rubble Masonry, 190 c. yds., at 15/-,
- £142 10
Quoins Coping, &c., 290 c. ft., at 2/6,
36 5
V(2) -
—
405
10
0
Arching, 16 c. yds., at 30/-,
24 0
>
Permanent Wat.
9
Rails (44 lbs.),
tons,
138
£8
1,104
0
0
10
Fish Plates, -
„
H
£9
40
10
0
11
Fastenings, -
55
5k
£14
77
0
0
12
Sleepers, ....
No.
4,000
1/8
333
8
8
13
Carriage of Materials and Laying, -
tons,
282
1/-
14
2
0
14
Culverts, -
- 1. yds.
90
30/-
135
0
0
15
Accommodation Works,
-
—
—
200
0
0
16
Land, -
-
64 acres
£100
650
0
0
17
Proportion of Signals,
-
—
—
100
0
0
18
Do. Stations and Platforms,
*
*—
100
5,276
0
8
0
8
Contingencies, 10 per cent.,
-
—
—
527
0
0
Cost per mile without Rolling Stock,
—
—
5,803
8
8
and Broad Gauge Railway, Double Lines, say 30 Miles Long.
DOUBLE LINES.
BROAD GAUGE
Quantity
Amount
Saving
in
Quantity
Saving
in
Cost
Eabthwoeks.
One mile, base 25 ft., slopes 14 to 1,
5 ft. cutting, -
average
- c. yds.
32,366
£
1,618
s.
6
d.
0
£
200
s.
13
d.
0
Road Approaches (2), incline 1 in 25,
55
6,968
348
8
0
—
194
4
0
Fencing Railway,
- 1. yds.
3,520
264
0
0
—
1 Do. Road Approaches,
»
382
47
15
0
—
16
10
0
Ballast, -
- c. yds.
3,990
399
0
0
—
177
0
0
Road Metal,
55
270
40
10
0
—
12
12
0
Public Road Bridges (2)—
Rubble Masonry, 310 c. yds,, at 15/-,
£232 10
Quoins, Coping, &c., 370 c. ft., at 2/6,
46 5
><2)-
629
10
0
—
224
0
0
Arching, 24 c. yds., at 30/-, -
- 36 0
Permanent Wat.
Rails (75 lbs.), -
tons
234
1,872
0
0
—
768
0
0
Fish Plates,
55
8
72
0
0
—
31
10
0
Fastenings,
55
84
119
0
0
—
42
0
0
Sleepers, ...
No.
4,000
600
0
0
—
266
13
4
Carriage of Materials and Laying,
tons
514
25
14
0
—
11
12
0
Culverts,
- 1. yds.
95
142
10
0
—
7
10
0
Accommodation Works, -
-
—
220
0
0
—
20
0
0
Land, ....
-
74 acres
750
0
0
—
100
0
0
Proportion of Signals, -
-
—
120
0
0
—
20
0
0
„ Stations and Platforms,
•
—
200
0
0
—
100
0
0
7,468
13
0
—
2,192
4
4
Contingencies, 10 per cent.,
-
—
746
0
0
219
4
5
Cost per mile without Rolling Stock, -
—
8,214
13
0
—
2,411
8
9
3
Forster & C?Lith^Dwbbcro.
Narrow Gauge Railways, Ireland.
Cattle Wagon
i ; '
Bogie Carriage
Sc do JELevccZcorc
Plate 1.
i
Cleminson Composite Carriage
Ij caqótadon-cct S-z-oCroa-
F rami
Ficon,
Fart FLojv oC . trie. Frames on. Carve
F ogle
r ■
Coal Wagon
PI co ft
fl°i
3rd class
lSTCLASS
narrow
N? !,
Gauge Railways, Ireland.
LOCOMOTIVES
;N° 2.
f l it eels
1
Z
3
kciuDttU
lirinng
Trading
Bogie
(copied
Liiam'i
Z ■ 0
3 • 9
3 • 9
Total;_
Gf lenders Oalside 7tin? Dram 18 Siecke
Boiler '7 ■ 81 long 2. -10i Dunn '' fOudmrU-j
Tubes 703 (Brass) 3 ■ ID (vug 17uis 0aïeule. DuuiT
Copper lire fíca> 3 71 long * / • 3 wide '■ 3 71 fughs
Wealing Surface ire Tubes 348 70 Square feels
Do „ firebox 43 - Z8
Trial 391 W
Areas of Tummle GAS Square feeT
Waler Tank ¡Sido lo contain 450 Gallons
Furls Span 32 cabio feel
Wem h t oris
7rr,f u ft,-t CTf
3-18 0
n
ii
Z
7
79 S 3
Wheels
7
Z
3
Leading
Driving
Trailing _
CcoLplecf_
DiamT
3 • 3
3 3
3 • 3
Weight ore
Tons °&*t,
7 ■ 0 ■ C
7 ■ 7
6 ■ 74
3
j
27 ■ Z
0
• Totals—
Cylinders OuIsuIas 732 oris? Dwriv1) 78 Stroke
Boiler 8 ■ 0 lona 3 3 ¡brunt
Tubes 73Z (Bras s J 8- Silcng J§ Oalsidr. fham'
Copper• Firebox 7 81 long < 7 lliuxdc 8 7 lurjhs a t- Front 2 IS /ugh a t Buck
Wheels
7
Regie,
Z
hearhriq
6
Drvnng
4
Trailing
).
Ilium'.'
Wei.
qhl
oris
mt
i fovb
<?"?
S -z
V
4-
* 0
£
7
8
3
7
■ 7 •
Ms.
Coupled J
S
8
7
7
Z
_ (
3 -
Ô
7
70
0
Total
25 ■
73
z
2Tealing surfaces ta Tubes
Do ,, „ Firebox
Areas of .Firegrate
Water Tank (Side.; lo contain.,
barb Space
461 • 4 sqaares feds
43-4
Totals 507 • 8
8 ■ 7 square feeT
450 Gallons
24 cabios feels
Gpbóriciers (Oalsùd») 77- ire?
Boiler 0 • Z long 3 ■ 5Jt DiamT als Fronts
Tabes 160 (Brass) 9 ■ 5 long ¡fe O als ides Ttiarnf
Copper Firebox 5 5/z long * 7 TT/* Wido * 3 70% high als Front
2 ■ 9 „ ■ al Backs
Sealing surface in lubes 641 Square, feds
Do. „ „ firebox 54 „ ,,
Totals 695 ~
Area, of Fùrgrair 10 5 Square feels
Waler Tarife (Saddle) to contenu 500 Gallons
Fuel Space ZG fa he feel
Plate 33.
Tordler C2 f,iljv,£)a(dtiiv.
The Red Tint- denotes Savings in Works,
NARROW GAUGE RAILWAYS, Ireland.
Comp an out ive Dia^gr corns.
R o ceci Aspprc cocTo.
Hate HI
Farster # CfLcth, />iMm.
D0U0bl& JjÍsTO&
Pvebdo RoclcL RrvcLge- over lieeilwcey
Ralf Xongl SeoZ-icre
Half El ev a-liore
-#
Narrow Gauge Railways, Ireland.
Permanent Way.
NARROW GAUGE.
Diagram N? 3. Eiste Etales 10 Ws per Fair
Rail 44 Ws
U
O
O
o
Clip
Craib
£l
Foliota Tl-ale
Fish I\Bclt
Ruts
Rail IS Ws
WIDE GAUGE
Eiste Plates 18 Ws per Fair
E ittb a re/c nue- re I
Diagram N? Ia
Plate IV
Remase Rgicres refer tv Single Lines
RIxxlc. „ „ „ lleulle- „
Tlee Reel finí dea cotes Savuips ùt Works.
Förster $ C? Lith+DiLbbui .
ok
LIGHT RAILWAYS, OR REMUNERATIVE RAILWAYS
FOR
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
by
C. F. GREEN, M. Inst. C.E., M. Inst. C.E.I.,
CHIEF ASSISTANT ENGINEER, OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS, IRELAND.
32
on light railways for
The following comprise the chief questions to be con¬
sidered, viz.:—
I. Advantages conferred on Remote Districts by
Railways.
II. Development of Traffic with increased Faci¬
lities.
III. Reasons why many Railways prove Unremune-
rative
1. Preliminary ( Parliamentary expenses.
Expenses, ( Purchase of land.
Í Double Lines.
Flat gradients for heavy loads.
Flat curves for high speeds.
IV. Dead Weight—
1. Weights of wagons and carriages.
2. The number of classes.
3. Extra accommodation for passengers.
4. Deficiency of stock.
5. Dead weight in actual practice.
V. Means of Reducing Disadvantages to a Minimum.
VI. Narroav Gauge—its Advantages and Disadvan¬
tages—
1. Cost of construction (total and relative).
2. The most advantageous gauge.
3. Transhipment of goods and other disadvantages.
4. Cost of working.
4. Working,
3. Financial,
( System of " financing."
I Interest on capital.
Í Excessive speeds.
I High fares.
Excessive weight of locomotives.
Excessive weight of wagon stock.
thinly-populated districts. 33
VII. Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock—
1. Capacity.
2. Weight.
3. Stability.
VIII. Narrow Gauge especially suitable for Ire¬
land.
I. The Advantages conferred on Remote Districts
by Railways are very fully set forth in Appendix
No. 1.
II. Development of Traffic.
Belgium was the first State in which the construction of
railways was carried out as a measure of public policy, which
appears to have been fully justified by the result—the goods
traffic increasing enormously ; and in order to develop the
resources of the country the fares were kept very low.
When Bianconi commenced running his public cars he was
laughed at. He at first carried the people for nothing, after¬
wards charging the lowest remunerative fares, and running
the cars punctually, whether there were any passengers or not.
The people soon found the convenience of the cars, and rode
to remote markets and fairs oftener than they had previously
walked.
After the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, the Chair¬
man of the London General Omnibus Co. stated that their
traffic had not been diminished or injuriously affected, even
upon routes parallel to, if not coinciding with, the railway,
the increased facilities given to the public having rapidly
developed additional traffic.—(See also Appendix No. 1 for
opinions as to development of traffic.)
te
on light railways for
III. Reasons why many Railways Prove Unre-
munerative.
Railway shareholders are the only class that have not
benefited by railways, the enormous increase in the wealth of
the country during the last forty years proving that other
classes have profited considerably, although often indirectly.
The following are some of the reasons why railways have
proved unremunerative :—
Parliamentary Expenses have often proved ruinous, in one
case having cost more than the construction of the line.
In Appendix II., Table 1, the actual expenses on a few lines
are given, the average being £1,550 per mile.
Purchase of Land.—The same table shows also the actual
cost of land, the average for even rural lines being about
£240 per acre.
Double Lines have been often laid, or with even single lines
all the over-bridges have been constructed and land bought
sufficient for a double line, after the traffic has developed.
With a few exceptions this is doubtful policy, as the line is
burdened from the beginning with capital unnecessarily
sunk for a traffic that may never arise.
Flat Gradients have often been adopted in order to enable
the same power to haul greater loads—a rather unnecessary
precaution where heavy loads are scarcely anticipated—thus
increasing not only the depths of cuttings and quantity of
earthwork, but also the area of land required, and often in¬
volving the necessity of lofty bridges, and always increasing
the lengths of the culverts, and the wing walls of the smaller
class of accommodation bridges. The average amount of
earthwork on British lines has been 70,000 cubic yards per
mile (on the Brighton main line it was 156,000 cubic yards).
Flat grades have frequently been adopted on the assumption
hastily made that the utility of a line, and also the working
THINLY-rOPULATED DISTRICTS.
35
expenses, vary in exactly the same proportion as the power
required on the ruling gradient. This is a fallacy, as the
largest item in the annual expenditure is interest on capital
(not always paid), and the actual cost of haulage is but a
small proportion of the remaining working expenses.
Flat Curves, for speeds seldom required, by increasing the
depth of cutting or bank, add considerably not only to the cost
of works, but also to the quantity of land required, and often
lead to expensive and unnecessary severances. It is often
assumed that the resistance on curves varies inversely as the
radius ; but it can be shown that the total resistance in travers¬
ing any curve depends only on the number of degrees in the
curve, and in a slight degree on the gauge, and is independent
of the radius ; with a smaller radius the work is done in less
time, if the speed is the same, and therefore greater power
is expended for a shorter time.
The System of" Financing," banding over to contractors the
monetary powers conferred on a company, has probably in¬
creased the cost of works at least 25 per cent.
Interest on Capital.—The railways of the United Kingdom
cost on an average in round numbers £40,000 per mile. Had
they cost only half that amount, the dividends woidd have
been double, or the fares charged might have been reduced
25 per cent, (the saine dividend being paid), giving rise to a
certain increase of traffic.
Having glanced thus rapidly at some of the causes of
excessive cost of construction, the questions of rolling stock,
working expenses, and management, will now be considered.
Excessive Speeds require better gradients and curves (involv¬
ing heavy works and greater outlay in purchase of land),
heavier permanent way, stronger rolling stock, and more
powerful engines.
A speed of 50 miles per hour doubles the resistance and
quadruples the horse-power required, compared with a speed
36
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
of 25 miles. Besides this, there is greater wear and tear in
the rolling stock, and the cost of maintenance of the
permanent way is greatly increased, it being well known that
rails wear more rapidly under fast than heavy traffic. This is
best seen by comparing the up and down lines on a long
gradient, at any place where the traffic in both directions is
equal, or allowing for any difference that may exist.
Appendix II., Table 3, shows the working speeds on various
lines.
High Fares become necessary on account of the large
amount of capital sunk in railway construction, the excessive
speeds, the number of short trains, through carriages, the
three separate classes, and the large proportion of dead
weight hauled compared with the paying load. The majority
of the public would willingly sacrifice the frequency of de¬
parture, through carriages, and high speeds, if they shared in
the resulting advantages, by being charged lower fares ; the
public are at present overserved and overcharged.
Appendix II., Table 4, shows the average fares charged in
different European countries.
It will be seen that the United Kingdom is the dearest for
all classes, Russia the cheapest for 3rd class, and Belgium for
1st and 2nd class.
In the latter country the fares are low, but only 55 lbs. of
luggage is conveyed free ; this arrangement benefits the
poorer classes, who generally have little or no luggage.
Excessive Weight of Locomotives.—At the present day the
larger class of standard engines (excluding those constructed
for special service) vary in weight from 27 to 40 tons, a fail-
average being perhaps 32 tons ; for light trains the engine and
tender often weigh as much as the train drawn.
The unequal distribution of weight on the different axles
is, however, of more consequence than the total weight of
the engine. Often with uncoupled engines (and occasionally
thinly-populated districts.
37
with 4 coupled heavy eight-wheeled engines) the driving
axle has 40 per cent, more weight on it than if the weight
were uniformly distributed, and twice the weight that is on
any wagon wheel in the train. This requires great increased
strength in the permanent way and girder bridge platforms.
IV. Dead Weight.
By this term is meant, throughout this paper, the weight of
engine and vehicles in contradistinction to the paying load
(i.e., passengers, minerals, goods, &c.). The relative propor¬
tion of dead and paying loads is the most important factor in
the question of economical railway working.
1. The Weights of Wagons and Carriages are given in
Tables 6 and 7. The capacity of the goods wagons per ton of
dead weight varies from IT to 16 tons, rising to more than 2
tons for minerals. The weight of passenger carriages varies
from 2j¡ to 7 cwt. per seat, according to the class, the average
of all classes being probably from 3 to 5 cwt. on different
railways.
2. The Number of Classes in passenger carriages adds con¬
siderably to the number of seats that have to be provided for
any given number óf passengers. Even if there were only
one class, as the number of people travelling by any train
would seldom be an exact multiple of the seats in each
carriage, it would be necessary to provide about 120 seats per
100 passengers expected to start by the train. With two
classes 128 to 135, and with three classes 160, seats must be
provided, even if the relative proportions of each class were
known. These numbers would vary with the size of the
carriages, and would be less for composite carriages. Although
the average number of passengers, and their relative classes,
travelling by any train may be known approximately, still
seats must be provided not only for a larger total number,
but for varying proportions of the classes, and also to allow
38
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
for a greater number entering than leaving at the inter¬
mediate stations.
3. The Extra Accommodation for Passengers in the way of
smoking compartments, special compartments for the use of
ladies, or monopolised by officials, and the running of
" through carriages," has practically the same effect as increas¬
ing the number of classes.
4. Again, any Deficiency in the Quantity of Rolling Stock
raises the relative proportion of the dead weight hauled, as
empty carriages have to be run to provide for an excess of
passenger traffic in one direction at certain hours of the day,
and empty wagons have often to be sent to local stations to
convey merchandise without any delay.
5. The Dead Weight in Actual Practice will now be con¬
sidered, taking all the above causes of increased weight into
account. When the author first saw the statement that the
proportion of dead weight to paying load was 29 to 1 for
passenger trains and 7 to 1 for goods trains (exclusive of
minerals), he must admit having been somewhat sceptical.
As it is impossible to calculate, even approximately, the
effect of some of the circumstances occurring in practice,
it is necessary to appeal to actual statistics—unfortunately
very few people having the means of getting accurate
information have taken the trouble to do so. M. Ernest
Marche, who has probably contributed more information
about the dead weight on French railways than has ever been
collected about any other railways, is an exception to the rule
(see Table 8).* Taking passenger traffic first: Mr. Stewart,
for a long time secretary to the London and North Western
Railway Company, stated, before the Royal Commission on
Railways, that on two days, which might be taken as a fair
average, and at a period of the year when the up and down
* Some additional particulars on this subject are given by the author in his
reply on the discussion.
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
39
traffic balanced as nearly as possible, 4,482 passengers left
Euston in trains containing 13,512 seats, 4,337 arriving in
trains giving room for 13,333—i.e., less than 33 per cent, of
the seats were occupied; and that in 15 up trains 1,274 seats
were provided for only 179 passengers, occupying 14 per
cent, of the accommodation given. By the traffic returns
published by the Board of Trade it appears that the average
number of passengers per train (exclusive of season ticket
holders) is only 73, the average distance travelled by each
train 19 miles, and by each passenger 85 miles; consequently,
the average number of passengers per mile carried by each
train in the United Kingdom was only 32, even including the
immense traffic in the suburbs of London and other large
commercial centres. It is obvious that a large proportion of
the train mileage is useless, being considerably in excess of the
public requirements, and the receipts per train mile are con¬
sequently less than they ought to be. For instance, on the
Great Western Railway in 16 years the receipts from
passengers trebled, but the train mileage increased nearly
five-fold, the receipts per train mile diminishing from nine
shillings to five shillings. The average weight of a passenger
train is about 100 tons, and although some may carry 600
passengers, the average number is less than 40, weighing
about 2t tons. Even on branch lines the engine and carriages
often weigh more than 50 tons to convey passengers that
might all travel in an omnibus drawn by two horses.
On six of the principal French railways, having an aggregate
mileage of 9,478 miles, the mean weight of the carriages is
6T6 tons, and their mean capacity 38*52 seats, while the
average proportion between places occupied and seats offered is
0*240—this proportion not varying much on any of the lines.
A most important item, and particulars of which it is believed
have never been collected for any line in the United Kingdom,
is the number of passengers per carriage mile ; on the French
40
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
lines it averages 9 24, varying with the classes; the weight of
carriages per seat, including passenger, is 517 lbs., but the real
weight of carriages per passenger, allowing for empty seats, is
1,632 lbs., or 1,881 lbs., dividing the weight of the brake-van
among the passengers. The weight of vehicle, reduced in con¬
struction to double the weight of the passengers, is exaggerated
in practice to eight or ten times the same weight. To obtain
the gross dead weight it is necessary to also add a proper pro¬
portion of the weight of the engine and tender; and taking
into account trains with two engines, empty running, and
bank engines, it is found that the engine mileage exceeds the
passenger train mileage from 3 to 5 per cent. Unfortunately
the passenger trains cannot be separated from mixed trains
carrying high-speed goods (i.e., luggage, carriages, horses,
&c.), but in such cases apportioning the weight of engine and
tender (assumed to be two-thirds full on an average) between
the passengers and high-speed goods, the total dead weight is
17 and 10^ times the paying load respectively (see Table 8),
while on the new systems the result is more unfavourable,
the numbers being 22 and 14 respectively.
On one of the Spanish railways, for each ton of passengers,
the weight of carriages run was 918 tons, or 18 98 including
the engine.
Next, taking goods traffic, most railways penetrate districts
of very unequal traffic, and the irregularity of tonnage trans¬
ported in opposite directions continually necessitates wagons
running empty. On the Bordeaux and Cette line 1,056,676
tons were conveyed in one direction, and only 700,370 in the
other, the proportion being 151 to 100, and the difference,
356,306 tons, must have been made up of empty or partially
filled wagons. Again, the keen competition between different
companies causes them to run additional trains so to carry
the goods without any delay, the proportion of empty wagon
mileage increasing on the Southern Railway, France, from
thinly-populated districts.
41
11*5 per cent, in 1862 to 15*82 in 1867 ; and on the Eastern
Railway, France, the percentage is 25*35.*
On the six principal railways of France, each ton of wagon,
if fully loaded, would convey 1*91 tons of goods; but partial
loading and empty wagon mileage reduce the actual load to
40 per cent, of the capacity when f ull, the average load carried
per ton of wagon being only *76 ton.
As goods trains often have two engines, and some engines
are wholly employed in shunting, the goods engine mileage
is from 9 to 24 per cent, in excess of the goods train mileage.*
The gross and dead weight of the goods trains is shown in
Table 8.
It must be remembered that on the French lines practical
monopoly reduces the dead weight to the utmost, but on
English lines free competition compels extravagant working,
and the proportion of dead weight is without doubt larger,
although there are no accurate statistics to show how much
larger. On the Great Western Railway the goods traffic in¬
creased eight-fold in 16 years, while the train mileage increased
twenty-fold, the receipts per train mile diminishing from
14s. to 5s. 6d.
Enough has, however, been said to show that the question
of dead weight is the most important consideration in the
economical working of railways—especially where the traffic
is small.
V. Means by which these Disadvantages may be
Reduced to a Minimum.
Reference has already been made to the Acts of 1864 and
1868, by which the Board of Trade can grant licences to
construct light railways, provided they are unopposed, with¬
out the expense of an Act of Parliament ; but these Acts have
* Some additional particulars on this subject are given by the author in his
reply on the discussion.
42
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
remained nearly a dead letter owing to the facilities they gave
for levying black mail by opposing on trivial pretexts. At
the present time there is an Act before Parliament (The
Tramways, Ireland, Act Amendment) to obviate this difficulty
and to authorise the construction of steam tramways—in
reality railways—along the existing roads, and to increase the
speeds and fares previously sanctioned.
If properly constructed and worked these might prove
valuable adjuncts as feeders to existing railways, but if worked
in opposition to them they would probably prove failures, as
they could never successfully compete with them. Although
they could of course be more cheaply constructed—no land,
bridges, or earthwork being required, except at a few points,
they could scarcely be worked after dark, except at very low
speeds, neither could the same amount of traffic be conducted
on them as on a light railway.
Traffic amounting to only £5 per mile per week would
justify an expenditure of £3,000 per mile.
The land should be sold at its agricultural value, nothing
being charged for compulsory sale or severance on rural
properties receiving any benefit from the railway, but the line
should give as much accommodation as possible to the
adjacent land occupiers by more frequent stopping places
with short sidings, where two or three goods wagons could
be left, trains only stopping by signal when required ; such
stopping places might conveniently be made at level crossings,
where a gate-lodge is required, and would obviate the necessity
of a bridge.
Double lines are of course superior to single, but such
superiority is often purchased too dearly. The greater portion
of the Prussian system is composed of single lines, and the
whole service oetween New York and Philadelphia, 90 miles
apart, and with their suburbs containing and f million
inhabitants respectively, is carried on over a single line. For
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
43
districts commanding only small traffic, only single lines
should be made, and no unnecessary expense incurred in
taking extra land or constructing over-bridges, suitable for a
widening, that in all probability will never be required; it
would be preferable to spend a larger amount when the
necessity for such expenditure has arisen.
Next, as regards gradients, it is much better to save heavy
works and incur a slight increase in the working expenses per
train mile, than a constant permanent charge irrespective of
the quantity of traffic, and ruinous where such traffic is small.
Working expenses are often assumed to be proportional to the
tractive force necessary to haul the load—this is a fallacy—
locomotive power, repairs and renewal of rolling stock and
maintenance of way, are alone affected by gradients, and these
generally represent only 40 per cent, of the total working
expenses ; or, as the grade would be in favour of the traffic in
one direction, say 20 per cent, on those portions of the line
where steep gradients occur. Surface lines do not imply a
continuation of steep inclines, but only an occasional pull up,
1 in 40 or 50. The author has seen lines constructed with
eleven changes of gradient in less than a mile ; and rising grades
steeper than 1 in 50 less than 200 feet in length, followed by
an equal distance of horizontal and then a similar descending
grade, in order to follow the natural surface. An incline four
times as flat would have required less than 2 feet average
extra depth of cutting; such grading he considers highly
objectionable, although he would advocate an honest pull of 1
in 40 to overcome any real obstacle. If a particular gradient
saved £500 in a mile, it would be judicious to adopt it even
if the working expenses were thereby increased 6d. per train
mile in going up it (if three trains each way daily were
sufficient for the traffic).
It is difficult to estimate the effect of descending grades on
the cost of working: less fuel and water are used, but speed
44
ON LIGHT KAILWAYS FOE
and wear on rails is generally greater, wages the same, wear
and tear certainly not less, except on fire-box and tubes, and
if brakes are applied, probably more. Long steep descending
grades may therefore be taken as costing the same as a level
to work. The extra expenditure of power on an undulating
line would therefore be as the sum of the ascents, and in¬
dependent of short exceptional grades, provided they were
well within the power of the engines to work at slow speeds,
the maximum horse-power required varying as the square of
the speed.
For medium speeds the weight of engines might be reduced
by adopting driving-wheels not exceeding 4^ ft. diameter,
requiring smaller cylinders and machinery of less weight, and
giving a better blast for the same speed. Drivers 5^ ft.
diameter have been used on the Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire Express, travelling 40 miles per hour.
Two-storied carriages have been tried to save dead weight,
but they are top-heavy, awkward to mount to top story, and
deficient in head room unless more than 15 feet high ; they
might, however, be used on steam tramways traversing public
roads where there are no over-bridges. Long Bogie carriages
have also been adopted, but they are no lighter than four-
wheeled carriages, the framing having to be very strong to resist
buffing strains, and with side doors efficient trussing is not
practicable. The American carriages with end doors are
heavier per seat than the English ones. If carriages were
always full the widest would be the most economical, and a
width of IOtj ft. was once tried on the Michigan railway.
Long goods trains can be worked for about two-thirds the
expense of two trains of the same aggregate length, as the
heavier the train the less is the proportion of the men's wages
in charge, per ton of load. Trains of empties more than
a quarter of a mile long have been run on the Festiniog
line.
thinly-populated districts.
45
Signals have been dispensed with in some cases of small
traffic—for instance, on the Broelthal branch of the Cologne
railway, but in this case there is only one train each way
daily.
Having described briefly some methods of economising
expenses, it will be well to pass on to
VI.—Narrow Gauge: its Advantages, &c.,
which the author believes to be the only practicable method
of materially reducing the dead weight of rolling stock, and
thus effecting a great economy in the cost of working.
It has often been urged that light railways might be made
on the existing gauge, lighter engines being used at less
speeds ; lighter permanent way and under-bridges could then
be adopted ; this would, however, be building an exceptional
line, having some disadvantages and none of the special ad¬
vantages appertaining to a narrow gauge line, and would be
inconsistent with sound economy. There would also always
be the risk that in times of pressure, the engines from the
adjacent lines would run over it, injuring the light permanent
way (and under-bridges, if of light construction). On the
narrow gauge an additional saving would be made in the widtli
of formation and ballast, length of sleepers (short sleepers
also cost less per cubic foot than larger ones), cost of over-
bridges, their approaches, purchase of land, &c., but more
important than all, a great saving in " dead weight " and
vvorking expenses.
Narrow gauge lines are not intended to displace broader
ones where justified by the traffic, but to provide railway
communication in districts where the ordinary type of railwav
would be unremunerative. Again, the lighter rolling stock
would be easier handled at roadside stations where few hands
are kept, and also easier replaced in cases of derailment.
Among the disadvantages, want of capacity and stability
46
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
are alleged against the rolling stock, and there is of course
the disadvantage of break of gauge—these will be treated of
presently. At one time it was thought there would be prac¬
tical difficulties in constructing locomotives to draw heavy
loads on gauges less than 4' 8^", but, since a gross weight of
206 tons has been drawn up a grade of 1 in 85 on the
Festiniog railway (231" gauge) by a single engine, this falls
to the ground. It was also assumed that, owing to the
smaller size of the wagons, additional stock would be required,
and longer sidings, adding considerably to the cost per mile
of a fully equipped line. Under the heading of " Rolling
Stock " it will be shown that the gross capacity of the
vehicles is not reduced in proportion to the gauge. With
mineral and other traffic, where the wagons would be quite
full in one direction, additional stock and length of siding
might be required ; but the cost of the stock would be less
per ton of capacity. By referring to Tables 7 and 12, it will
be seen that the cost of carriages per passenger is on the 3' 6"
gauge only 80 per cent, what it is on the standard 4' 8J"
gauge, and the cost of wagons per ton capacity is only from
60 to 70 per cent.
When, therefore, it is remembered that wagons are seldom
loaded to their full capacity, the advantage is even more in
favour of the narrow gauge.
The narrower the gauge the greater is the necessity to
keep the permanent way in good order, as inequalities are of
more moment, and there is no doubt that much of the smooth¬
ness of running on the Festiniog line is due to the excellent
condition of the permanent way, and the parabolic curves
with which the line is laid out. Such curves might be
adopted with advantage, being easier to traverse and fitting
more nearly to the ordinary contours of spurs of hills and 1
heads of valleys. The rails also for narrow gauge lines
might be made deeper in proportion to the width of base, as
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
47
increased stiffness is more necessary than increased stability,
where the speed is moderate.
The actual cost of several Norwegian 3' 6" gauge lines are
given in Table 9, one standard gauge being given for compari¬
son, as also the quantities of excavation. It will be seen that
all the 3' 6" lines (except the first) were through difficult
country, the cost for bridges being greater than on the
standard gauge line in the Christiania Drammen line, besides
heavy works (one bank is 95 feet high, and contains 207,000
cubic yards) ; great cost was incurred for land and compensa¬
tion for access to both termini. Table 10 gives the cost,
speeds, &c., of 18 Swedish lines, on gauges varying from
2' 6" to 4' 85" ; from which it appears that the cost varies
almost exactly as the speed, and from this it has been argued
that it is speed and not gauge that makes the difference, but
in reality the maximum speed that can be attained is propor¬
tional to the gauge.
Table 11 shows the difference of cost between a 3' 6" and a
light 5' 6" gauge, as estimated by Mr. (now Sir John)
Hawkshaw and Mr. Fowler.
The Most Convenient Gauge to adopt is the next question.
Of course no absolute rule can be laid down, but speaking
generally it would not be worth the inconvenience of a break
of gauge unless the future traffic can be worked on a gauge
not wider than 3' 6". Assuming this, which probably no one
will dispute (although gauges of 4 ft. are worked in Sweden),
it only remains to be seen whether greater economy might
not be effected by a still narrower gauge. The narrowest
gauge conveying passengers is the 23¿" Festiniog railway ;
and the fact that it carried nearly 100,000 passengers and
about 150,000 tons of goods annually, with only five trains
daily, and no night or Sunday service (in fact working up to
only half what it could do), is a sufficient proof of its capacity,
and it is well suited for its special requirements, paying an
48
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS TOR
average dividend of 80 per cent, on the original capital. It
however works under special advantages, the heavy freight
being all of one class, regular in amount, paying a high tariff
(2s. lOd. per ton for slates, earning 13s. 6d. per train mile
on the down journey), and all down hill, and can scarcely be
taken as a type.
A reference to Table 13 shows that the capacity and
stability of vehicles of less than 3' 6" gauge decrease in a
much greater ratio (about twice) than they do between
4' 8-j" and 3' 6". When it was attempted to design rolling
stock for India on a 2' 9" gauge, the necessary stability was
only attained by keeping the floors so low as to involve end¬
less practical inconveniences of construction. In the same
way a gauge less than 3' 0" requires the adoption of mechanical
expedients and departures from simplicity not conducive to
economy in the locomotive. The capacity of vehicles varies
nearly as the square of the gauge up to about 3' 6" gauge,
but beyond that nearly as the gauge, as vehicles are then never
made wide enough to obtain the maximum capacity ; conse¬
quently for gauges less than 3' 6" the capacity decreases
rapidly, while the saving in cost is not in proportion, as after
once reducing the formation width to about 12 ft. for the
3' 6" gauge, no further reduction can be made for narrower
gauges except the actual difference of gauge. The cost of
construction, as the gauge is reduced from the standard, first
diminishes more rapidly than the loss of accommodation, while
subsequently these conditions are reversed. The accommo¬
dation for horses and cattle, or machinery, is also very
cramped on gauges less than 3' 6". We may therefore con¬
clude that a gauge of from 3' 3" to 3' 6" combines the
maximum amount of accommodation at a minimum cost.
Break of Gauge causes the necessity of transhipment of
goods. On some of the American lines wagons were con¬
structed with adjustable wheels, the gauge being reduced by
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
49
running them over a short piece of line with converging rails
or vice versa, and the wheels were then secured ; this is being
discontinued. At Buffalo trucks are shifted from a 4' 8£" to
a 6' 0" gauge by being lifted bodily off their own bogies and
transferred to others. But the cost of transhipment is gene¬
rally over-stated, and is a much smaller evil than having
either no railway communication, or even an unremunerative
line.
On the Denver and Bio Grande Railway, with labour at
8s. a-day and no proper appliances, the transhipment only costs
5d. per ton for minerals, and 7|d. for general merchandise.
According to authentic statements it is only 8d. on the
Uddwalla Winersborg Railway, Sweden. On a branch of
the East India Railway transferring goods costs 3d., while
on the Eastern Bengal line shifting freight from the railway
to the boats is just over 5d. ; on the Festiniog line it is fd.
for minerals, ljd. goods, and slate (by hand) 6d.*
It will thus be seen that it is considerably less than the
cost of carting goods even a mile, and need not be considered
if the narrow gauge line brings the goods much nearer to
their destination. It must also be remembered that a portion
of the goods will be local and require no transhipment. But
even on the same gauge it is inconvenient for vehicles to go
beyond certain limits ; and there are rules forbidding it on the
Continent, so that transhipments may occur without break of
gauge.
Cost of Working.—On account of the length to which this
paper has extended one example only is given (Table 14)*
in which, although the gross revenue is only £4 per mile per
week (and 30s. of this is swallowed up in management,
stations, and other expenses, nearly independent of traffic),
there is still a profit of 1^ per cent, on the capital—a result
* Some additional particulars on this subject are given by the author in his
reply on the discussion.
50
on light railways for
never equalled on a broad gauge line of so small traffic.
Being a State line, the object has been to benefit the country
by low fares, and not to pay a dividend.
VII.—Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock.
On the standard gauge vehicles are not on an average
wider than 8' 3", or say 7' 9" inside, whereas on a 3' 6"
gauge an inside width of 7' 0" can be obtained if necessary ;
and, as the load may be practically the same height above
the wagon floor, the actual capacity per lineal foot may be
90 per cent.; while a comparison of Tables 6, 7, and 12
shows that, weight for weight, the capacity of the narrow
gauge is 20 per cent, more than the standard gauge vehicle,
and we have already seen that the cost is less.
Keference has already been made to Table 13, and the
stability of rolling stock.
For every gauge there is a maximum width of wagon
giving the lowest proportion of dead to paying load, and the
wider the gauge the greater is this economical width, and
therefore on the standard gauge the wagons are too narrow
to give the best results. The chief advantage of a narrow
gauge is that it enables wagons " of a size convenient for the
general requirements of the traffic to be met with in thinly-
populated districts " to be constructed with economical
proportions.
VIII.—Narrow Gauge especially suitable for
Ireland.
Reference to the statistics in Appendix No. IV. shows
that, compared with England, the
Density of Population of Ireland is only 40 per cent.
Comparative Valuation „ „ 20 „
Comparative Railway Mileage „ 33 „
Passenger Traffic, per mile of line „ 20 „
„ „ per square mile „ 7 „
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
51
This shows plainly that railways to prove remunerative
here must be economically contracted.
The author will conclude with a short extract from a
paper read by Mr. Fairlie before the Society of Arts in
1868:—
" Ireland is essentially an agricultural country ; and, how¬
ever much we may desire to see her advance in commercial
and manufacturing progress, neither agricultural prosperity
nor commercial success can be expected withont an economical
and efficient system of railway communication ramifying
throughout every district There are extensive dis¬
tricts in Ireland urgently requiring railway communication,
which ought to be constructed, alike for the public benefit,
and the advantage of the existing lines, always providing that
the character of the work be good, and the cost moderate,
such as to bring them within the scope of remuneration."
52
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
APPENDIX No. 1.
Light Railways: showing their Practicability and Remunerative
Character.
OPINIONS OF PROFESSIONAL MEN.
(Collected by Mb. C. F. Green.)
Mr. David Jones, the Engineer of some low-price railways in
Wales, considers that:—
" Cheap branch railways benefit three classes of persons—the
landowners, the general traders, and the existing railway companies.
" First, as to the landowners. Land for many miles distant from
either side of almost any railway will double its value. Not that the
farmer will necessarily give double as much rent as before for the
same farm ; but that in various ways, including the letting of plots for
building, the doubling of annual value would eventually be brought
about. . . Manure could be brought cheaply to fertilise it,
and the produce could be cheaply carried to market. If a landowner
possesses land through which a small river flows, but which is ill
supplied with roads, a cheap railway run through it might encourage
the establishment of mills and manufactories there, and the building
of dwellings for work-people ; a trifling ground-rent, and light local
taxation, would be very tempting under such circumstances. . . .
In short, the theory is—not to wait for traffic to create railways,
but to make railways that will create traffic.
"Next, as to the general traders. Everybody now knows,
although only the far-seeing at one time knew it, that the
proximity of a railway increases almost every kind of trade.
Almost all kinds of local expenses may be cheerfully borne if there
is good access to cheap markets. Buyers come to a town, sellers
come, visitors come, if there be easy access, bringing some of their
money with them ; and this money becomes distributed among the
townsmen generally.
" Thirdly, as to the existing railway companies. Branch
railways ramifying from the existing lines, if cheaply constructed,
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
53
so as just to pay a fair return on the cost, are directly beneficial to
the parent line as feeders.
" Mr. Jones asserts that branch railways can be constructed so
low as £4,000 per mile, but it requires a willingness on the part of
landowners to sell strips of land at agricultural value, with a view
to ulterior advantage to their estates generally.
"Farmers, instead of sending off horses and carts on long
journeys with produce—the drivers being, perhaps, out all night—
could, by means of railways, conveniently despatch grain, cattle,
and sheep from the nearest station at a moderate cost.
"Parliament passed an Act, 1864, giving the Board of Trade
power to authorise bills for a smaller class of railways, provided
they were unopposed—a concession which may promote a minor
but useful kind of branch line."
Extract from a paper read hy Mr. R. F. Fairlie, C.E., before the
Society of Arts on " Railways and their Management." March 18th,
1868.
" £3,000 per mile should amply suffice for subsidiary single lines,
including rolling stock, but exclusive of land, which I take for
granted will freely be given for purposes so beneficial to the public
and advantageous to the landowners themselves. . . . The
natural configuration of any country will, as a general rule, permit
the working of railways upon what I shall term the principle of
surface construction, securing the public safety and convenience on
the one hand, and a fair return for the capital invested on the
other."
Extract from " EngineeringApril 2nd, 1869.
" Every new line of railway, even if connecting the termini of
an existing line, if it do not approach too nearly to the actual
course of the latter, creates some amount of traffic of its own, and
in some cases it may create an additional amount of traffic between
the termini themselves. ... It is needless to inform any
railway engineer how to construct a cheap line. ... It must
he a surface line ; and let us say a single line. It can have no
»
54
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
grand works whatever, yet as much real talent may be exercised in
its construction as in that of a line costing five times as much per
mile. . . . It is a fact beyond all question that additional,
improved, and cheaper railway facilities between towns already
connected by rail tend to develop fresh traffic."
Extract from " Our Future Railways." Paper read before the Insti¬
tution of Surveyors, by Mr. J. Bailey Denton.
" I consider that there is no improvement so economical to the
landowner as that which railways secure. ... It cannot be
denied that the selling value of rural property, when brought
within the full influence of railway communication, is raised at least
10 per cent, above what it was in its former state
This statement has been confirmed by some of the first authorities
in the country.
"Mr. Trist, of the firm of Norton, Trist, & Co., states that—
'Kesidential' estates, brought by railway facilities within easy access
of important manufacturing towns, may be increased in value,
probably 20 per cent. ; in agricultural estates, taken simply as
investments, an increase of from 5 to 10 per cent, in value would
be nearer the mark.
"Mr. Oakley, of the firm of Daniel Smith, Son, & Oakley,
writes that—'In my opinion 10 per cent, may be taken as a
moderate estimate of the difference in value of agricultural estates
when they have good railway facilities and when they have none.
In residential estates, and in suburban districts, the increase in value
is much larger ; in many cases it may range from 25 to 50 per cent.'
" Mr. Driver says—' Taking one property with another, I should
say that the years' purchase of estates, generally, where served by
railways, has increased to the extent of 3 years.'
"Mr. F. J. Clark, of the firm of Farebrother, Clark, & Co., says
that—' In an agricultural point of view, the farms in the immediate
vicinity of railway stations are no doubt increased in both rental
and fee-simple value, arising from the facilities of exporting
produce and importing manures, in rental from 2s. 6d. to 5s. per
acre, and in fee-simple to about 3 years' purchase.'
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
55
Mr. William J. Beadle, of' Gresham-street, says—' That railways
confer more or less value upon all districts through which they
pass.'
" Mr. Yigers, of Old Jewry, states that ' Railway accommodation
is a primary consideration with all purchasers of estates, and also
with occupiers.'
" Mr. Sturge, of Bristol, says—' I have no doubt that the difference
in market value of estates, with or without railway accommodation,
is at least 2 years' purchase.'
"Mr. Drew, of Exeter, writes—' From 5 to 20 per cent, may be
calculated as the increase in the renting value, and from 2 to 5
years' purchase in the selling value, by the advantages of railway
accommodation. In districts well situated for railway accommoda¬
tion, I have no difficulty in letting farms to good tenants at very
good rents, or in selling land at from 28 to 32 years' purchase, but
in badly situated districts my choice of good tenants is much
limited, and the rent obtainable is likewise low in proportion, and
from 23 to 26 years' purchase the most that can be obtained in
selling.'
"Many other authorities have kindly supplied corroborative
evidence showing that the improvement which landowners gain
from railways, in one way or another, varies from 5 to 20 per cent.,
and from 1^ to 6 years' purchase, according to the proximity of
station, and the character and amount of accommodation afforded.
I think we are justified in concluding that 10 per cent, or 3 years'
purchase, on an average, represents the increased value of rural
estates, where they fully command railway accommodation.
"It is believed by many that wherever a turnpike road now
exists, a railway of some description or other should be made, and
if made at a cost not exceeding £5,000 or £6,000, will pay a fair
dividend; and the Legislature (the regulations of Railways Act,
1868) delegated to the Board of Trade the power of granting
licences to construct and work light railways, which may be
suitable for the majority of lines still remaining to be made and
worked."
56
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
Extract from a paper read before the Institution of Civil Engineers,
Feb. 1st, 1870, by Mr. J. Thornhill Harrison.
" Many lines might be constructed at a cost of from £3,000 to
£5,000 per mile, provided the landowners would sell their land for
the purpose at the ordinary market value. . . . Such lines
economically worked with light engines and low traffic expenses
would prove at the same time beneficial as feeders to the main line,
and of social and pecuniary importance to many resident owners
and occupiers of the soil."
Extract from a paper read before the Civil and Mechanical Engineers'
Society, June 30th, 1871, by Mr. William Lawford, M.I.C.E.
"£3,000 to £3,500 per mile, according to the nature of the
country, would be i »flicient for a single line of railway and works,
exclusive of the cost of land, and with light weights and low speed,
the first cost of construction, and that most important item the cost
of maintenance, as compared with ordinary railways, might be
materially reduced. The question of sharp curves and steep
gradients entered largely into the present subject. A line with
steep gradients and sharp curves, constructed at a moderate first
cost, would give a lower final result in working expenses (taking
into account the saving of interest on capital) than a line made at
a heavy cost with easy gradients and large curves. . . . Even
a district of hills and valleys might be supplied with railway
accommodation at a comparatively moderate cost, and there was
no doubt that in many instances the lines would be executed by
the landowners themselves and others locally interested, who
would, of course, be opposed to all unnecessary expense."
Extract from an Address read before the British Association, by
Mr. C. W. Siemens, F.E.S. 1869.
" While great works have to be carried out in distant parts, still more
remains to be accomplished nearer home. The railway of to-day . . .
is already superseding by-roads leading to places of inferior importance.
In extending the system to the corners of the earth, cheapness of con¬
struction and maintenance, for a moderate speed and a moderate amount
of traffic, becomes a matter of necessity."
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
57
Extract from a Paper read before the British Association, at Liverpool,
by Mr. R. F. Fairlie. 1870.
" Railways can be made cheaply, and, at the same time, to be
thoroughly efficient ; and those who aver to the contrary are, in fact,
enemies to progress and to civilisation. There is no country too poor to
have railways sufficient for its requirements; and railways furnish the
cheapest possible mode of transport when they are not borne down by
the results of that incompetence and extravagance which we so often see
associated together."
Extract from a Letter from Mr. C. E. Spooner, C.E. (Engineer to
the Festiniog Railway), December 12th, 1870.
" There are, however, many districts . . . which require railway
communication to develop their resources, but there is no prospect that
many lines on the existing system will be made, as no return can be
expected on the outlay. It appears therefore that railways of the future
should possess the following capabilities :—
" 1. Moderate cost of construction.
" 2. Moderate cost of maintenance and working.
" 3. To have the necessary stability, and to run at speeds required
for public despatch, with safety and comfort to the passengers.
" 4. Capacity to carry all the traffic required, and available for any
increase in the traffic that may eventually take place."
Extract from a Paper read before Section G. of the British Association,
by Mr. R. F. Fairlie. 1871.
" There need be no country, however poor, that could not be supplied ;
no distance, however great, that could not be traversed by profitable
railways."
Extract from a Paper read before the Exeter Chamber of Commerce,
June 18th, 1872, by Mr. H. S. Ellis.
" I gladly . . , bring the subject of light railways before the
Chamber. I firmly believe that the attention which you are directing to
the subject will lead to a greater use of such railways . . . where
thin population and agricultural produce scarcely justify the construction
of expensive extensions of the usual Parliamentary description. The
value of light railways and tramways in agricultural districts cannot well
be over-estimated, as from the absence of cheap transit, manure, lime,
&c., are almost at prohibitory prices."
58 ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
APPENDIX No. II.
Table 1.—Amount Paid for Parliamentary Expenses.
Name of Railway
Length
in
Miles
Parliamentary Expenses
Total Cost
Cost
per Mile
Furness Railway, -
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire,
North Staffordshire (pt.), -
Whitehaven, Cleater, and Egremont,
Cockermouth, Keswick, and Penrith,
Maryport and Carlisle,
Total, -
Average,
93
246
123
21
314
38
£
58,579
628,690
141,172
5,740
3,850
15,070
£
630
2,555
1,148
273
124
397
552J
853,101
—
—
—
1,550
Table 2.—Cost of Land.
Name of Railway
Length
Cost per Acre
Miles
£
Furness Railway, ....
93
114
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire,
246
295
North Staffordshire (pt.), ...
123
446
Whitehaven, Cleater, and Egremont,
21
249
Cockermouth, Keswick, and Penrith,
311
239
Maryport and Carlisle, -
38
173
Doncaster and Gainsboro',
174
191
Lincoln and Honington, ....
18|
288
Chester and Holyhead, -
80
275
Chester and Mold, ....
16
300
Kettering, Shrapstone, and Huntingdon,
26Í
175
Great Northern (including town property),
450
440
Spalding and March, ....
19
204
Peterborough and Wisbeach,
24
230
Royston and Hitchin, ....
17|
190
Great Eastern Branches (Rural Districts)
250
Sutton Junction, .....
13
600
Horsham and Dorking, ....
20
200
Uckfield and Tunbridge Wells, -
16
180
Bognor, ......
4
300
South Eastern (Rural Lines),
—
300
Tunbridge and Dartford, ....
Strood and Biokley (L. C. & D. Ry.),
—
200
20
300
Alton and Winchester (S. W. Ry.),
17
215
Chertsey Branch (S. W. Ry.), -
24
330
Swinton and Cheltenham,
200
Stonehouse and Nailsworth,
6
400
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
59
Table 3.—Railway Speed. Average Speed (including Stoppages)
of the Fastest Express Trains.
Distance
Time
Miles
per Hour
Gbeat Bbitain.
Miles
Hrs. Min.
London to Reading,
36
0 44
49T
„ Peterborough,
76i
1 37
472
„ Bath,
106J
2 24
44-5
„ Birmingham,
1294
3 0
43-1
„ Leeds,
201
4 45
42-3
„ Newcastle, -
275
6 55
39-8
„ Perth,
469J
12 19
38-1
„ Aberdeen, -
5594
15 55
35-2
„ Inverness, -
6131
18 5
33-9
Ibeland.
Dublin to Drogheda,
32
0 49
39'2
„ Dundalk,
544
1 27
383
„ Belfast,
113
3 5
36-7
„ Mallow,
1444
4 12
34-4
„ Cork,
1654
5 0
33-1
„ Queenstown, -
174i
5 51
29-8
„ Mallow (Sunday only)
—
3 32
40-9
„ Cork „
—
4 20
38-2
„ Queenstown, „
—
4 55
35-5
Table 4.—Average Rail Fares per 100 Miles.
Country
1st Class
2nd Class
3rd Class
s. d.
s. d.
s. d.
United Kingdom, Express,
21 0
16 8
—
Italy, - - „
16 0
12 0
—
Prussia, - „
14 0
12 0
United Kingdom,
18 6
13 4
8 0
Ireland,
15 1
11 3
7 3
France,
14 6
11 0
7 6
Russia, -
14 5
10 10
3 0
Italy, ....
14 0
10 6
7 0
Austria,
13 0
10 3
6 6
Norway,
13 0
9 0
4 6
Prussia,
12 6
10 0
3 2
„ (Rhine),
11 10
8 0
3 10
Denmark, ...
12 0
9 0
6 0
Belgium,
10 3
7 6
5 0
60 ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
Table 5.—Railway Loading Gauges.
Height
Railway
Width
At Centre
At Side
England.
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Ft. in.
Cockermouth and Workington,
11 0
14 4
13 9
Great Eastern, -
9 0
13 0
11 0
Great Northern, -
9 3
13 9
10 3
Great Western, -
9 2
15 0
11 8
„ (Broad Gauge),
11 6
15 0
11 8
London and North Western,
9 0
13 3
10 7
London and South Western,
9 0
13 4
10 10
London, Brighton, and South Coast,
9 0
13 6
12 0
London, Chatham, and Dover,
9 0
13 6
11 0
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire,
9 3
13 0
10 9
Midland, .....
9 0
13 9
10 9
North Eastern, -
9 0
13 6
11 0
North London, ....
9 0
13 6
11 6
North Staffordshire, ...
8 6
13 0
13 0
South Eastern, ....
9 0
13 6
10 11
Stockton and Darlington, -
8 4
13 6
11 6
Scotland.
Caledonian, ....
9 0
12 11
10 9
Edinburgh and Glasgow,
8 0
13 6
11 0
Glasgow and South Western,
9 0
12 9
11 0
Great North of Scotland, -
9 0
12 6
11 3
Scottish Central, ....
8 8
13 8
11 2
Scottish North Eastern,
9 0
12 6
11 6
Ireland.
Belfast and Northern Counties,
10 0
14 0
10 9
Cork, Bandon, and Kinsale,
10 0
12 8
9 6
Cork, Blackrock, and Passage,
9 0
10 4
10 0
Dublin and Belfast Junction,
11 9
13 9
12 0
Great Southern and Western,
10 8
14 0
12 1
Midland Great Western, -
9 3
13 9
12 0
Ne wry and Warrenpoint, -
7 0
11 0
8 0
Waterford and Limerick, and Central Ireland,
7 6
12 0
12 0
thinly-populated districts. 61
Table 6.—Wagons (4' 81" Gauge). Capacity per Ton Weight.
Country
Norway,
Sweden,
Norway,
Sweden,
Norway,
Sweden,
Norway,
Sweden,
France—N. R.
ft If
E. R.
W. R.
Canada (5J ft. gauge),
Description
Plank Wagon,
ft ft
High-sided Goods,
Low-sided
Covered
Coal
Coke
Goods,
ft
Box Wagon,
Flat „
Weight
Carrying Capacity
Cost
Total
Tons
Tons
4-2
6-0
4-4
8'4
4-2
5 5
4-0
6'7
4-2
5-5
41
6-7
4-5
6-0
5-0
5-8
4'5
10-0
4-2
10-0
4-5
9-5
4-9
8T
8-2
8-9
7T
8'9
Per Ton
Weight
Total
Tons
1-4
1-9
1-3
1-5
1-3
1-6
1-3
1-2
2-2
2-3
2-1
1-6
IT
1-2
Per Ton
Capacity
89
129
94
132
94
128
133
159
14-8
15-4
17T
19-7
17T
19-1
22-2
27-4
Table 7.—Passenger Carriages (4' 8j" Gauge). Weight per Seat.
ountiy
Railway
Description
Weight
No. of Seats
Weight
per
Seat
Cost
1st
2nd
3rd
Total
Total
Per
Seat
Tons
Cwt.
£
£
Norway,
Composite,
5-80
8
28
—
36
3-20
300
8*33
19
3rd Class,
5T0
—
—
40
40
2-55
240
6*00
Spain, -
Barcelona and
4-46
Francia, -
1st „
535
24
—
—
24
—
-
"
2nd „
5-82
—
40
—
40
2-91
—
—
»
3rd „
4-93
—
—
40
40
2-46
—
—
France, -
Southern Ry.
Saloon, -
6'86
10
—
10
13-72
—
—
ft
Sleeping, -
6-71
24
—
—
24
5-59
—
—
1st Class,
5-88
24
—
—
24
4-90
—
—
ft
Mixed, -
5T7
16
20
—
36
2-87
—
—
1)
1st Class—
Average,
6-32
25*8
—
—
25-8
5-00
—
—
2nd „
6-04
—
40
—
40
3-02
—
—
ft
ft
3rd ,,
6-28
—
—
50
50
2-50
—
—
ft
Average,
624
—
—
—
—
3-04
—
—
ft
Six Principal
Railways, -
1st Class,
—
—
—
—
—
6-68
4-71
—
—
ft
ft
2nd ,,
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
ft
ft
3rd „
—
—
—
—
—
3-93
—
—
"
ft
Average,
~
4-62
62 ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
Table 8.—Dead Weight on French Railways.
Carriages.
1st Class
2nd Class
3rd Class
Mean
Weight of Carriage in tons,
Seats per Carriage, -
Passenger Carriage Mileage
(annual), ...
Mile Passengers per Carriage
(annual), ...
Passengers per Carriage mile, -
Proportion of seats occupied,
No. of Carriages per mile of line,
Weight of Carriage per seat
(including passenger), in lbs.
Weight of Carriage per passenger,
in lbs.
„ „ with propor¬
tion of brake, - in lbs.
169,846
5-47
748
143,068
6T1
—
528
_
289,358
13-45
440
_
_
6T6
3852
23,952
221,311
9-24
0-24
1-08
517
1,632
1,881
Wagons.
Empty
Mileage
Percentage of Load
Capacity per Ton
When
Running
Average
Full
In Practice
I
Eastern Railway,
Orleans Railway,
Southern Railway, -
Northern Railway, -
Lyons Railway,
Western Railway,
Mean,
•253
•205
•149
•495
•472
•473
•370
•375
•423
■444
•395
•435
—
—
—
—
•400
1*91
0-76
Averagb Composition of Trains.
Passenger and Mixed
Goods
Passengers
Luggage
Goods
Total
Total
Paying load, - tons,
Dead 1 Vehicles, „
Weight, ( Engine, „
Total, „
Proportion of gross load to
paying load,
4-84
47 73
30-47
1-60
15-37
9-26
5-27
7T3
2-22
11-71
70-23
41-95
127-60
167-16
55-12
83-04
17-0
26-23
10-5
14-62
2-8
123-89
10-6
349-88
2-7
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
63
APPENDIX No. III.
Table 9.—Norwegian Railways. Detailed Cost of Construction.
Name of Railway
Lillestrttm
Grändsen
Hamar
Aamodt
Throndhjem
Stören
Drammen
Randsfjord
Christiania
Drammen
Gauge,
4' 84"
3' 6"
3' 6"
3' 6"
3' 6"
Earthwork per mile
(cub. yds.),
37,130
18,445
37,427
33,348
32,832
Rock per mile (c. yds ),
1,827
317
2,699
2,742
6,016
Length of Railway in
miles,
71-2
40-0
30-2
59-0
32-3
Cost per Mile.
Land and Compensa¬
tion,
£
232
£
79
£
289
£
449
£
1,295
Fencing,
83
77
74
76
77
Rock and Earthwork,
1,914
745
1,901
1,398
2,175
Bridges and Viaducts,
332
146
630
361
503
Deviation of Roads, -
64
26
51
82
207
Permanent Way,
1,566
839
937
842
881
Stations and Sidings, -
454
325
548
432
598
Rolling Stock,
695
291
354
433
620
Telegraph,
33
21
20
17
39
Sundry Works,
43
42
39
84
83
Engineering and Super¬
vision,
396
174
459
275
406
Total,
5,812
2,765
5,302
4,449
6,884
64 ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
Table 10.—Swedish Railways. Cost and Speed.
a)
bO
tn
V
i
a
•6
>,
p.
Cost
Speed
Relative
Description
of
Traffic
a
O
JS
"S)
a
J
*3
M
Mile
«
ci
S
Average
o
o
Speed
State Lines, -
>
ce
692
66
£
7,450
39
26
—
—
Mixed
Royal Swedish,
rC
54
66
6,311
24
16
—
—
Mineral
Gefle-Dala, -
00
57
60
6,817
22
15
—
—
Timber
Average,
—
—
—
7,328
37
25
100
00
Ystad-Eslof, -
47
50
4,477
22
15
—
—
Agricultural
Landscrona-Helsingborg,
-•J
A
to
37
50
4,7S8
24
16
—
—
a
Christiana-Hersleholm, -
18
50
4,730
18
12
—
—
a
Wexi b-Alf vesta,
—<10*
oo
11
50
3,784
24
16
-
—
Marma-Sandarne, -
6
44
5,584
18
12
—
—
a
Average,
—
—
—
4,603
23
16
58
62
Boras-Herrljunga,
ro"
25
46
4,517
26
17
—
—
„
Uddevalla-Wenersborg,
»»
57
43
4,675
24
16
—
—
ft
Wessman-Barken,
>>
11
40
4,094
15
10
—
—
Mineral
Norberg,
1i
10
44
3,517
21
14
—
—
a
Söderhaum, -
if
9
40
5,030
15
10
—
—
Timber
Hudiksvall, -
if
7
45
3,800
15
10
—
—
a
Average,
—
—
-
4,466
22
14
64
60
Köping-Uttersberg,
3'6"
22
34
1,960
17
11
—
—
Mineral
Christinehaum-Sjöandan,
if
7
25
3,428
12
8
—
—
a
Fryksta,
»
4
25
2,370
12
8
—
—
a
—
—
—
2,322
15
10
—
—
Kroppa,
2'6"
6
18
1,440
8
5
—
—
a
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS. 65
Table 11.—Comparative Costs of 5' 6" and 3' 6" Gauges.
DIFFERENCE OF COST
—
yfi" (Standard)
and 3' 6"
Ö' 6" (Standard)
and
y 6" (Light)
5' 6" (Light) and 3'
Hawkshaw
Hawkshaw
Hawkshaw
Fowler
Land, -
10
—
10
—
Earthwork, • •
100
—
100
201
Bridges,
300
250
50
83
Permanent Way, -
1,000
800
200
512
Stations,
—
—
—
67
Saving with sharper
Curves,
200
—
200
)
Engines,
200
200
—
12
Wagons, &c.,
—
—
—
)
Saving on First
Cost, , -
1,810
1,250
560
875
Maintenance and
Renewal of Per¬
manent Way
Capitalised,
1,000
800
200
2,810
2,050
760
875
66 ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOB
Table 12.—Norwegian Railways (3' 6" Gauge). Rolling Stock.
Length
Breadth
Wheel-
base
Weight
No. of
Passen¬
gers
Weight
per
Passen¬
ger
Cost
Total
Per
Ft.
run
Total
Per
Passen¬
ger
'
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Ft.
in.
Tons
Cwt.
£
£
Composite Carriage,
20
0
6
10
10
°f
3-8
4-6
3-8
4-6
|»{
2-4)
2'9)
232
7'25
2nd Class,
20
0
6
10
10
0
3-9
3-9
i 32
1 28
2-4)
2-8j
131
4-37
Cap
aeity
Total
Per Ton
Per Ton
Tons
Weight
capacity
Plank Wagon,
18
0
6
H
10
0
3T
3-5
5 60
i 7-0
1-9)
2-21
62
9-54
99
23
6
6
84
13
0
3-3
2-8
I 6-0
1 7-0
1-8>
2-l|
62
9-54
99
14
0
6
64
8
0
3-0
4-3
6-0
2-0
60
10-00
High-sided Goods
Wagon,
18
0
6
9
10
0
3-7
4-1
6-0
1-7
68
11-33
Low „
18
0
6
9
10
0
3-5
3-9
6'0
1-7
64
10-67
Covered „
18
0
6
9
10
0
3-8
4-2
6-0
1-7
89
14-83
Table 13.—Stability.
Gauge
Diana.
of
Wheels
Width
of
Vehicle
(inside)
Height of Load,
3 ft. 6 in.
(Constant).
Angle of Stability,
45°
(Constant).
Cross Section of
Load,
17è sq- ft.
(Constant).
Cross
Sect, of
Load
Angle
of
Stab.
Cross
Sect, of
Load
Height
of
Load
Angle
of
Stab.
Height
of
Load
ft. in.
ft. in.
ft. in.
sq. ft.
sq. ft.
ft. in.
ft. in.
4 84
3 0
7 9
27
50°
33i
4 4
55°
2 3
3 6
2 6
7 0
244
45°
241
3 6
52°
2 6
2 6
2 0
5 0
174
36°
10
2 0
364°
3 6
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS. 67
Table 14.—Traffic Results, 1870. Drammen-Randsfjord Line
(Norway).
Per Mile of
Per Train
Traffic.
Line
Mile
Number of Train Miles, -
I,*80
—
„ Passengers, -
44,399
—
„ Ton Miles of Goods,
20,290
12-80
Net Load of Passengers and Goods, in tons, -
25,018
15-83
Gross Load, including Engine, &c., „
103,115
65*20
Revenue.
£
s. d.
Passengers, -------
92
1 2
Goods,
97
1 3
,, High Speed, -----
9
)
1 0 3
Mails, Telegraph, Sundries, - - - -
16
1
Total, -
214
2 8
Expenses.
£
s. d.
Administration and Office Expenses,
19
0 2-8
Stations, .......
36
0 5-5
Locomotive Department, -
27
0 4-1
Carriages and Wagons Department,
11
0 1-6
Maintenance of Works, -
38
0 5-7
„ „ Stations, Telegraphs,
5
O
o
-Y
Sundry Expenses, ------
17
0 2-6
Total, - - - -
152
1 11
£
s. d.
Profit, ... - ...
62
0 9
Charges.
Passengers, per mile, - - 1st Class, Id. 2nd Class, $d.
Goods, per ton, per mile, - 3'8d., or 0'8d. if Wagon is filled.
„ „ cu. ft. „ - 0'04d.
68
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS.
APPENDIX IV.
Table 15.
England
Wales
Scotland
Ireland
Area in square miles,
50,934
7,378
30,463
32,524
Population per square mile, -
422
165
110
166
Valuation „ „
£2,042
£722
£614
£419
Horses „ „ -
22
18
6
16
Cattle „ „
81
87
35
133
Sheep „ „ -
362
389
224
131
Pigs .. » "
35
26
4
34
Square miles per mile of railway,
4
77
10-71
14-40
No. of passengers per mile of railway,
41,211
15,169
7,917
N.B.—The author is indebted to a paper on " Our Future
Railways," by Mr. J. Bailey Denton, for Tables 1 and 2.
Table 8 is a very brief summary from copious statistics
collected by M. Ernest Marché.
Tables 9 and 14 have been taken from a report made to
the Government of Victoria by M. Carl Pihl, and Table 13
has been compiled from diagrams of stability prepared by
him.
Table 10 is taken from a paper by Mr. C P. Sandberg.
thinly-populated districts.
69
Author's Reply on the Discussion.
[It has not been thought necessary to print the discussion, which occupied
the whole of one evening (May 4, 1881). The author's reply, however, in
which every objection has been met, and some additional statistics given, is
printed below.]
Mr. C. F. Green, in reply, said that it had been stated
that he advocated the universal adoption of a narrow gauge,
but this was not so, as in the paper under the heading of
"Narrow Gauge, its Advantages, &c.," he distinctly stated
"narrow gauge lines are not intended to displace broader
ones where justified by the traffic, but to provide railway
communication in districts where the ordinary type of railway
would be unremunerative."
Again, Mr. Smith made merry over the shutting up of the
Shangai and Woosung Railway (2' 6" gauge), and evidently
thought that this conclusively proved the case against narrow
gauge railways in general, as this particular one had been
abandoned. He appears, however, to have been unaware that
the Chinese authorities, being jealous of the innovation, placed
every difficulty in the way, forbidding all goods traffic (lest
statistics should be obtained and recorded as to the quantity
and nature of the goods passing), and ultimately purchased
and closed the line, after it had been worked for twelve
months, although the native merchants in the locality peti¬
tioned the Viceroy of Nankin to keep the line open.
This line was worked entirely by one train, starting from
either terminus at intervals of two hours, and was exclusively
confined to passenger traffic ; yet this undeveloped line was
worked at a profit (although, owing to its shortness, the
working expenses were necessarily high), and the receipts,
while fluctuating, frequently amounted to £27 per mile per
70
on light railways for
week, or nearly as much as the average passenger receipts on
English railways.
With regard to the existing fares, Mr. Smith thought they
had to a certain extent been agreed on as those that yielded a
reasonable profit, and acquiesced in by the public, who might
trust to the generosity of the companies to charge rates as
low as possible, but this is equivalent to the companies saying,
"having wasted so much capital we cannot conveniently
charge less." There is no doubt that low fares attract and
develop a traffic : the excursion trains running from London
to Brighton and back, a total distance of 101 miles, at a
charge of 3s. 6d. a-head, proved the most remunerative trains
that company ran. As regards the generosity of the com¬
panies, why did the Legislature stipulate for the so-called
" Parliamentary " train, unless they foresaw that the companies
when possessing a monopoly would probably demand their
pound of flesh ?
Mr. Green quite agreed with Mr. Smith that to enable a
company to charge low fares as a rule, instead of on specia
occasions only, it was necessary that they should not run
their trains at high speeds in competition with each other. At
present two badly filled trains often start along rival routes
for the same destination at the same hour, the public being
charged high fares to pay interest on the capital invested,
not only on two lines where one would have been sufficient,
but on heavy works to enable high speeds to be maintained.
Healthy competition is beneficial, but it may be, and often
is, carried to a ruinous extent. If Government purchased the
railways they would probably reduce the fares by reducing
the speed and the frequency of the trains.
From Mr. C. G. Napier's remarks he had evidently entirely
failed to comprehend the chief reason why narrow gauge
stock possessed immense advantages over broad gauge vehicles
(fully explained in the 7th section of the paper)—viz., that
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
71
" on the standard gauge the wagons are too narrow to give
the best results," for " standard gauge vehicles are not on an
average wider than ... 7' 9" inside, whereas on a 3' 6"
gauge an inside width of 7' 0" can be obtained if necessary ;
the actual capacity per lineal foot may be 90 per
cent., while . . . weight for weight, the capacity for the
narrow gauge is 20 per cent, more than the standard gauge
vehicle, and . . . the cost is less."
All his argument, therefore, about the much greater
number of trucks and length of train required, falls to the
ground as far as he has based it on vehicles having exactly
similar proportions, as no one who understood the question
would think of designing narrow gauge vehicles with similar
proportions to those adopted for the standard gauge.
Mr. Napier stated that the vehicles used in the streets of
Dublin for slow traffic had an average distance of 4' 11|"
between the wheels ; but he apparently forgot that in street
vehicles the body is entirely between the wheels, owing to
their large size, and that trucks of the same width (which he
considers thus proved to be the most economical), could be
built on gauges less than 3' 6" in railway vehicles, where the
wheels are invariably under and within the extreme width of
the body.
Again, he stated goods in Ireland are more bulky than
heavy, and that therefore narrow gauge vehicles are not suit¬
able ; but for that very reason they would appear to be more
suitable, as a heavy truck is often occupied, though only half
filled, by some bulky but light article, that could be conveyed
as well in a narrow gauge wagon of much less weight. This
argument against the narrow gauge assumes trucks nearly
always full, which is the exception and not the rule with
ordinary goods (see Table 8) ; and with minerals, where the
trucks are generally full, he admits that the narrow gauge
might have some advantages.
72
on light railways for
Mr. Napier also strongly advocated light railways to be
constructed on the existing gauge, but this involves the
constant hauling of an excessive dead weight, whereas the
saving in dead weight by the use of trucks of more suitable
dimensions is the chief advantage the narrow gauge possesses.
If the under bridges are made lighter, on a light railway
built for the ordinary gauge, it would afterwards be very
costly to strengthen such a line sufficiently to take the engines
from other lines ; and if they are not made lighter, no saving
is made except in the weight of the rails. Mr. Green
remained, therefore, fully convinced that this was " inconsistent
with sound economy
Mr. Napier also thought there were very few parts of
Ireland where lines of 5' 3" gauge could not be constructed
and equipped for £5,000; but as a matter of fact Irish
railways have in the past cost on an average £16,000, and
even assuming these to be all double lines, the single lines
would have cost at least £10,000, as it is well known that
they cost more than two-thirds what a double line would.
But Mr. F. A. Doyle stated, during the discussion, that the
line from Strabane to Stranorlar, although through a
remarkable easy country and the cheapest yet made, cost for
construction alone £6,000 per mile ; and paid only 2 per cent.,
whereas if constructed as a narrow gauge line the return
would have been 6 per cent.
Mr. Green heartily concurred with Mr. J. M. Burke as to
the saving to be effected by having only two classes, also with
Mr. Lewis, that if the traffic increased it would give more
accommodation and be cheaper to double the narrow gauge,
than to first make a light standard line, and afterwards
strengthen it to suit the heavier traffic, for as Mr. Aspinall
pointed out, the line might never prove remunerative if it
were crippled by an unnecessary outlay from the commence¬
ment.
thinly-populated distbtcts.
73
Me. Geeen also agreed with Mr. H. T. Crook that there
is always one gauge best adapted to the requirements of any
particular traffic, and although a gauge of 2' 9" would
probably meet the requirements of Irish traffic, yet from the
practical considerations stated in the paper, 3' 3" to 3' 6"
would be more suitable.
He had to thank Mr. Aspinall for pointing out some
errors in table 5, which had since been corrected, but
these errors in no way affected the conclusions that had been
arrived at.
It will be seen that on the Irish lines the extreme width of
load allowed varies from 7' 0" to 11' 9"—or, omitting the
Newry and Warrenpoint Railway (only 6 miles long) and
the 56 miles of the Dublin and Belfast Junction (on which a
greater width is allowed than on the 7' 0" broad gauge in
England) the widths vary from 7' 6" to 10' 8".
The heights vary from 10' 4" to 14' 0", but there are only
four short lines with an aggregate length of 35 miles, which
admit a less height than 12' 0", viz.—the Downpatrick,
Dundrum, and Newcastle Railway, the Kingstown Railway,
and the two mentioned in Table 5.
Mr. Aspinall also referred to the great weight of the
American wagons, but this is partly accounted for by their
being roofed in on account of the severity of the weather.
The statistics he gave of the tonnage on the Great Southern
and Western Railway showed that on an average each wagon
only conveyed 28 cwt., and fully corroborated the remarks
in the paper on the small average loads conveyed in each
wagon in actual working.
He also gave the engine mileage on the Great Southern
and Western Railway as 13 per cent, in excess of the train
mileage, whereas he appeared to think that it was stated to
be only from 3 to 5 per cent, in the paper, but this was for
passenger trains only, and a reference to the paper will show
74
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
that for goods trains it was stated to vary from 9 to 24 per
cent.
Having replied to the chief objections brought forward
during the discussion, Mr: Green wished to add a few remarks,
and also to give a few statistics obtained since the paper was
written.
Development of Traffic with increased Facilities.—The
increase of traffic on the New York Elevated Railway is more
than double the amount of decrease in the traffic on the
tramways since the opening of the railway.
Cost of Transhipment of Goods.—On the Rajpootana
Railway (India) the transhipment both at Delhi and Agra
was let by contract at l|d. per ton, including hand shunting,
damage, and loss.
The Broelthal Railway Company (Cologne) only charged
3d. per ton.
Mr. Douglas Galton, in a paper on " Railway Appliances
at the Philadelphia Exhibition," gives the cost at lOd. for
regular and 18d. for intermittent traffic, but Mr. C. D. Fox
(although against break of gauge) in the discussion on the
same paper thought it should not be more than half that
amount.
The Railway Clearing House allows a charge of 9d. per ton
for transhipment.
Again, Sig. Confalonieri (Italian Railway Commission, 1880)
states that the demurrage charged between different railway
companies, at points where their systems met, was so high
that the goods wherever possible were transferred to .the
wagons of each company, this practically being as detrimental
as a break of gauge.
Empty Wagon Mileage, 8fc.—On the Pennsylvania Railway
(1874) the empty wagon mileage amounted to 34 per cent. ;
and the westward traffic was 16 per cent, in excess of the
eastward traffic.
THINLY-POPULATED DISTRICTS.
75
On the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, owing to heavy
trains requiring 2 engines, and to shunting, the engine mileage
is 120 per cent, in excess of the train mileage.
Sig. Oonfalonieri (Italian Railway Commission, 1880)
states that out of every 100 hours wagons are in use, 88
hours are on an average spent in sidings.
Mr. Browne, in his paper on the " Construction of Railway
"Wagons," states that in France 1 wagon in every 5 was
running empty, and the other 4 only loaded to rather less
than half their capacity.
Average Proportion of Paying Load and Passengers.—On
the Bayonne and Biarritz Railway (1879) the average number
of passengers per train was only 37.
On the New York Elevated Railway 54 per cent, of the
number of seats in the trains is occupied during some part
of the journey; but this high per centage is accounted for by
the fact that being a city line many seats are often occupied
by a second person after the previous occupant had alighted.
On the Prussian Railways (1875) the average number of
passengers per carriage axle was 4¿, equal to 23 j per cent, of
the available seats.
On the Rajpootana Railway the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class
carriages contain 9, 18, and 32 seats respectively, while the
average number of passengers is only 0*6, 2*7, and 16 8
(natives), the live load being only 1}, 5, and 214- per cent, of
the gross loads, respectively.
On the Swedish State Railways the average number of
passengers per carriage was only 8-J, the proportion of dead
to paying weight being as 17 to 1.
Goods.—On the Prussian Railways (1875) the average
weight of goods per wagon axle was 1*99 tons, equal to 411
per cent, of the capacity of the wagons.
On the Rajpootana Railway the paying load averaged 43^
per cent, of the capacity.
76
ON LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR
On the Swedish State Railways the paying load was about
two-thirds the weight of the engine and tender, and only
one-fifth the weight of the whole train.
Some railways have had carriages specially built so as to
reduce the dead weight—for instance, on the Swiss Railways
steam carriages have been used, weighing only 430 lbs. per
seat, including the engine.
Goods wagons have also been built to suit several purposes—
for instance, the Western Railway of France have some
wagons with sides close boarded for a height of 2' 9J" to
carry 10 tons of coal, and open boarded with 4" spaces for an
additional height of 2' 0" to carry more bulky goods. These
wagons weigh 13^- cwt. per ton of capacity.
The Ebensee-Ischl-Steger Railway (Austria) have some
wagons weighing 3^ tons, built to carry 6 tons of goods, but
so constructed as to be capable of conveying 4 horses or 26
passengers, when necessary (as in time of war), by attaching
light divisions or seats.
Receipts and Working Expenses.—In Canada the net
income per car mile is 6 22 cents on the broad gauge and 6T7
on the narrow gauge, a revenue on the narrow gauge practi¬
cally equal with cars considerably lighter.
To compare broad and narrow gauge lines fairly, those
with the same amount of traffic should be selected—for
instance, in Tasmania, 5' 3" gauge, the receipts per mile per
week were £8 3, expenses £6 9, and net income £1'4, while
in India, metre gauge, the receipts are £8*7, expenses £6-4,
and net income £2*3—i.e., with a traffic only 5 per cent,
greater on the narrow gauge lines the net income is 64 per
cent. more.
On the Ocholt and Westersede Railway (Oldenburgh),
2' 5^" gauge, although only 4^ miles long, and connecting
2 lines of ordinary gauge, yet the receipts per day are 48s.,
with an expenditure of only 19s.; and on one occasion a
thinly-populated districts.
77
special train was hired to convey 45 pigs to market at a cost
of only 15s.
Surely these examples speak volumes for the economy to
be obtained by narrow gauge lines when properly constructed,
and worked with suitable stock.
On the New Zealand narrow gauge lines the receipts are
4s. 9d. per train mile, while the expenses, with grades of 1 in
35, are only 3s. 7d. ; and on a portion of the line where a
great saving was effected by a grade of 1 in 15 for 2i miles,
not only in construction, but also in the cost of working as
against a longer circuitous route, the working expenses were
only 5s. 2d.
A commission appointed in 1878 by the French Minister
of Public Works to inquire into "the Conditions for the
Establishment of Secondary Railways " deduced a rule,
founded on existing examples, to ascertain the probable working
expenses of lines with light traffic. Reduced to English
measures and money the rule (which is only applicable to
lines earning not more than £10 per mile per week) is as
follows—viz., working expenses per mile per week = £2-| a
of the weekly receipts.
In conclusion Mr. Green stated there had been a great
deal of prejudice against narrow gauge lines, but George
Stephenson once said " he never had much difficulty in en¬
gineering matter, but it was almost impossible to engineer men
and overcome their prejudices; " and it was to be hoped that
this discussion had removed some doubts as to the practical
usefulness of narrow gauge lines, and that greater experience
would prove them to be remunerative in thinly populated
districts.
f: \J i » ".