. An American railroad builder, John Murray Forbes . THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD 31 which were fastened strips of iron half an inchthick by two and a quarter inches wide. Thebeams were fastened to cross-ties laid three feetapart, which in turn were laid upon under-sills, the whole being supported upon short blocksof different lengths, varying according to thedistance between the bottom of the under-sills anda firm foundation. ^ On the first thirty miles outof Detroit the wooden part of the track, whichhad been in use for eight years, had never beenrenewed, and was naturally much decayed. The
. An American railroad builder, John Murray Forbes . THE MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD 31 which were fastened strips of iron half an inchthick by two and a quarter inches wide. Thebeams were fastened to cross-ties laid three feetapart, which in turn were laid upon under-sills, the whole being supported upon short blocksof different lengths, varying according to thedistance between the bottom of the under-sills anda firm foundation. ^ On the first thirty miles outof Detroit the wooden part of the track, whichhad been in use for eight years, had never beenrenewed, and was naturally much decayed. Theiron, worn out and broken, curved up at theends; and when one of these up-springing piecesthrust itself through the floor of the car betweenthe feet of a passenger, it was expressively knownas a snake-head. Such a form of track, bestdescribed by the phrase a barrel-hoop tackedto a lath, was already passing; and the charterof the new company required the road to belaid with a heavy H rail of iron, weighing sixtypounds a yard.^ When the directors hel
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherbostonandnewyorkho
