. The development of the American rail and track . 1855 are shown. Fig. 58. Compound rail. New York Central Kailroad. Sixty poundsto the yard. Fig. 59. Compound rail. New York Central Railroad. Seventy-fivepounds to the yard. Fig. CO. Compound rail. Troy Union Railroad. Sixty-five poundsto the yard. Fig. 61. Wide compound rail. Troy Union Railroad. Sixty-fivepounds to the yard. DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN RAIL AND TRACK. 679 Full-size models of these rails are in the collection. When the track composed of this type of compound rails was new, itis described by those who rode upon it as being th
. The development of the American rail and track . 1855 are shown. Fig. 58. Compound rail. New York Central Kailroad. Sixty poundsto the yard. Fig. 59. Compound rail. New York Central Railroad. Seventy-fivepounds to the yard. Fig. CO. Compound rail. Troy Union Railroad. Sixty-five poundsto the yard. Fig. 61. Wide compound rail. Troy Union Railroad. Sixty-fivepounds to the yard. DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN RAIL AND TRACK. 679 Full-size models of these rails are in the collection. When the track composed of this type of compound rails was new, itis described by those who rode upon it as being the finest track ofthe period. No satisfactory nut lock was in use at that time, and asthe screw-threads or rivets wore and traffic became heavier, the differ-ent parts of the rails could only be kept together by constant attention,in screwing up the nuts or putting in new rivets. As the rails laidwere of iron, the wear of the inner surface was considerable, so that ina little while the track was badly damaged and the old solid rail Figs. 58,59,60, Kails, New York Central and Tuoy Union Railroads, 1855. (From models in the V. S. National Museum.) It is still an unsolved question whether or not, with some improve-ment in the section, and made of steel and held together with the im-proved bolt and nut-lock, the compound rail may be the rail of thefuture. POOR RAILS LAID DURING WAR TIMES. During the next ten years little seems to have been done by Americanrailroad contractors to improve the shape of the rail or joint fixtures;in fact, during the civil war, iron was so dear that very little rail wasrolled. Few new railroads were built and repairs to tracks were onlymade under the gravest necessity. Almost all the forms of rails whichwere made during these few years were designed by the proprietors ofrail mills, who naturally adopted such shapes as were easy for them tomake, and the railroads, when further delay was dangerous, went intothe market and purcha
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherwashingtongovtprin
