. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. DEVELOPMENT OK THE AMERICAN KAIL AND TRACK. G83 collection. As no splice bars save a thin plate to protect the wood at the end of the rail were used, this rail was expected to become popular, but its use was abandoned a few years afterwards. Previous to 1850 English rails were usually rolled in lengths of 15,1(5, and 18 feet; by 1855 the latter length became the universal standard. As improved methods were adopted in irou manufacture, the l
. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. DEVELOPMENT OK THE AMERICAN KAIL AND TRACK. G83 collection. As no splice bars save a thin plate to protect the wood at the end of the rail were used, this rail was expected to become popular, but its use was abandoned a few years afterwards. Previous to 1850 English rails were usually rolled in lengths of 15,1(5, and 18 feet; by 1855 the latter length became the universal standard. As improved methods were adopted in irou manufacture, the length was increased in order to reduce the number of joints.* By 1857 rails were made at progressive mills 21 to 24 and 27 feet long and by 1860-'65 the 30-foot limit was reached. Although longer lengths have been manufactured at a few mills, the 30-foot rail has been considered the standard for over a quarter of a century. STEEL RAILS. The first steel rails in Europe are said to have been rolled at the Ebbw Vale Works, in Wales, about 1855. The steel was produced by the Uchaturis process. Zerah Colburn states that "the quality of the steel is said to be equal to that used for ; The difficulty in obtaining good iron on this side of the water led the more prosperous American companies to continue to import steel and iron rails from abroad for some years. Fig. 69 is a cross-section of the steel rails rolled at Dowlais, Wales, for the New Orleans, Memphis and Chattanooga Railroad in I860, from a drawing in the Fig. 69. Rah. fob New Okleans, Memphis, and Chattakooca Railboad, rolled at Dowlais, Walks, 18C9. I i :i drawing in the U S, National Uu9eum.) STEEL RAILS ROLLED IN AMERICA. The introduction of Bessemer steel in America and the conflicts in the United States Patent Office, which finally resulted in a compromise and consolidation of the various interests involved, form a very inter- esting chapter in the history of American manufacture. In Swank'
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsmithsonianinstitutio, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840
