THE ABT ARILWAY SYSTEM.
In view of the proposal of the Midland Railway Company for a modification of the contract enabling them under certain , circumstances to substitute the Abt system for extensive and costly tunnel works, and which has been acceded to by Parliament, it will interest our readers to read a few particulars with, reference to that sj stem. The inventor, from whom it takes its name, is Mr Roman Abt, a Swiss engineer, who is said to have overcome the disadvantages con' nected with previous forms of " rack " railway, and a line is m operation m the mountains of the Harz, which is said to be a complete success. This, the Blan-kenburg-Tanne railway opens up a large district of the Harz, and brings the mines of Huttenrode, the coal fields and ironworks of Ruebeland, the stone quarries of Elbingerode, and the State ironworks of Rothehuette and Tanne into connection with the network of Prussian State railways, which had, till the construction of the line under notice, terminated at the foot of the mountains owing to the want existing at that time of means of surmounting the steep gradient m an economical and aatisfaoi tory manner. The length of the line, which is of a normal guage, is 16f miles, of which 4£ miles, or, including terminal ends 4£ miles, are provided , ! with a central rack m lengths varying from 14 chains to 77 chains,- a practical solution being afforded, by the mode of working to be now described, of the very I interesting problem of utilising the ordinary adhesion m combination with a central rack. There are two watersheds to be surmounted, the second and highest of which is 1000 ft above Blankenburg. The prevailing gradient on the central rack portion is 1 m 16-6 for a total length of 3 miles 8 chains ; the steepest gradient on the other portion, worked by adhesion, is 1 m 40. No less than 50 per cent of the line is m curve, the minimum radius on the rack being|l2£ chains, whilst that on the ordinary rail portion is 9 chains. The engine can haul a train of 120 tons up the gradient of 1 m 16-6 at a speed of 7£ miles per hour, or the same train up the gradients of 1 m 40 at a speed of 15£ miles per hour, it being thus possible m every case to develope the full power of the locomotive, and so as to gain time, and diminish the cost of working. In descending the gradients it is not found necessary to brake the coaches, as the air brakes on the cylinders are sufficient to control the speed of, and stop the train, when required. By this arrangement tho usual wear and tear of the tires is considerably diminished, but provision has also been made for einergencieg by fitting the whole of the rolling stock ", with Hpberlein friction brakes, which are under the immediate control of the engine-driver by means of a friction reel and continuous cord, and which also apply themselves automatically on any coupling breaking. The cost of the Blankenburg-Tanne Railway (including four locomotives, six passenger coaches, two post wagons, thirty open trucks, six covered trucks, one saloon carriage, and cix ordinary trollies, amounting to £28,500 ', purchase of land, £7,000 \ stations, £11,000 ; permanent-way, £49,000), was only £175,000, or about £10,458 per mile." The foregoing information is gathered from an artiole m the " Engineer " of 12th November, 1886, which is quoted m a Parliament ry paper just circulated. Reporting n the proposal to apply the system to the Arthur's Pass incline, Mr Maxwell is of opinion that m no pass should, a sleeper grade than ifin 15 be' permitted and ; be calculated that the cost of workIng the Abt line over and above that of working the line on the ordinary system would be £6.000 per annum, being the 1 interest on $> capitalised sum of jfISJO,()QCJ. 1 fie reports o'fierefore*tb.at it rhofe' that' the sum of £12(),(k)iO> would tie saved, m the cost of construction, t^ien it woqld be reasonable to axlopt \\ instead of 1 m 5.0 grades with a, lon^ iftnnel.' If it can be sUown. that this would be the case m all probability the Abt system will bo adopted, but if not, then no doubt the Government will insist upon the line being completed upon the original plans.
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Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1885, 5 July 1888, Page 3
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730THE ABT ARILWAY SYSTEM. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1885, 5 July 1888, Page 3
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