THE TRAMWAY.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 46, 18 November 1867, Page 3

THE TRAMWAY.

The following lettfer has been handed to us for publication, the writer thereof being a gentleman of experience on the subject:— Hokitika, September 24th, 1867. James M‘Beth, Esq., Hokitika. ■ My Deae Sie, —At your request, and after giving the matter careful consideration, I proceed to answer the various queries contained in the letter frbm S. Revans, Esq., relative to tramways. With regard to placing tramways upon ordinary roads, unless the road is from 18 to 20 feet wide, I think such a course would not he advisable—a tramway of 4ft. guage would require a width of 7ft. formation; neither should one wheel of any vehicle be allowed to make use of the interval between the rails, as the traffic would tend to displace the sleepers, causing an unequal settlement of them—, jar out the keys; aud iidd very materially to the cost of maintenance, it would he better to place the tramway in the centre of the road so that the wheels could go on the outside of the rails. If the road is of the width I have mentioned I see no reason why a tramway could not he placed on one side of it without inconveniencing other traffic, as there would be ample room for a dray proceeding along it without interfering with the tramway. The only difficulty would occur in two vehicles meeting, when of course one must draw on to the tramway to allow the other to pass. It might he found more advantageous and cheaper to widen the road to place the tramway ou it than to form an entirely new track. The wood principally made use of for rails here is red pine (rimu) and appears to answer the purpose as well as any other New Zealand timber (totara, I have no doubt, would do equally as well and perhaps better) for sleepers —the most durable wood is the best. No iron is made use of on the surface of the rails, nor do I think it an advantage to use it. I have seen it used for that purpose, but the advantage derived is not commensurate with the cost, aud it is continually getting out of repair, the traffic causing the iron to expand lengthways and jarring the nails dr screws out that fasten it to the wooden fails.

As to gradients, I can only repeat what I have before ■ mentioned; the gradients of a tramway for horse traction need not be less than those for ordinary roads, but the flatter they are the better. ■ . The load that an ordinary light draught horse can draw upon a level tramway I estimate at about 30 cwt. to 2 tons at a speed of from 3to 31 miles per hour. For passenger traffic, an active horse on a level tramway can draw a carriage containing 16.passengers at the rate ot 6 miles per hour—if the rails are iron instead of wood, a horse can draw three times the above load at the same rate of speed. Herewith I enclose you an estimate of what I consider a mils of wooden and iron tramway could he constructed for on a level country, but the cost of construction greatly depends upon the description of country' it has to pass tlirohgh. The estimate docs not include cuttings, viaducts or bridges, and is also contingent upon the ballast and timber being procured conveniently. But for a tramway of the length required (viz. 60 miles), I could not for many reasons recommend wooden rails. The difference of cost between wooden and iron rails is not so great as the advantages gained by the use of iron alone—the wear and tear and maintenance of a wooden line is considerably more than that of an iron tramway, as you may calculate upon having to entirely replace the wooden rails every twelve or eighteen months, whilst for moderate traffic, the iron rails would probably last ten years, besides being so much more easily kept in repair, it might afterwards he found desirable to make use of a light engine as at present in Queensland in place of horse power. Taking everything into consideration an iron line would he cheapest and best in the long run, as a wooden line can only he looked upon as a very temporary expedient. In conclusion, I may add'that I have been accustomed to railway work, and should be glad to contract for the survey and construction of the proposed line. T remain, My dear Sir, Tours truly, G-. M. Aldrich.

Estimate pee Mile of Wooden and Iron Tramway.—4ft. Guage. Wooden Tramway. Rails (G x 3) 15,840 slip. ft. Keys 2,51)0 , 18.430 at IGs per 100 ft. £147 9 0 Sleepers,. 3ft. apart, 1,760, each at 2s Gel 220 0 0 Laying road, 1760 lineal yards at 9d per yard.......; 66 0 0 Ballasting, say 2000 cubic yards, at Is Gd per yard ; 150 0 .0 £583 9 0 The cost of the sawn timber delivered on the ground is calculated at 12s per 100 sup. ft. Iron Tramway. Rails, 301bs to the yard, 47ton 2cwt 3qrs 121bs at £l2 10s per ton 589 5 8 Sleepers, 2ft Gin apart, 2112,7 ft long, each 2s 211 4 0 Laying road, 1760 lineal yards, at Od per yard 66 0 0 Dog nails for rails, 7041hs at 8d per lb 23 9 4 Gravel ballast, say 2000 cubic yards at Is 6d per yard 150 0 0 £1039 19 0 Rails, 351bs 'to the yard, 53 tons at £l2 10s per ton 687 10 0 Sleepers, 1760, each 7ft long, 3ft apart, 2s each .;... :.... 176 0 0 Laying road, 9d per lineal yard 66 0 0 Dog nails for rails, 5801bs at 8d ... 19 10 8 Bailast, say 2000 cubic yards at Is 6d 150 0 0 £109910 8