CHEAP AND LIGHT RAILWAYS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 599, 28 December 1869, Page 2

CHEAP AND LIGHT RAILWAYS.

Home papers contain interesting accounts of a new description of railway which seems especially adapted for such a purpose as communication between Mount Rocbfort and Westport, or between JNelson and the West Coast. The engine used, known as the Fairlie Engine, or "Little Wonder," built by the " Fairlie Engine and Steam Carriage Company," for the Portmadoc and Festiuiog Railway Company, North Wales, has obtained great celebrity from the fact of its' having to work the narrowest guage passenger railway in existence. The line has been worked now about six years, and during that time there has not been the slightest accident of any kind. Its guage is only two feet. Although the line is so narrow in guage, it is far the most successful, commercially, that has ever been made. The Festiniog line is for about 11 miles one continuous ascent of about 1 in 80, with very many curves, some of which are as small as 100 feet radius. The " Little Wonder," although weighing but 19J tons, fully equipped with fuel and water for the road, will haul after it 120 tons, at a speed of 15 miles an hour for the whole 11 miles; a feat, considering the guage and weight, that could only be accomplished by the Fairlie Engine. The engine runs with remarkable smoothness, and will pass round curves of 50 feet with the utmost safety at 20 miles an hour. Clear width of steam carriage inside, 8 feet. Total weight of steam carriage, with fuel and water for a 40 miles run, 16 tons. Accommodation for 90 passengers. This Steam Bogie Carriage has ample power to take one additional light carriage, specially constructed to accommodate 60 passengers, at an average speed of 30 miles per hour, on ordinarily constructed lines, and the cost per train mile will average about one-half that of the ordinary passenger train. The weight on the driving wheels is 2h tons per wheel, instead of 5 to 8 tons on a wheel as now ordinarily in use, thus eifecting great economy in the maintenance of of way, and wear and tear of rails.