Railway Construction. William Hemingway Mills
is used.
The engineer responsible for any steel structure to forward to the Board of Trade a certificate to the effect that the steel employed is either cast-steel, or steel made by some process of fusion, subsequently rolled or hammered, and of a quality possessing considerable toughness and ductility, together with a statement of all the tests to which it has been subjected.
19. In cases where bridges or viaducts are constructed wholly or partially of timber, a sufficient factor of safety, depending on the nature and quality of the timber, to be provided for.
N.B.—The heaviest engines, boiler trucks, or travelling cranes in use on railways afford a measure of the greatest moving loads to which a bridge can be subjected. The above rules apply equally to the main transverse girders and rail-bearers.
20. It is desirable that viaducts should, as far as possible, be wholly constructed of brick or stone, and in such cases they must have parapet walls on each side, not under 4 feet 6 inches in height above the rail level, and not less than 18 inches thick.
Where it is not practicable to construct the viaducts of brick or stone, and iron or steel girders are made use of, it is considered best that in important viaducts the permanent way should be laid between the main girders. In all cases substantial parapets, with a height of not less than 4 feet 6 inches above rail-level must be provided by an addition to the girders, unless the girders themselves are sufficiently high. On important viaducts where the superstructure is of iron, steel, or timber, substantial outside wheel-guards to be fixed above the level of, and as close to the outer rails as possible, but not so as to be liable to be struck by any part of an engine or train running on the rails.
In the construction of the abutments or piers which support the girders of high bridges and viaducts, cast-iron columns of small size must not be used.
In all large structures a wind-pressure of 56 lbs. per square foot to be assumed for the purpose of calculation, which will be based on the rules laid down in the report, dated 30th May, 1881, of the committee appointed by the Board of Trade to consider the question of wind-pressure on railway structures.
21. The upper surfaces of the wooden platforms of bridges and viaducts to be protected from fire.
22. All castings for use in railway structures to be, where practicable, cast in a similar position to that which they are intended to occupy when fixed.
23. The joints of rails to be secured by means of fish-plates, or by some other equally secure fastening. On main lines, and lines where heavy traffic may be worked at high speed, the chairs not to weigh less than 40 lbs.; but on branch lines, or lines on which the traffic is light, chairs weighing not less than 30 lbs. may be used.
24. When chairs are used to support the rails they must be secured to the sleepers, at least partially, by iron spikes or bolts. With flat-bottomed rails, when there are no chairs, or with bridge rails, the fastenings at the joints, and at some intermediate places, to consist of fang or other through-bolts; and such rails, on curves with radii of 15 chains or less, to be tied to gauge by iron or steel ties at suitable intervals.
25. In any curve where the radius is 10 chains or less, a check-rail to be provided.
26. Diamond-crossings, as a rule, not to be flatter than 1 in 8.
27. No standing work (other than a passenger platform) to be nearer to the side of the widest carriage in use on the line than 2 feet 4 inches, at any point between the level of 2 feet 6 inches above the rails, and the level of the upper parts of the highest carriage doors. This applies to all arches, abutments, piers, supports, girders, tunnels, bridges, roofs, walls, posts, tanks, signals, fences, and other works, and to all projections at the side of a railway constructed to any gauge.
28. The intervals between adjacent lines of rails, where there are two lines only, or between lines of rails and sidings, not to be less than 6 feet. Where additional running lines of rails are alongside the main lines, an interval of not less than 9 feet 6 inches to be provided, if possible, between such additional lines and the main lines.
29. At all level crossings of public roads, the gates to be so constructed that they may be closed either across the railway, or across the road at each side of the crossing, and a lodge, or, in the case of a station, a gatekeeper’s box, to be provided, unless the gates are worked from a signal cabin. The gates must not be capable of being opened at the same time for the road and the railway, and must be so hung as not to admit of being opened outwards towards the road. Stops to be provided to keep the gates in position across the road or railway. Wooden gates are considered preferable to iron gates, and single gates on each side to double gates. Red discs, or targets, must be fixed on the gates, with lamps for night use, and semaphore signals in one or both directions interlocked with the gates, may be required. At all level crossings of public roads or footpaths, a footbridge or a subway may be required.
At occupation and field crossings, the gates must be kept hung so as to open outwards from the line.
30. Sidings connected with the main lines near a public road level crossing to be so placed that shunting may be carried on with as little interference as possible with the level crossing; and, as a rule, the points of the sidings to be not less than 100 yards from the crossing.
31. At public road level crossings in or near populous places, the lower portions of the gates to be either close barred, or covered with wire netting.
32. Mile posts, half-mile, and quarter-mile posts, and gradient-boards to be provided along the line.
33. Tunnels and long viaducts to be in all cases constructed with refuges for the safety of platelayers. On under-bridges without parapets, handrails to be provided. Viaducts of steel, iron, or timber to be provided with manholes or other facilities for inspection.
34. Continuous brakes (in accordance with the Regulation of Railways Act of 1889), complying with the following requirements, to be provided on all trains carrying passengers, viz.—
(1) The brake must be instantaneous in action, and capable of being applied by the engine-driver and guards.
(2) The brake must be self-applying in the event of any failure in the continuity of its action.
(3) The brake must be capable of being applied to every vehicle of the train, whether carrying passengers or not.
(4) The brake must be in regular use in daily working.
(5) The materials of the brake must be of a durable character, and easily maintained and kept in order.
35. Any undertaking furnished by a railway company to be under the seal, and signed by the chairman and secretary of the company.
Recommendations as to the Working of Railways.—1. There should be a brake vehicle, with a guard in it, at or near the tail of every passenger train; this vehicle should be provided with a raised roof and extended sides, glazed to the front and back, and it should be the duty of the guard to keep a constant look-out from it along his train.
2. All passenger carriages should be provided with continuous footboards, extending the whole length of each carriage and as far as the outer ends of the buffer castings. As passenger carriages pass from one company’s line to another’s, it is essential for the public safety that, although the widths of the carriages on the different lines may differ from each other, the widths across the carriages from the outside of the continuous footboard on one side, to the outside of the continuous footboard on the opposite side, should be identical for the carriages of all railway companies, so that the lines of rails may be laid at the proper distance from the edges of the passenger platforms.
3. There should be efficient means of communication between the guard, or guards, of every passenger train and the engine-driver, and between the passengers and the servants of the company in charge of the train.
4. The tyres of all wheels should be so secured as to prevent them from flying open when they are fractured.
5. The engines employed with passenger trains should be of a steady description, with not less than six wheels, with the centre of gravity in front of the driving-wheels,