Page:Inland Transit - Cundy - 1834.djvu/13



usefulness of railroads is now admitted by all classes of the people; and the beneficial results have been apparent to the landowner, cultivator, and trader, wherever they have been established. The construction of railroads, like other things, requires experience, practice, and reflection. The railroads that have been constructed, have not been executed upon the best model or form that might have been adopted, although designed by engineers of great talent, taste, and powers of mind; and nothing but practical experience could have shown the results now obtained. The Manchester and Liverpool railroad, in my opinion, is constructed too narrow both in the trams and the space between them, and the sharp curvations in that road should be avoided, if possible, as well as the sedant inclined planes: the level on the line should be divided as equal as possible in the distance.

The curvation produces considerable friction on the flanches of the wheels, which impedes the velocity of the carriage, as well as the uphill, and strains the action of the machinery, and causes a considerable additional consumption of fuel by the delay.

The Darlington and Stockton railway is about forty miles in length, and has been in work eight years. It was first constructed in a single tram or line of rails ; but the directors soon found that a single line of road was not sufficient to transport their increasing trade. They have lately added double