Additional Memoranda As to the Swedish

520 STATE RAILWAYS OF INDIA.

TII.--ADDITIOYALMEMORANDA as to the Swedish Railway System, by Mr. C. P. SANDBERG,Assoc. Inst. C.E.

In order to show the extent of the development of the Swedish railway system from a technical point of view, the tables annexed have been drawn up. They aredivided into Tables I., II., and III., and some of the figures thereinare taken from official sources, such as the recently published ‘ Nordisk Jernbane- Kdender.’ Table I. shows the cost, gauge, andspeed of the linesopen for traffic, the weight of rail per yard in use, the working results for 1871, and finally the working conditions. Table 11. deals with the cost, gauge, and speed of the lines actually in construction. Many new schemes are proposed, companies arein course of formation, and concessions are granted to carry out some of the projects; but they are not included in the table. Several of thedetails are wanting with respect to the lines mentioned in Table II., but the results given are sufficiently numerous to arrive at a practical conclusion with regard to each kind of gauge and construction. An abstract of the two foregoing tablesis given inTable IIL, which may now be more particularlyanalysed. The railways in Sweden are divided into two classes, those of 4 ft. 84 in. and those of a narrower gauge. The railways of the standard gauge are again subdivided into two classes, namely, those of heavy and of light construction. The narrow-gauge railwaysare divided into four classes, according to their widths, namely, 4 ft., 3 ft. 6 in., 3 ft., and 2 ft. 6 in. Thetotal lines open tothe end of last year, withtheir avcrage cost per mile as well as their mileage, as derived from Table I., arearranged for comparison with the speeds indicated at the head of the columns. These speeds are obtained by taking the averages recorded in the time-tables, and 50 per cent. is addcd to obtain amaximum, making allowances for delays, for working at lower speeds than average on up-hill gradienta, on curves, and at the stations. Similar figures are given for some of the lines in course of construction, assuming the speeds at which the trains are proposed to be worked, and taking thecost as catimated. Next follows the total mileage of the two classes taken together at a mean cost per mile, from which it will be seen that there are nearly 2,000 miles of stawlard gauge open and in construction, as compared with about 400 miles of narrow gnuge, or out of 2,400 miles of railways thereare only 17per cent. narrow-gauge lines as against 83 pcr cent. of broad gauge. Of these 17 per cent. 5 per cent. are unconnected, and 12 pcr cent. connected with the main system. Thc unconnected lines consist of nine separate short pieces in different parts of the country, 115 miles in all, principlly used for mineral and timber traffic between lakos and mines, where sledging was formerly employed in the nintcr. Thus the totalmileage, when completed, of the 12 per cent. of connected narrow- gaugc lines will be 258 miles, divided between eight branch lines. But at present there areonly 62 miles open, ant1llcnce there isonly onc instance of break of gnugs in all Sweden, namcly, at Herrljunga. As rcprds this solitary example of break of gauge from 4 ft. to 4 ft. 8; in., the line in question has been working aboutten years, andthe experience derived from it musthave greatly influenced the decision in respect tothe construction of other railways connected with the main lines, so much 80 that inthe llistory of nearly all thebranch lines WC find that llfter subscribing capital for thefirst estimated cost of :L 3 ft. or 3 ft. 6 in. narrow-gauge

line, the next proceeding has been, in nearly all instances, to consider whether the gauge should notbe changed to 4 ft. 88 in; and in most cases therehas been an augmentation of capital to meetthe difference in cost in maintainingthe standard gauge. This was only a fewweeks ago the case with the Malmo-Ystad line. In one instance, the Norberg line-constructed about ten years ago-a widening to the standard gauge is now going on to meet the approaching main line.' However, there are instances where there is no more capital availabie, where railway communication is a necessity, and where the expected traffic is so small that itwould hardly pay even for a narrow-gauge line. Of this class there are six lines, averaging 20 miles each in length, which may be termed feeders to the main line, cheaply constructed for low speed and light agricultural traffic. The comparison between the relative mileage of the broad and narrow gauge lines shows that the narrow-gauge idea has of late met with very little encouragement in Sweden. In comparing the cost of the standard-gauge lines of heavy and light con- structionwith the cost of the narrow-gauge lines, itis essential to include the speed asa most important factor, for unless that is done whencom- paring the cost of the standard gauge of heavy constructiou with that of the narrow gauge, the advantage is all on the side of the latter, but taking thespeed in as a factor of the cost of making a line it seems to be more deserving of consideration than even the gauge. Thc Swedish State lines, costing nearly S7,OOO per mile, running at a maximum speed of 37 miles per hour, taken with the light linesof standard gauge at X4,OOO a mile, with a speed of 23 miles per hour, give an average cost of standard-gange lines anlounting to about S6,OOO per mile, capable of a general maximum speed of 33 miles. Agaimst this the narrow-gauge lines of different widths constructed at an average cost of 52,900 a mile, are capableof a maximum speed of, say, 15 miles per hour; but the reason why theyare so muchcheaper is that many of them are not adapted to passenger, but only for mineral and timber traffic. Finally, the two are set side by side in the table, so as to compare cost, speed, and gauge. It will be Been at once that the cost is nearly in direct proportion of the speed whatever may be the gauge, and of those comparing most favourably are the lig'.t stnn 'aid gauge and the 3 ft. 6 in. gauge, wllich have an r~dvance4 per ccnt. of speed over that of cost, whereas the 4 ft. gauge has just so much less speed as compared with its cost. Singularlyenough, besides the 628 miles of heavy lines of standard gaugenow in construction, the two kinds of railways most in vogue in Sweden at the present time are the 400 miles of the light standard gauge, and the 88 miles of 3 ft. 6 in., but none of 4 ft. In couclusion, a8 far as the practice on the Swedish railways goes, it must be first stated that the information given in the tables is put down as nearly as can be ascertained, andas fairly as possible. It is manifest thatthe figures are liable to modification, especially with regard to lines in construction, but they are given as estimated and in accordance with practice already obtained, and for the sole purpose of technical comparison. Theseresults depending in great nmasurc on local circumstances in Sweden may not be applicable to other countries except on similar conditions. There is of course nothing to prevent a highcr speed

1 Since the above was written the Swedish mail brings news of a contemplated widening of the 3 ft. 6 in.-gauge Sundsvall-Torpshammar line, in view of the approaching extension of State lines inthat direction. This line,after careful consideration in Parliament, is tu be constructed as a ' light railway' on the 4 ft. S; in. gauge.

being adopted on narrow-gauge railways than what is run on tllose in Sweden, but in such case they must be constructed for the purpose, with morc favourable gradients and curves, with stronger permanent way and rolling stock, and at a couscquently increased cost. So much so, that the conclusionMr. Elworth,the Director of the State lines in Swcden, arrived atthree years ago. as to the difference in cost between narrow gauge and broad gauge for the same kind of work done, sccms to guido railway constructioy in Sweden even now, at least judging from the tables. The cost of translading of goods and passengers, and the delay and incon- venience caused thereby, is unimportant when compared to the lossof time incurred by traveling over long distances at a low speed, but it should not bc lost sight of where time is of value. In Sweden, with thestandard gauge already esktbliuhed toa great extent, a cheaper andlighter construction seems to be preferred to break of gauge. This is at least the case with some of the private companies wl~ocannot afford to copy the hcavy system of broad gauge, of which the Governmcnt railways are the type. As there are a great many opponents to the construction of light standartl- gangc lines, worked in connection with the hcavy ones, owing to the apprehended destruction of the lighter rails in case the engines inuse on the heavily-constructccl linesshould run over them,the following calculations may possibly serve to obviate some of their objections :- 10 the irlstance of the Swedish State lines, with rails wcighing 66 lb. pcr yard, and a 27-ton engine running at 37 miles per hour, the maximum effect on thc rail may be taken as 37 X 27 = 999. In thecase of a line of standard gauge of light construction with rails weighing 50 lb. per yard, as used on some of the joining lines, we have GG : 50 : : 999 : 75G 756 and -- = 28 miles per hour, asthe proportionate maximum speed for the 27 lighterrail, so faras safety is concerned. As, however, thereare also other effects of the hcavy engine, such as crushing the rail-head, and bending the rail, the load on each driver must in no case cxceed one-half and two-thirds of what therail and rail joint mill carry without taking a permanent set. It is clear that the reduction of the speed cannot compensate for too great a disproportion in the wcigbt of the engim as compared with that of the permanent may; but on the othcrhand it is obvious that where ths difference is not too great, ,the lowering of the speed will overcome the difficulty of absolutely limiting the rolling stock to its respective road. In case of emergency, such as war, a somc- what heavier rolling stock could very well be used without risk, although it is quite right that each road should, as far as possible, be worked by rolling stock suited to it. In giving these weights of rails, it need scarcely be said that their efficiencydoes not depend solely upon the weight, but also upon the form of section and the quality, inasmuch as a 50 lb. rail of modern section and good quality will do the R-ork of a 66 lb. section if of extravagaut form and poor quality.Although Sweden can show a few cheap narrow-gauge lines, the light Construction of the broad gauge is preferred from sufficiently long experience of their relative value. The rcason seems to lie in the warning presented by the solitary example of break of gauge, coupled with the already firm establishment of the standard gauge in the country, and not from any disbelief in the cficicncy of the narrow gauge, judged by itself, for countries where there is no staudard gauge system already constructed.

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TABLEI.-cOST, GAUGE,AKD SPEED

Total Cost of Construction per English Mile. 1 1 (Single Line) Weight LIile- of Rail, age. lbs. per Yard. 4 ft. 81 in. 4 ft. 81 in. 4 ft. 0 in. 3 ft 6 in 2 ft. 6 in. Gauge. 1 Gauge. 1 Gauge. I G&.' I Gauge.

StateLines .... Standard Gauge, ' Iloyal Swedish ... 54 66 1 67311 Heavv Construction. Gefle-Dala .... Totd. ... 303 Miles at $7,328.

Ystad-Eslof .... 47 50 .. 1,andscrona - Relsing-' borg-Eslof ... 37 50 .. Kristianstad - Hessle- holm ..... 18 50 .. WexiB-Alfvesta ... 11 50 .. 3,784 '1 1 I Mama Sandarde . . 6 44 .. 5,584 J - ~ Total ....119 Miles at .. 54,603

l11 4,517 l Boras-Herrljuuga . . 25 46 Connccted with i Uddevalla - Wenersborg- Stalldad Gauge *, 675 Herrljunga ... 57 43 Lines. l Wessman Bnrken . . 11 40 I 1 , 4,094 Narrow Gauge. Norberg ..... 10 44 , 3,517

Siiderhamn .... 9 40 ~ 5,030 Hudiksvall .... 7 45 3,800 -. , Total . . , . 119 Miles at .. .. C 4,466

~ l ! Unconnected : 1,960 K6ping-Uttersberg . . 22 34 Linos. .. .. Kristinchamn-SjCaudan .. 3,428 .. Fryksta ..... 2,370 .. Total. ... 33 'Miles at .. .. d 2,322 l1 Kroppa ..... 6 I 18 Miles at ...... d 1,440 l

OF LINESOPEN FOR TRAFFICIN SWEIIEN.

~ WorkingResults for 1571. Working Conditions.

Proportion Gross f Workiug Net Profit open 1 Speed Workrd 10. Description Receipts Exprnsk.s 011 Cust of for 'Traffic. Of per Mile. to gross :onstruclion Yeura. Traffic. Receipts. 1 Maximum. I Average. _- -~-- l-- € -l- prcent. per cent. medium. 1 mile>prr hour. 616 50.2 3.7 26 Mixed. 508 58.8 3'4 16 Mineral. 1,449 42.3 12 1 15 Timber. Fpeed 37 25

310 50.0 3.1 7'22 15 Agricultural. 498 50.1 5.1 S 24 1G ,. 414 44.8 4.8 8 18 12 ,.

381 54'9 4.2 S 24 16 9,

1,222 38.2 12.8 10 18 12 ,I Speed 23 16

327 41.4 1 4.2 10 26 17 ,v 338 50.2 3'5 8 24 16 ,* 424 50.4 5-0 13 15 10 Mineral.

477 40.1 8.0 17 21 14 t, 1,014 58.7 8.8 12 15 10 Timber. 650 48.3 8.7 13 15 10 ,, Speed 22 14 l 216 56'4 4.7 11 Mineral.

546 42.5 8.7 8 ,I 509 35.0 13.8 8 ,, 10

427 24.5 22.2 19 1 8 5 Mineral.

TABLEII.--COST, GACQE. AND SPEED PROPOSEDFOR LINES IN CONSTRUCTIONIN SWEDEN

g I Total Cost per E~~glishMile (Single Line). 1

State Lines , . . !I~Z FiZ Bergslagernas (Fah-' 64 t7,OOO lunKihl) , . .)ili; Halmstad J6nkGping .. 4,639 Hwlsberg - Motala-), 58 Mjiilby . . . 57 .. Friivi-Ludvika . . 58 60 .. Stockholm-Westeras !l17 56 .. Iirylbo-Norberg. . 1 11 57 :4,8SG Total . . . . ,626 l Average cost of 393 milcs 26,358 per mile. l Nykiiping-MGlnbo . .. Timber. Nassjii Oscarshamn. 45 I ;i .. j :: I :: ,9 Owlscrona-Wexio 69 50 . Standard gauge, ,. Upsala-Gefle . . 68 45 light eonstructlou, ,9 Helsingborg Hessle- :: ' 45 47 45 r1? > suited to a maxi- Coal. holm . . . . } .. ;3,907 Knlmur-Emmeboda. mum speed of 23 Timber. 35 1 45 miles per hour. lIineral 1. I3,soo Nora-Cnrlskoga. . 3-1 l 45 .. I, .. ** i '* { timber. Nyniisbanan . . . 25 ~ 36 ...... ~ .. Nixed. - jl :: I Total . . . . 400 1 I Average cost of 183 miles , , E3,809 per mile. I .. 3,134 Speed,say j Timher. ,. 2,154 } Er j ,, 1-1 1-1 Total . . . . 1 88 miles :[ at . S2,588 per mile. -I -I l I ' Speed. '2,287 ~ .. '!( EIinernltimber.. and tofta . . . Total . . . . 57 ' miles '1 at .. .. X1,904 per mile. 1 -1 25 ,I .. , ..

LidkGping - Skara- ~ 3o .. ~ .. Stenstorp . . .ll I '-1 '-1 ~ Total . . . . ~ 70 miles at .. ,. .. $1,756 pcr mile.

TABLEIII.-COST, GAUGE,AND SPEEDCONPARED OF RAILWAYSIN SWEDEN.

Standard, 4 ft. F& in. Gnuge. Narrow Gauge.

Hmvy Construe- ~ Light Construc- 4 ft. 3ft.,6 in. i 3ft. 2 ft. 6 in. tiun.Maximum tion. Mnximnm Nmimum I Maxlmum Maximum Maxlmum Sp~edworked to ~ Speed worhd to Speed workcd , Speed worked I Speed to be Spced workrd 3'1 Miles per 23 Mile-; per to 22 Miles I to 15 Miles , worked 10 10 to 8 Miles Hour. Hour. per Hour. ~ per Hour.Miles perHour.' per How.

LIKESOPEN.

miles I mi1c-s 'miles miles 1 miles S03 at27,325 I 119 at .€4,G03 119at24,466 33at.€2,322 G :1t.€1,440 I 1 ..

LINES IN CONSTBCCTION.

miles l. (miies mllcs 400 at 23,509 lrnlEt 22,5888 57 at 21,904 70 atE1,756 i l

TOTALMILES AT MEDiUX COST.

miles liles 1mile.n mile.; 1,129 at XEG,913 19atf4,4Ffi121at~2,51557at.€1,904 7Gat51,.731 i lrnilEI l Standard Gauge. Narrow Gauge.

1,948 miles at E6,127 per mile. 373 miles at f2,SSP per mile.

Worked at spred of 33 miles worked at speed of 15 miles per hour. per hour.

- ~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~ ~ ~~~ ~

COST COMI'ABEDWITH SPEEDPER CENT.

~~ l ~~ l l Cost, 100 per et.' 58 pcr cent. 1 64 per cent. 36 per cent. 27 per cent. ~ 1 Speed, 100 ,, ~ F2 ,, 60 ,, 40 ,, 1 27 ,, ~ 22 ,, I ~~ ~~ ~ ~~ . ~ . ~.

Nom.-Cost, 100 per cent. = SG,903 per mile.

Speed, 100 per cent. = 35 miles per hour.