{ "system": "GoGuides Verified Text", "api_version": "verified-text-v1", "status": "ok", "response_type": "verified_text_record", "source_key": "britannica_1926", "source_title": "Encyclopaedia Britannica (1926)", "license_code": "public_domain", "attribution": null, "license_url": null, "chunk_id": "1926:railways:21464ee9339a", "title": "RAILWAYS", "section": null, "hash_alg": "sha256", "hash_sha256": "c8291e82537882457c9851e1e2f91c7c528b08cc13595234c01d579b777e27fe", "normalizer": { "name": "ggnorm", "version": "1.0" }, "verified_text": "in this article the main developments since 1g10 in the practice of railway engineering are described. problems of track laying, both new construction and renovation and repair work, are discussed. new designs of locomotives are described and the substitution of steel for wood as a material for construction of coaches and wagons is recorded. the improved | methods of signalling now adopted are dealt with, while the concluding section deals with the electrification of the railways, the whole being preceded bya short historical account of railway development during the years under review. i. history the period 1910-26 was marked by a slowing up in the rate of additions to railway mileage. there were exceptions, asin canada where railways were extended too rapidly, and in certain parts of africa and asia, but elsewhere, particularly in the united states, the additions were relatively small although large sums were invested annually since 1922, in enlarging and improving existing railway facilities and equipment. the greater use of motor-trucks and ’buses on the highways has tended to take away a part of the railways short-haul traffic, thus relieving the facilities for the longer hauls and postponing the need of new trackage. the annual growth in ton-miles has been smaller in 288 degree than in previous periods and the passenger traffic has ~ tended to decline in volume. war conditions and the restriction of immigration have held down the rate of growth in population and agricultural development in north amcrica. the period under review was marked also by increases in the extent of governmental regulation of railways. the rate struc- tures have become less flexible. higher wages and other rising costs have borne heavily on the carriers. rates have been increased, but not in degree corresponding with costs. net income has suffered, the return on railway investments has declined, and railway securities have lower market values. in great britain and the united states, the two countries which have been foremost in faith in private ownership rather than government ownership of railways, it was found expedient to turn the railway over to the govt. for unified operation during the crisis; but in both cases private ownership and operation were resumed after the war. in great britain the policy of consoli- dation was made effective and the many small companies were reduced to four. in the united states a similar policy was writ- ten into law, but little progress has been made in carrying it into effect. in canada the financial collapse of several weak car- riers led to a substantial enlargement in the nationalised system. in no country did the war bring about greater changes in respect of the railways than in germany. before the war they were mostly the property of the individual states of the empire, but in 1920 they were handed over to the reich. the results of their operation under these conditions were far from successful, and by the end of 1923 their working expenses were seven times greater than their receipts. in 1924 it was arranged that their operation should be put in the hands of a company, the reich- seisenbahn gesellschait, whose concession was to run normally for 40 years, expiring on dec. 31 1964. the capital was fixed at £1,300,000,000, made up of (1) £650,000,000 ordinary shares to be issued fully paid to the reich; (2) {100,000,000 preference shares to be issued to the public as required; and (3) £550,000,000 reparation bonds bearing 5% interest, with a 1% sinking fund calculated to redeem them in 40 years. the transport tax im- posed in 1917 on the gross receipts of the railways was continued, its proceeds up to a maximum of {12,500,000 being paid over for reparation purposes, for which therefore, with the sum of £33,000,000 for the service of the reparation bonds, a total of £45,500,000 annually was charged upon the railways. fuller details about the railway systems of the various countrics will be found under the several headings, e.g., grreat britain: communications; united states: communications. (x.) ii. track laying this article deals with: (1) the laying of track on new lines; (2) the laying of new tracks parallel to existing ones; and (3) the relaying or renewal of tracks worn out in service. track lay- ing on new lines has been subject to little improvement owing to the marked decrease in new railway construction. where me- chanical equipment is employed, it consists usually of a pioneer- ing machine placed at the head of a material train, the machine comprising a combination of derricks and conveyers by means of which the rails, sleepers and fastenings are passed forward and set in place. in america, during the years 1915-25, the locomo- tive crane was sometimes substituted for the track laying ma- chine because of its ready availability and its adaptability to a wide variety of other uses. the laying of new tracks in close proximity to other lines already in service imposes no particular difficulties, as the materials can be readily distributed from trains on the operated track. relaying track.—the relaying of track is a process constantly un- der way on the entire railway mileage of the world which must be car- ried on without obstructing traiffic. the wooden sleepers or crosstics used suffer deterioration from decay and mechanical agencies. rails are subject to wear, particularly on curves. the tread or wearing sur- face becomes battered at the ends by the pounding of the wheels. the most common cause for renewal is the battering of the ends.