The Cross-ties, or Sleepers,
are put in position, to show how they will look when the track is laid, but in reality the cross-ties must be nailed to the rails while the latter are upon the level ground, as I have already stated.
When each section of track is fastened in place, from the top of the tramway to the ground, and as much farther as your space or lumber will admit, load your car with stones, or some equally heavy freight, and start it down the “switchback.”
If the car reaches its journey’s end with no mishap, you can with safety get in the car for the next trip and coast down yourself and a jolly good coast it will be.
The plans (Figs. 135 and 136) may be altered so that the car will run down one hill and mount another not quite so high, and many other improvements will suggest themselves to the young civil engineers who build this “switchback,” but the first track you erect should be as simple as is consistent with strength and safety, and the improvements left to some future time.