METHOD OF CONDUCTING OPERATIONS.

122. The organization of the engineer corps upon a railroad is as follows, differing somewhat in different parts of the country.

The Chief Engineer has entire charge of all the work, of all assistants, appointing and dismissing members of the corps, designing of all structures, making of specifications, and of all mechanical operations incident to the thorough, correct, and timely construction of the road; and should be able also to specify, generally, the amount and character of the equipment needed.

The Resident Engineer has charge of the detailed construction of from twenty-five to fifty miles of road, according to the nature of the work, being responsible to the chief engineer for the proper execution of the orders from headquarters; he returns to the chief engineer a monthly account of the exact condition of his work, both as to the amount executed, and also that remaining to be done.

The assistants of the resident engineer are a leveller and transit man; to whom, under his supervision, is the duty of laying out, measuring, and estimating the work. The leveller has with him one or more rodmen. The transit man, two chainmen, and one or more axemen.

In some cases, added to the above are inspectors of masonry, bridging, and superstructure. These are necessary only when the road embraces a great number of mechanical structures; too many to leave the proper time to the resident engineer for his other duties. Once each month the exact amount of graduation, bridging, and masonry executed is obtained by the resident and his assistants. The chief engineer applies the prices to these amounts, and the percentage deduction being made, the estimate is ready for the treasurer.

123. The abstract prepared from the monthly estimate should show clearly, without unnecessary figures, the amount of work completed, and also that remaining to be done.

For convenience, the various blanks used on railroads should fold to the same form and size. The blanks are,

The Contract,

The Specification,

The Resident Engineer’s Monthly Return,

The Assistant’s Weekly and Monthly Returns,

The Force Return,

The Pay Roll,

Vouchers.

The contract and specification are given in chapter IV. The resident’s monthly return to the chief engineer is somewhat as follows:—

Monthly return of work done on the first division of the A and B Railroad, for the month ending ——, showing also the whole amount of work up to ——; also the present estimate for completion.

Section.Contractor.GRADUATION.
Clearing and Grubbing.Excavation.
In July.Total to date.In July.Total to date.
Acres.Price.Am’t.Acres.Pr.Am’t.Yards.Pr.Am’t.Yards.Pr.Am’t.
1 15100150030010030000440001044001000001010000
MASONRY.
First Class.Second Class.Third Class.Foundation in Excavation.Foundation Timber.
In July.Total to date.In July.Tot. to date.In July.Tot. to date.In July.Tot. to date.In July.Tot. to date.
Yds.Pr.Am’t.Yds.Pr.Am’t.
BRIDGING AND TIMBERWORK.
Truss Bridges.Pile Bridges.Stringer Bridges.Trestling.
In July.Total to date.
Feet.C.Am’t.Feet.C.Am’t.
SUPERSTRUCTURE AND FENCING.
Superstructure.Fencing.
In July.Total to date.In July.Total to date.
Miles.Price.Am’t.Miles.Price.Am’t.
VALUE OF WORK AND PAYMENTS MADE.
Value of Work in July.Amount paid in July.Whole value to date.Whole amount paid.Amount left due.
VALUE OF LABOR.
Foreman and Mechanics.Laborers.Carts with Horses.Carts with Oxen.Whole value.
RECAPITULATION.
Value of work done in July.Value of work up to date.Remaining Value.

The resident engineer’s assistants return to him weekly a statement of the amount and value of the force employed upon the several sections, and monthly the exact amount of work done on the same, for each of which there should be a blank. The above forms may be printed and folded in 8vo., or may be the continuous headings of a large sheet.

CHAPTER VII.
ROCKWORK.