Handbook of Railroad Construction; For the use of American engineers. / Containing the necessary rules, tables, and formulæ for the location, construction, equipment, and management of railroads, as built in the United States.

by George L. Vose

LOCATION OF BUILDINGS.

385. The location of the several buildings mentioned above will depend upon the situation of the terminus, the character of the traffic, and the number of trains arriving and departing.

TERMINAL PASSENGER HOUSE.

386. The passenger house should be at the most convenient point of access to the persons using it. The freight buildings should be at the most convenient point for receiving, shipping, and distributing merchandise.

The engine and car houses, with the shops for repair, may be placed where the land is cheap, and so distant from dwelling-houses as not to cause inconvenience to the inmates thereof by smoke and noise. The wood sheds, tanks, turntables, etc., etc., are generally at the engine houses; weigh scales, etc., at the freight buildings.

387. A railroad which connects the interior with a seaport, would probably bring two classes of freight; one for export and one for home consumption. The first should be carried at once to the wharves and loaded into the ships with one transshipment; while the second should be delivered as near as possible to the centre of home trade.

The departments of arrival and departure should be kept quite distinct, when the amount of business transacted is considerable; otherwise operating will become complicated. The arrival part of a large passenger house requires a great number of doors, that exit may be easy to the large number of passengers that arrive at once. The departure rooms require few doors, as departing passengers come singly or in small bodies. Thus, in large cities the front of a long rectangle is given to departure, while a long side, communicating with an outside platform, forms the arriving room.

One thing in particular ought to be looked to by American railroad companies,—the arrangement of public vehicles that shall secure travellers from the impositions and extortions of hack-drivers. No person whatever should have access to any building except passengers and the railroad officials. The places of the several carriages, and the rates of pay for the same, should be fixed by the company; the fare being paid by checks bought by the traveller from a company agent at the station.

TERMINAL FREIGHT HOUSE.

388. The terminal freight house should contain all of the apparatus necessary for receiving and embarking freight. When the central part of the building is occupied by tracks, and the sides by platforms, the landing platform should incline gently from the car to the door; and that for loading, from the door to the car. This arrangement facilitates the handling of freight. The interior of the building may be divided into departments, either according to the destination or the class of the freight.