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JOURNAL

OF

THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE

OF THE

State of Pennsylvania

AND

AMERICAN REPERTORY.

AUGUST, 1845.

"Account of the Railway from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, and of the principal works upon it." By the Chevalier FREDERICK WILLEM CONRAD, M. Inst. C. E.; translated from the French, by CHARLES MANBY, Assoc. Inst. C. E. Secretary.

This railway, the first that has been constructed in Holland, is due to the enterprise of a public company, called "The Railway Company of Holland," whose affairs are managed by a council of administration, consisting of five commissaries and the engineer. The difficulties of construction, arising from the peculiar physical character of the locality, were amongst the least that the company had to contend against; the directors were, however, satisfied that the utility of the undertaking would be finally understood in the country, and that by perseverance every obstacle would be overcome.

The company was formed on the 8th of August, 1837, at Amsterdain; and, within a short period, the statutes received the royal sanction. but, no sooner had the contract been made for the execution of the first division, from Amsterdam to Haarlem, than numerous law-suits arose, owing to the hostility of the proprietors of the land over which it was intended the railway should pass,-the consequent difficulty of expropriation,-and serious discussions with the engineer, to whom. at that period, the execution of the line was entrusted, and which terminated in his resignation, caused great delays, which were prejudical to the undertaking.

At length, the government, at the request of the council of administration, appointed the author of this paper " Engineer director," and he entered on his duties in March, 1839. After a minute inspection VOL. X, 3RD SERIES. No. 2.—August, 1845.

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of the line, he found it necessary to complete the first division between Amsterdam and Haarlem, according to the designs of the former engineer; but to adopt different and more eligible plans for all the other divisions. The first part was opened on the 20th September, 1839; and the dispatch that had been used, enabled the council to announce, at the general meeting held in April, 1840, their intention to continue the execution of the remainder of the liue, without delay.* The assent of the government being granted, the greater part of the year 1840 was occupied in gaining the concurrence of the regencies of the different towns and the "polders" through which the railway would pass, and in effecting the expropriations.

In the beginning of the year 1841, the first contract for works was made, including the bridge over the river Spaarne, at Haarlem. This bridge, which is of iron, has six openings; the piers are of brick-work, faced with cut stone. The two middle openings have an iron swing bridge of a very simple and solid construction, which opens and shuts both openings at the same time, to render the passage of vessels as rapid as possible; as between fourteen and fifteen thousand pass through annually. The principal beams of this swing bridge are each upwards of 23 metres long (= 75 feet 6 inches,) and were cast in a single piece; the whole bridge weighs upwards of 110 tons; and the machinery for moving it is so perfect, that one man turns it easily in two minutes. There is also a method of holding the bridge firmly shut during the passage of the train, at which times alone it is closed, and a self-acting signal is attached to it. During the construction of this bridge, the channel of the river was diverted, that the navigation. might not be interrupted, and the whole was completed in one season. There are also five fixed bridges, of the same style of architecture, over the canals within the town of Haarlem, the station at which place is neat and simple.

After much difficulty in obtaining possession of the land for the railway, a contract for the cuttings and embankments, at a given price. per cubic metre, was made, to be executed as fast as each individual portion should be obtained, either by private purchase or otherwise; by this means, much time was saved, and the line was completed to Hellegom, during the season of 1841.

At Vogelenzang, near Bennebroek, the canal of Leyden, and the high road are both crossed by a trellis bridge of 54 metres in length (= 177 feet,) at an angle of 30° with the canal. This bridge is built entirely of red deal, excepting the roadway beams, which are of oak, and is

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or about 524 English miles; with fifty-eight bridges in the three first divisions.

†The "polders" are the spots of land which have been drained and are now cultivated:

their level is usually below that of the sea.

formed by three series of planks, crossing each other in the form of trellis-work; there are three openings, of which, those on either side are each 98.5 metres (= 328 feet 4 inches) span; and the centre one is 34 metres ( = 111 feet 6 inches) span; the trains pass without causing any vibration.

The next step was, to make a contract for the trussed timber bridge, to cross the towing path, at an angle of 60°, near Leyden; for which the span was required to be 17.20 metres ( 56 feet 5 inches.)

Near this spot is the "Warmonder Leede," one of the navigable. canals, which, at the same time, act as drains for conveying water from the interior of the country, into and out of the lake of Haarlem, by the dykes of Katwyk, as well as serving for commercial and agricultural purposes. The Regency of Rhynland insisted, that the bridge to cross this canal should have five openings, each of 6.30 metres ( 20 feet 10 inches,) of which the centre one should have a swing bridge for the facility of the navigation of the canal.

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This is of a novel construction, on the system of a sliding bridge; it is built of timber, and the platform is easily moved by one man.

The nature of the soil from the "Warmonder Leede" to the town of Leyden, was such as to render it necessary to form the railway on fascines or faggots. This plan was also necessary on all the first part of the line; and even at the Leyden station, the whole of the buildings were erected upon a similar foundation, which appears to answer very well.

Beyond Leyden, the railway crosses the Rhine at an angle of 82°, by a trussed timber bridge with five openings; the three centre ones have each a span of 10 metres (= 32 feet 10 inches,) and the two side ones are each 6 metres, ( 19 feet 8 inches) span. One of these latter is for the navigation of the river, and is furnished with sliding platforms opening both ways; they are easily managed by one man.

It was not until the end of the year 1841, that the company obtained possession of part of the line of railway at Sloterdyk, in the first division, after a law-suit of four years' duration, relative to the expropriation: and, after being obliged to pay a large sum to the proprietor, for the permission to pass, temporarily, during the law-suit; without which, the first division between Amsterdam and Haarlem could not have been opened.

These difficulties were encountered throughout the whole line, to such an extent, that, at a short distance from Leyden, the obstinacy of a single land-owner entirely stopped the progress of the works, and obliged the company to build a temporary station for that town; without this step, the opening of that part of the line would have been retarded for three or four years, there being no legal means of accelerating the process of expropriation. The line was then opened from Haarlem to the immediate neighborhood of Leyden.

In the course of the year 1842, the whole of the second division, and great part of the third, were completed. Several aqueducts, five large bridges, and a number of small ones, were built; the latter being all over navigable canals, were made to swing on simple brackets; the permanent station at Haarlem was completed; the foundations

were laid of those of Leyden and Amsterdam; and the workshops for the repairs of the engines, &c., were finished.

These circumstances are only mentioned to shew, that, considering the delays occasioned by the defective jurisprudence in the matter of expropriation, more than common diligence had been used to enable the line to be thus far opened.

After the opening of the second division, several of Stephenson's new patent locomotive engines were added to the stock of the company; and, after ample trial of their qualities, they were considered to be the best engines in the service.

A part of the third division was opened as far as Voorschoten, in the month of May, 1843, and thus, with the aid of omnibuses and diligences, the line was completed as far as the Hague, although, owing to the legal difficulties already named, the swing bridge to cross the Hague and Delft canal could not be constructed, nor the permanent station at the Hague be built. These latter works have only been completed in this present year, (1844.)

Such were the difficulties the company had to contend with, from the delay caused by the defective state of the law of expropriation, and the rapacity and prejudice of the proprietors, over whose land the line had to pass, that it was only on the 6th December, 1843, that the railway was completely opened for public use, all the works, as well as the different stations being completed, and a simple and effective system of management established.

The opening of the railway took place, with much ceremony, on the day above named, being the anniversary of the birth of the King, in the presence of his excellency the Minister of the Interior, who was conveyed by it from the Hague to Amsterdam, where, on the same day, he was present at the opening of the Rhenish Railway, from Amsterdam to Utrecht.

The stock of the company now consists of thirteen locomotive engines, with their tenders complete, and one hundred and three carriages of three different classes, which number will be considerably increased.

From the opening of the different divisions, up to the 1st December, 1843, the locomotive engines have traversed a distance of 386,124 kilometres ( 239,786 English miles,) and 1,513,935 passengers have been conveyed.

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In consequence of the difficulties experienced through the defective law of expropriation, a petition for its revision was presented to the States General, and, from its favorable reception, it is presumed that such a law will be passed, as will facilitate the formation of railways throughout the kingdom, and will cause the speedy extension of the present one as far as Rotterdam, thus uniting two cities so long celebrated in the annals of commercial enterprise.

The rails used in the permanent way are of a bridge form, weighing 30 kilogrammes per metre ( = 60 lbs. per yard;) they are fixed by screws, upon longitudinal timber bearings, of Riga red deal, with sleepers of the same timber, halved into them, and secured by oak wedges. The ends of the rails are fastened by nuts and screws,

through the longitudinal bearings, with joint plates and cramps. This method of fastening is said to be very complete, and the motion of the carriage over the joints is without shock. The gauge is 2 metres (= 6 feet 6 inches English) from centre to centre of the rails; and the cost of each kilometre (0.616 of an English mile) of single line of railway laid, is 17,700 florins (= £1475, or £2,394 10s. per mile.)

The general width of the top of the earth-work for rails is 9 metres (= 29 feet 6 inches English.) The inclination of the slopes of the embankment is twice its vertical height. The side benches vary in width between 1 metre and 2 metres ( 3 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 6 inches English.) The ditches are 4 metres (= 13 feet 1 inch English) in width, and the ballasting is composed of sea-shells.

In marshy spots, all the earth-works are laid upon beds of fascines, more or less extensive, according to the nature of the ground. In those situations where the railway traverses pools of water, the fascines alternate with beds of rubble, and are held together by stakes and wattles, until the weight of the earth is laid upon them and the mass is consolidated. The earth-work is chiefly composed of sand from the sea beach, and is covered with turf.

The station at the Amsterdam terminus, is a semi-circular building of brick and cut stone, with projecting wings and sheds on iron coluns, founded on piles in the usual Dutch manner.

The station at the Haarlem terminus is also of brick and stone, but is not founded on piles as the ground was sufficiently solid to bear a building.

The Leyden station, which is of the same construction as the others, stands on such bad ground, that it was necessary to construct a raft, placed upon oak piles, to receive the foundation of the building.

The station of the Hague resembles the others, but being constructed on good ground, piles were not necessary.

The bridge over the Spaarne at Haarlem consists of six arches of 8 metres (26 feet 3 inches English) span each; four of them are fixed, and the other two are occupied by a cast iron swing-bridge, which generally remains open for the convenience of the navigation, and is only closed at the times of the passage of the trains. The machinery for turning this bridge, and for simultaneously opening or shutting both arches, is situated on the centre pier, which is constructed, like the others, of brick and cut stone, upon piles of pine. A selfacting signal is attached to this, and to all the other swing bridges, in order to show their position.

The bridge-keepers reside in two small wooden lodges, built in the river, opposite to each end of the centre pier. The bridge being equally balanced upon the pivot, the labour of working it is small, as compared with that required for working a half-arch swivel-bridge; and it possesses the far more important advantage of perfect stability and freedom from vibration, when once fixed between its bearingsan indispensable condition for a railway bridge.

The foundation piles of the piers are from 8 inches to 11 inches square, and 26 feet 3 inches long. On these piles are laid the longitudinal beams of a timber apron, which traverses the whole of the

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