Dauphin and Susquehanna Railroad

Report of Edward Miller, Civil Engineer on the Dauphin and Susquehanna Railroad, Dated July 24, 1839

 

The following information was transcribed from an original document.  It’s uncertain if the single page that appears to be a summary is the complete report or part of a larger document.  Excerpts from this document and references to Edward Miller can be found in Dauphin and Susquehanna Coal Company, Stony Creek Estate by Richard C. Taylor, Printed in Philadelphia, 1840.

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Dauphin and Susquehanna Railroad

 

Report of Edward Miller, Civil Engineer on the Dauphin and Susquehanna Railroad, Dated July 24, 1839

 

Notes:

 

1.     Distance from canal to Dauphin Pool is 2100 feet

2.     Canal to summit is 112,500 feet, 21 31/100th

3.     Summit is 53 238/1000th feet above surface of water in Dauphin Dam

4.     Rattling Run coal run is 230.8 feet above Dauphin Dam 572.694 feet

5.     Tunnel into Perseverance Vein at same gap is 269.203 feet above lower drift

6.       Coal opened at Yellow Springs is 619.08 feet above water of Stony Creek opposite, and 1003.6 feet above Dauphin Dam

7.     Lowest point coal opening is Rausch Gap is 250.7 feet above Stony Creek

8.     Grade is 17 ½ feet per mile; Grade may vary from level to 21 feet per mile

9.     Railroad bed 10 feet wide embankments- 11 feet side cuts- 12 feet through cuts

10.    H rail weighing 50 pounds per linear yard, from pattern adopted by Mr. L. W. Roberts on the Little Schuylkill and Susquehanna RR

        $9000 / mile cost of single track

 

Total cost of excavation ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  $35,722.39

One mile of Single Track ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $9000.00

6 Bridges across Stony Creek @ $500.00 each----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $3000.00

Grains of masonry-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $1500.00

Clearing---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $5000.00

Masonry and pit at head of inclined plane and platform for cars--------------------------------------------------------------------   $6000.00

Water Station, Turnouts including plane machinery workshops, Weigh Scale and Trestle work at basin------------  $10,000.00

15 ½ miles of single track of heavy rail line same used on Catawissa RR, $9000.00 per mile-------------------------- $139,00.00

2100 feet of road at lower end not located with basin for unloading cars, wharves style------------------------------------  $2,800.00

Engineering and Continges – 10%--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  $20,352.00

Labor Rate- 1839                                                                               

Total------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ $223,874.00

 

 

1.     Cars carrying coal: Empty 1 ½ tons, Capacity 3 tons each

2.     94 7/10 tons subtracting weight of tender 90 tons equals to 60 empty cars

3.     Descending cars will carry 180 tons of coal

4.     Gross weight 270 tons exclusive of engine and tender

5.     Circular trip about 25 miles, Engines making 4 trips a day

 

Expense of Engine Crew

 

Engineers per day----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    $2.00

Firemen per day------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     $1.50

Fuel, 2 ½ tons @ $2.00---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     $5.00

Oil for engine----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     $2.50

 

250 days @ $11.00 per day, $275.00 per or $1625.00

 

Wage for 4 men per day -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $5.00} $4.00

Grease for cars ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $3.00} $2.00

250 days @ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   $8.00   $6.00

 

90 cars in use for 250 days

One Engine and Tender-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------         $8,000.00

90 cars @ $250.00 each----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------       $22,500.00

Incline plane for coal car

 

4 boats loaded at once

 

Rausch Gap –Turntable, Engine House, Etc

 

4 Canal boats loaded at once while 4 waited

 

5 feet above canal water on trellis along side weigh scale for 8 cars

 

Locomotive enter first track passes to third to replenish fuel and water and crosses to second for empty cars

 

Each trip preformed within 3 hours including all stops @ 9 miles per hour

 

Train coming down consisting of 60 cars taken on weigh scale 8 each every 5 minutes or 288 tons of coal per hour

 

Each train of cars will load 3 boats

 

Considerations: Purchase land- Dauphin Tannery Company is key to Stony Valley

 

 

 

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