The proportion of straight line and curves stands thus,

Several of the curves of 622 feet radius occur upon inclines of 1 in 45.

There are fifteen tunnels on this work, of the aggregate length of 14,867 feet. The longest is that through the summit, called the Semmering, which is 4,695 feet. The next, in point of length, is one of 2,280 feet.

The viaducts, of which there are sixteen, are built of masonry and brickwork, and are principally composed of semicircular arches, varying in span from about 25 feet to 65 feet. The longest of these works is 614 feet, and the four which attain to the greatest height, from 119 to 150 feet, consist of two rows of arches, one above the other; the lower of which tends to strengthen the piers and add stability to the structure. Many of the viaducts are placed on curves of 622 feet and 933 feet radius, and on gradients of 1 in 45.

The permanent way consists of flat-based rails, weighing 761 lbs. per yard, resting on cross-sleepers, laid 3 feet 11 inch apart from centre to centre, which in their turn are supported by longitudinal timbers, into which they are let, and held firmly in place by small angular iron brackets. The rails are 4 inches in depth, have a similar width of base, with a head 24 inches broad, and a thickness of 17 inch for the central web; their usual length being 18 feet 8 inches. The joints are made fast by fish plates, with four screw-bolts in the usual manner; underneath are placed wrought-iron chair-plates, to prevent the working of the ends of the rails into the sleepers. A similar plate, but of smaller dimensions, is interposed between the base of the rail and the timber at each of the intermediate bearings. The joint sleepers are 12 inches wide, by 64 inches thick, and the intermediate sleepers are 9 inches by 64 inches. The ballast consists of a lower course of angular broken stone of large dimensions, laid with the

hand, on which rest smaller broken stone and gravel. Its depth at the centre of the gauge, measured from the surface of the 'boxing,' which reaches to within 2 inches of the rail level, is 2 feet 4 inches, and the width to which it extends outside the rails is 4 feet 6 inches on embankments, and 3 feet 9 inches in cuttings. The engines used for working the line are of a peculiar description, the result of a prize offered by the Government, for the best locomotive to take a given load up the inclines, with a fixed minimum velocity. The engine and tender are in one, and rest upon five pairs of wheels; the three leading pairs are coupled together, and attached to axles fixed at right angles to the axis of the boiler. The other two axles are placed, one in front of the fire-box, and the other under the tender, and are attached to a movable carriage, or frame, which admits of the wheels suiting themselves to the nature of the sharp curves to be traversed. The following statement shows the comparison between the passenger and goods engines on this line, and their principal average dimensions:

The cost of one such engine was about £3,500.

The experience derived from the working of this line goes to show, that one of the goods engines can ascend the inclines of 1 in 40 at the rate of 9 miles per hour, taking with it a train whose gross weight varies from about 100 tons to 165 tons, according to the state of the rails and the weather at the time. The normal rate of speed fixed is as follows:

The proportion of straight line and curves stands thus,—

Curve of 560. . . feet radius. 03 per cent. of the entire length.

Several of the curves of 622 feet radius occur upon inclines of 1 in 45.

There are fifteen tunnels on this work, of the aggregate length of 14,867 feet. The longest is that through the summit, called the Semmering, which is 4,695 feet. The next, in point of length, is one of 2,280 feet.

The viaducts, of which there are sixteen, are built of masonry and brickwork, and are principally composed of semicircular arches, varying in span from about 25 feet to 65 feet. The longest of these works is 614 feet, and the four which attain to the greatest height, from 119 to 150 feet, consist of two rows of arches, one above the other; the lower of which tends to strengthen the piers and add stability to the structure. Many of the viaducts are placed on curves of 622 feet and 933 feet radius, and on gradients of 1 in 45.

The permanent way consists of flat-based rails, weighing 763 lbs. per yard, resting on cross-sleepers, laid 3 feet 1 inch apart from centre to centre, which in their turn are supported by longitudinal timbers, into which they are let, and held firmly in place by small angular iron brackets. The rails are 46 inches in depth, have a similar width of base, with a head 24 inches broad, and a thickness of 7 inch for the central web; their usual length being 18 feet 8 inches. The joints are made fast by fish plates, with four screw-bolts in the usual manner; underneath are placed wrought-iron chair-plates, to prevent the working of the ends of the rails into the sleepers. A similar plate, but of smaller dimensions, is interposed between the base of the rail and the timber at each of the intermediate bearings. The joint sleepers are 12 inches wide, by 64 inches thick, and the intermediate sleepers are 9 inches by 64 inches. The ballast consists of a lower course of angular broken stone of large dimensions, laid with the

hand, on which rest smaller broken stone and gravel. Its depth at the centre of the gauge, measured from the surface of the 'boxing,' which reaches to within 2 inches of the rail level, is 2 feet 4 inches, and the width to which it extends outside the rails is 4 feet 6 inches on embankments, and 3 feet 9 inches in cuttings. The engines used for working the line are of a peculiar description, the result of a prize offered by the Government, for the best locomotive to take a given load up the inclines, with a fixed minimum velocity. The engine and tender are in one, and rest upon five pairs of wheels; the three leading pairs are coupled together, and attached to axles fixed at right angles to the axis of the boiler. The other two axles are placed, one in front of the fire-box, and the other under the tender, and are attached to a movable carriage, or frame, which admits of the wheels suiting themselves to the nature of the sharp curves to be traversed. The following statement shows the comparison between the passenger and goods engines on this line, and their principal average dimen

The cost of one such engine was about £3,500.

The experience derived from the working of this line goes to show, that one of the goods engines can ascend the inclines of 1 in 40 at the rate of 9 miles per hour, taking with it a train whose gross weight varies from about 100 tons to 165 tons, according to the state of the rails and the weather at the time. The normal rate of speed fixed is as follows:

In case of a train being late, any one of the foregoing speeds may be increased, if necessary, by 4,7 miles per hour. The maximum number of trains which have passed over the line in one day occurred during the Italian war, and amounted to seventy-two, counting both ways. The ordinary average daily number of trains is twenty-seven, with from seven to eight carriages in each train. The actual works of construction on the Semmering Railway were begun towards the close of the year 1848, and the line was opened for public traffic on the 17th July, 1854. Previous to this, however, during the year 1853, rails were laid throughout the entire length of the line, and goods were transported over it by means of locomotives. The line, which is laid with a double way throughout, cost £98,270 per mile.

Passing on to the next point for consideration, that of earthworks, it appears to be a general, although not a universal, plan, in the case of all main lines, to prepare the earthworks and masonry for a double way from the first, but not to lay the second line of rails, until the success of the undertaking makes itself apparent, and the requirements of the traffic demand the additional way. Some of the heaviest earthworks executed have been :-An embankment on the Southern State Railway of Bavaria, from Augsburg to Lindau, its greatest height being 172 feet, width at formation 33 feet, and length 1,675 feet, requiring upwards of 2,900,000 cubic yards of material to make it up. On the same line also occur embankments of great importance, two of which are respectively 84 feet and 72 feet high. On the railway from Augsburg to Ulm, there is a cutting 2,390 feet long, and reaching to a depth of 90 feet; also an embankment 53 feet high, and 5,755 feet in length. Between Elberfeld and Dortmund occurs an excavation 86 feet deep, and upwards of 14 mile long; and on the same line there is an embankment 120 feet in height, with a length of 1,600 feet. Embankments from 75 feet to 130 feet high are to be found on the Westphalian railways. On the Bavarian State line, from Bamberg to Aschaffenburg, there is an embankment 100 feet in height at the highest point, and 1,743 feet long; besides two cuttings measuring in depth, the one 84 feet, and the other 71 feet, their respective lengths being 3,254 feet and 2,297 feet.

With regard to tunnels, the first executed in Germany was one 1,678 feet long, on the Leipzig and Dresden Railway. Besides