Grantville Gazette, Volume 7

by Eric Flint

  Initially there will be only one construction site advancing through the countryside. In later years it will be possible to advance with much faster pace, due to building bridges or dams well in advance.

  Considering the situation in Germany in 1634, our workforce will be comprised of three parts. The core force will be permanently employed workers, probably those refugees who do not mind a hard but honest job. Job training for a trade should be offered as incentive. This may cause conflicts with the guilds, but is important for a high quality of work. In the longer run, many educated personnel from our crew will be lured out by better opportunities and settle down elsewhere. This will provide an additional bonus for the development of the country. But another part of the permanent workers will remain and form the backbone of the whole organization. The guys who get bitten hard by the railroad bug will oversee the whole moving construction site. They have to find a good solution to every challenge, really quickly. They will be true engineers by trade, if not by education.

  There are lots of lessons about railroad construction, logistics and organization for them to master. Consider the monumental logistical challenge to have all the many parts and huge amounts of material needed for only one mile of track ready at the right place at the right time, and within budget, too.

  The second component of our workforce will be seasonal workers, mostly farmers who seek employment between seeding and harvest. This will funnel a bit of money into war torn rural regions. If given a free ride in the employment contract, it will expedite their transfer and make them available much earlier.

  The last part of the labor force will be local farmers ordered by their nobles to do work in the construction site. There is no use in complaining about this system right now. For the nobles it might be the only way to earn some money, for the farmers it's the way to pay their rent for their land and for the railroad company it might be the only way to get enough transportation capacity and draft animals. If the farmers get fair and decent treatment on the site and the work is organized well enough, they might be fairly effective while picking up some new ideas.

  The main season for large scale ground work will be in summer and after harvest. In winter the frozen ground will prevent such activities but might enable us to work in some previous inaccessible swamps. In spring, the mud after snow melt and labor shortages due to the planting season will hamper our progress. But even in the midst of winter there will be much work to do.

  Engines

  What sort of locomotives can we build? Replicas of huge American "Big Boys"? The fast British "Flying Scotsman"? Sturdy workhorses like the German "01" or "50" Series? No, not for another fifteen years or more. A reasonable decision would be to settle initially for a moderate top speed of 25 miles/h (40 km/h) and average speed 10 miles/h, a modest weight of ten metric tons per axle, and a respectable endurance of about 50 miles for coal and 25 miles for water while running a train of 300 tons on even ground for the first engine type. A engine class with three powered axles like the German Baureihe 89 should do nicely. This robust simple and flexible engine will weight about 32 metric tons when in operation. When used in short hauls a tender is optional. With modifications, this type was in use in OTL for over 80 years. It had about 290 horse power (215 kW).

  Aside from this workhorse, a small engine for switching in the Grantville area and other nodes like Magdeburg is all that's needed for the moment. The classical "Western Style" engine design familiar from a lot of movies is better suited for fast passenger trains. It will have to wait for later.

  For the switcher we need a really tiny engine class with two powered axles. With a power of about 100 hp, it should be capable of hauling about 100 tons at low speed. As it works only in a station, endurance is not so important. The type could be tailored in two variants. One for standard gauge and another suitable for narrow gauge.

  Any engine will have to be able to use a wide range of solid fuel such as wood, peat, lignite or coal. Therefore we need a spacious firebox. We have to rely on low pressure (wet steam) because the boilers are easier to build and safer to operate. Water supply is abundant in Germany, but it might be useful to mount a steam powered vacuum pump (called a pulsometer) on every engine to get it on board. Some device to fight sparks out of the chimney is needed and real "bells and whistles" for signaling.

  The first engines will be rather low tech, with boilers having leakage problems because they are riveted and not welded. Only the controls, cylinders, pistons, pins, bearings and suspension systems will be built with the help of up-time tools. Most parts will appear crude. The engines will most likely be unruly even at moderate speeds, either over- or under-boilered, prolific in their consumption of coal, water and oil, and prone to a lot of general mishaps. But that is to be expected.

  It might be possible to build some Heissler or Climax type engines with the help of unused truck transmissions. This type of engine, with its central mounted steam pistons, has a lot of very favorable qualities. It can cope with light, uneven track, and steep grades, and would be usable on bar topped rail lines.

  The ability of Grantville's industry to supply appropriate, durable bearings and transmissions after the initial stock is gone is doubtful. So for now we will be able to build only a small number of Heissler/Climax, if any.

  For secondary tracks and branch lines, cars drawn by draft animals or hand cars might be a good idea. Those could service marginal freights or a few passengers. A steam engine or a vehicle with a rare internal combustion engines is much too valuable to use for this purpose.

  Rolling Stock

  The engines just provide the motive power; it is the rolling stock (cars) which carry the passengers and freight. After the start of operation there will be a steady increase in demand for rolling stock. For every goods car hauled in a train, there are a minimum of five cars just being loaded or unloaded. So when we consider only five engines running with five cars each, we're talking about one hundred fifty cars total.

  Box cars, cars for livestock and flatbed cars will be needed first. It would be very nice if we could copy those special tipping cars for ore and coal. That type of car has a really short loading time.

  Passengers, mail and express freight may initially share a hybrid car. Perhaps it will be the caboose at first. Growing demand will make it feasible to put dedicated passenger cars on the road, and a more elaborate fare system will develop. Look at the airline classes or passenger classes in trains in the nineteenth century for inspiration. The average level of comfort will be much lower, of course. For instance, glass for windows is very expensive. Glass windows for coaches appeared as luxury items in urban centers like Amsterdam only a decade ago, because clear, flat glass plates are ridiculously expensive (See Iver Cooper, "In Vitro Veritas," Grantville Gazette, Volume 3).

  For all cars, only the truck and the main structural elements will be made from steel or iron. The rest will be built mainly from timber.

  Private cars might be sold to nobles and wealthy merchants for whom it might be a symbol of status. For "merely" wealthy persons, we could offer private cars for lease.

  The railroad would need to be able to assemble an imperial or presidential train from time to time. This would probably take the form of a government-owned private car for the emperor or the president, with several standard passenger and freight cars reserved for their entourage.

  Subsystems

  The interconnections of engines and cars are an example of a problem for which it is both desirable and feasible to adopt the standard twentieth-century solution, i.e., the knuckle coupler. The spring inside a modern coupler which enables automatic coupling will not be available initially but everything else will be just the same. One exact position for coupling will be mandatory for all railroads of the same gauge. And interconnection between both coupling systems should be considered from the beginning, too.

  For other problems, such as steam injectors to force water into the pressurized boilers, good proven designs exist but mi
ght be more difficult to recreate with down-time technologies. The experienced workers, up-time tools and workshops of Grantville will be needed to overcome these difficulties.

  Braking will be a problem for which we don't have an easy fix. For switching duties a mechanical brake on the engine might be enough, if barely. The brake itself is not a big problem. Press something on the wheel to slow it down. To do this at each and every car in the trains with the at the same time with the same power poses the challenge. Up-time, braking a train is accomplished by air brakes, air pressure keeps the brakes from engaging, while springs cause the brakes to press against the wheels. There are strong doubts that the challenges of manufacturing such a system, with its steel pipes, valves and flexible pressurized connectors, can be met in 1632. It would be very costly in terms of resources and time. Employing a lot of brake men to hop from car to car to operate the individual brakes is very inefficient and dangerous. Early on, it will be the only choice Eventually the engineers have to find a better solution.

  In essence, they must develop an automatic mechanical brake for the whole train. One possible design is that of the Heberlein Bremse. It was developed in Germany around 1850 as one of the first automatic braking systems for the whole train. The system was fairly low tech to build. It was effective if the speed was not too high; it even prevented runaway cars. So it would be excellent for our use, but it's highly unlikely that more than a tantalizing general description could be found in the railroad books in Grantville.

  Until engineers can come up with the desired brake, the speed and the size of trains will be limited.

  Crew

  The railroad has to win a reputation for punctuality, reliability and fairness. Toward this end, the rail companies may organize duties for its employees in clear structured quasi-military manner. Each railroad company will develop a set of procedures, which have to be drilled then into the employees. This would cover a variety of topics, such as using the telegraph, counting axles of bypassing trains and bookkeeping. Hopefully, either retired railroad folks or model railroaders will have a Guide to Operating Procedures around. Possibly it will be more of a problem to stop the up-time folks from inflicting this on the poor, unsuspecting Germans all at once.

  To give future down-time operators and crewmen a better understanding of railroad operations, some of the model railroads from Grantville could be used. This training could start well in advance of the real operation. Every lesson learned here will probably prevent an error that might have to be paid for in blood. Promotions should be given only on account of meritorious railroad service and relevant training and education.

  A normal train crew would consist of an engine crew of at least two men, a conductor crew of two, and, if necessary, a security crew of several gunmen . If no central braking system is being used, we have to add a braking crew with one man for every other car. The engine crew will consist of a driver doubling as machinist. The assistant will act as brake man and the principal mover of coal.

  For every station we need at least a crew of four persons to maintain a 24 hour availability. As a station keeper is responsible for the work, he should be allowed to hire additional hands out of his budget. His family will most probably do a lot of the additional work. But unscheduled audits will have to be conducted to make sure that the station is always up to the standards of the railroad company.

  Signaling and Communication

  It is conventional to divide a track into blocks. A block may be empty, it may hold a train which is stationary, or it may be in use by a train moving in either direction. Transmitting information concerning the status of various blocks of a track is essential for operating a railroad.

  The chosen device to deliver this service is the telegraph. Every track has to be accompanied by a telegraph line. Every block needs a telegraph station. A newly founded or cash strapped company will be tempted to avoid this big initial investment. But when trains become more frequent, the telegraph becomes a must for managing the track. For the challenges and costs associated with a telegraph line, see Rick Boatright, "So You Want To Do Telecommunications in 1633"( Grantville Gazette, Volume 2).

  Some of the cost of the telegraph line can be recouped by telegraphing other communications for a suitable fee. Of course, train messages would normally have priority.

  After having obtained information of the status of a block, we have to convey it to the train crew. Here we use some combination of various hand or flag signals, whistle sounds and, of course, signs. The actual form of a sign could be taken out of a up-time book of railroad code but may have to be adapted and simplified. The colors for all the signs may cost a small fortune. All fixed signs will be moved by hand and no remote control will be employed at first. Station keepers will walk a lot.

  As railroads rely on timetables, providing a reasonably accurate time everywhere on the track is very important. Every station and siding has to have a clock. Worse, no universal time exists in Germany. Every town sets its own. The railroad have to use big, easily visible standard clocks, that perhaps look like those famous, not yet invented "Cuckoos." Time synchronization will be done by telegraph. Imagine: "Eight PM at the next click . . . Click" The keeper has to check at least every morning and evening. As the Grantville time will be the standard time for the railroad, it will set a standard for Germany.

  Every major station should measure and record meteorological data as soon as basic instruments become available. This will allow us to predict the conditions on our tracks and will become the foundation of USE Meteorological Service.

  Buildings

  All station buildings with a common purpose should be built according to a common plan to reduce costs and to render them recognizable. If possible the buildings should be modularly designed, which facilitates later upgrades.

  For stopping points we only need a closed shelter and a ramp for passengers and loading goods. No personnel will be here, as ticket sales and loading/unloading will be managed by the train crew.

  On a siding we should build one standard house, either from stone or half timber. It would be two stories, with a waiting room, a ticket/telegraph counter and a kitchen on the ground floor, and the apartment for the caretaker family above. Don't forget the public outhouse. A truck garden for the caretaker would be very helpful.

  A true station has a bigger core building, with more room for people and employees. The station complex could include additional buildings, such as a dining room/inn, a hostel, stables, a carriage hire, and warehouses. If a town wants to have buildings in a special style, it's welcome to do so, as long as it comes out of their purse and doesn't obstruct the function. The building usually will become property of the railroad company after a certain period of time.

  For water supply we need a basin near the track. An iron pipe is needed for connection to the pulsometer of the engine. Raised basins with windmill powered pumps will only work in some flat areas.

  For coal supply, a gravity feeder for quick reloading will be built. The coal will be supplied by box car. Refilling the coal supply will be a tedious but necessary task for the caretaker.

  At stations where the route ends, we need a turning Y because most steam engines don't run well in reverse. If space is restricted, as in most hilly areas, a turntable might be a better but much more costly solution. Another alternative, of course, is to build an engine that doesn't need to be turned around.

  Bridges

  Bridges are a special case. We have to build a lot of small constructions over little creeks and smaller stuff but we should lay out the track so as to avoid bridging the big gaps. If a big bridge is absolutely necessary, we have to consider investment, time for construction and expected service life carefully. For low investment we should build a detour. Most bigger bridges will be trestle works. They can be built in a short time and are suitable for the intended train weights. Treatment with creosote will prolong the service life. For really high weights and big gaps we should resort to concrete and stone pill
ars with wooden or iron grinders.

  Consumables

  Our railroad companies need a steady feed of the following materials to operate.

  Fuel: It would be only lignite in most cases. Lignite is available in many areas of Germany. Notable resources are known near Merseburg, Halle and Stassfurt. It is always very helpful to have local sources. Otherwise we have to transport the coal to all stations by trains. This will cut in the revenues. Railroad companies are encouraged to buy some Kuxe (shares) in promising mines to secure supply.

  Water: Water is rather easy to come by in Germany but to always get a steady, clean supply we need the above mentioned buildings.

  Lubrication: We will need a lot of lubrication for all those axles and bearings. We might settle for oil out of oilseeds for some purposes, but for the majority we will need a chunk out of the daily production of Wietze Oilfields.

  Batteries: We have to recharge all those telegraph batteries and to deploy them in time to the stations. Some suitable stations could be equipped with a small water powered generator to serve as a local hub for this task.