G.T.R. double-tracking.

The double-tracking of the G.T. R. between Hamilton and Niagara Falls, 43.51 miles, has been completed from Hamilton to Jordan, 26.46 miles, leaving 17.05 miles still to be done. The surveys for the work were finished in Oct., 1899, and the contract was let in Aug., 1900, to Rogers & Taylor, of Montréal. Generally speaking, the work has been of a comparatively light nature, although there was one pretty big cut just west of Grimsby station, and a long fill between Beamsville and Jordan, 5.80 miles, besides the building of the Jordan creek bridge. On the section yet to be completed there will be a good deal of rock cutting between Merritton and Niagara Falls, besides the grading and the building of a double track swingbridge to get across the new Welland canal. Below are some details of the work already completed:—There has been no change in the alignment of the road except at the Jordan gorge, where the double track follows the original right of way instead of the reverse curve used as a single track. Regarding changes in gradients, the general instructions were to keep within 15 ft. to the mile, and there has been no difficulty in doing this. The heaviest grade on the double track will be .263 per 100 ft., or about 14 ft. to the mile; this occurs at M. P. 40, where the original grade has not been altered. At M. P. 39, just west of Stoney Creek, the grades have been reduced from .40 to .26 per 100 ft.; at M. P. 31, between Winona and Grimsby stations, from .333 to .236 per 100 ft ; at M. P. 29, from .30 to .152 per 100 ft., and finally at M. P. 28, where the heavy cut just west of Grimsby occurs, from .50 to .215 per 100 ft.: equivalent to a cutting down of the grade of rather more than one half.

Between Hamilton and Stoney Creek, 6.36 miles, there are three fair sized cuttings containing respectively 3,840, 3,095 and 1,440 cubic yards ; outside of these the banks on this section were made up principally from side ditches, and average about 6,000 cubic yds. per mile. From Stoney Creek to Winona, 5.30 miles, the work was quite light, there were no cuttings, the banks averaging 7,100 cubic yds. per mile. Between Winona and Grimsby, 4.84 miles, there were two small cuts and one (just west of Grimsby) which might be called a fairly large one, as it contained about 22,000 cubic yds. Changing the gradient at this point, of course, increased the excavation. The fills adjoining this large cutting would contain about 28,000 cubic yds. Between Grimsby and Beamsville, 4. 16 miles, there is only one cut worth mentioning. It is just east of Grimsby station, and contains about 2,700 cubic yds. The balance of the work on this section consisted of a succession of deep gullies which had to be filled in from the high ground on either side. The remaining section from Beamsville to Jordan, 5.80 miles, was one long fill, averaging about 9,000 cubic yds. per mile, which necessitated the acquiring of extra land at several points where the banks were, running over 11,000 cubic yds. to the mile.

With the exception of the cut just west of Grimsby, completed Nov. 1900, with a steam shovel, where a sort of hard shale constantly outcropped, the character of the grading has been of a rather light nature, consisting, generally speaking, between Hamilton and Grimsby of a reddish clay subsoil, covered in places with either a loam or a blue clay deposit. Between Grimsby and Jordan, 9.96 miles, the soil changes, being of a distinctly sandy nature, and very easy to work.

The rails laid weigh 90 lbs. to the yard, and have a base 6 ins.-much wider than is usual. So wide a base as this should add considerably to the life of the ties, but experience only will show how much.

Railways: G.T.Ry.

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