Bryant Two Foot Gauge Switch.
by John T. Derr.
Two foot gauge itself was nothing new - and narrow gauge (as we know it) had been ln operation on a half dozen properties for about five years – when the Billerica & Bedford Railroad in Massachusetts was built. George E. Mansfield had been trying to sell this track gauge to any interested party, and those Yankee promoters were interested in a thrifty sine railroading - but 24” gauge? It was only word of the success of the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales, plus the example of an experimental home-built tramway of Mansfield’s that swayed the promoters of a new railroad to be built between the towns of Billerica and Bedford which became the corporate title of the two foot gauge common carrier. Actually the Ffestiniog was even narrower in gauge, being constructed to the prevailing metric system of 60cmbetween the rails, or the American equivalent - one foot eleven and 5/8 inches.
With Mansfield as General Manager of the undertaking, ground was broken September 6, 1816, and construction pushed on all 8.6 miles of road. It was opened to passenger travel on November 28, 1877. Sad to say, due to financial difficulties from the start, plus the expectation of 'Instant industries" in what was then a rather desolate area, a decision was made to close down the road. On the sixth of June 1878, a public auction was held and all property, rolling stock and rail knocked down to the highest bidder. The line had been in service only seven months! All hardware and equipment was shipped to Maine to start off the Sandy River Railroad, with George Mansfleld again in the saddle, this time as superintendent.
One of the most interesting facets if the ill-fated Bilarica & Bedford for model railroaders was the track construction. Rails were of iron, 30 feet long and of 25-lb. section. Ties were six inches wide by four inches thick and 54 inches long. Tie spacing was 24 inches. The roadbed was six feet wide at the top of the grade and wan ditched out ten feet wide in cuts.
But the switches! The period of construction was just as efforts were being made to find something better than stub switches. The Worcester Frog & Switch Co. had the contract to supply the frogs and switches, and they installed a Bryant switch point. The design was undoubtedly one of the safest in use, but extremely cumbersome. When the Massachusetts Railroad Commission inspected the road prior to public use, one of the commissioners is reputed to have expressed concern as to how a train would behave when operated through the switches at speed. Mansfield therefore ran the train through the area in question at some thirty miles an hour. The commissioners were impressed and granted the company permission to operate. The photograph and drawing show the switch construction. The car house, incidentally identifies the location of the photograph as at Bedford. When set for the main line the rail opposite the turnout was continuous, and the other running rail was made ‘solid’ by the shifting of a heavy segment on the stub principle. When set for the siding, this inner segment was shifted to align the rail with that of the siding, but a pivoted ‘point’ on the other side came into use, just as on a modern switch. However, a trailing movement could be made through the switch on the main line, with spring loaded ‘dash pots’ permitting the long point to swing as well as a smaller point on the turnout side. Again this duplicates the action of a modern spring switch. But get this: when set for the main, a trailing movement from the siding would spring the long point open for free passage on that side, but the inner wheels would ride up on what looks to be a tapered wooden wedge, cross over the top of the rail set for the main and drop down (with a thud) into the proper flange-way. The long extension of the outside guard rail would guide the wheels at this occurred. I doubt that this operation was looked on with any favor, but it was so arranged by the designer. This entire mass (on the inner side of the turnout) was pivoted by bending an iron rail less than three inches high and unsupported as far a gauge was concerned, for some twelve feet! The effect of winter ice and snow on this heavy mass of rail can easily be imagined.
When the rail was relaid on the Sandy River Railroad the following year, there is no record that these Bryant switches were used. It is believed that all point-type switches were installed, in the manner that became standard construction for all railroads regardless of track gauge. It is doubtful if many modellers, even two foot fans, would want to undertake the construction of the Bryant Switch in miniature, but the type is of interest historically.
With Mansfield as General Manager of the undertaking, ground was broken September 6, 1816, and construction pushed on all 8.6 miles of road. It was opened to passenger travel on November 28, 1877. Sad to say, due to financial difficulties from the start, plus the expectation of 'Instant industries" in what was then a rather desolate area, a decision was made to close down the road. On the sixth of June 1878, a public auction was held and all property, rolling stock and rail knocked down to the highest bidder. The line had been in service only seven months! All hardware and equipment was shipped to Maine to start off the Sandy River Railroad, with George Mansfleld again in the saddle, this time as superintendent.
One of the most interesting facets if the ill-fated Bilarica & Bedford for model railroaders was the track construction. Rails were of iron, 30 feet long and of 25-lb. section. Ties were six inches wide by four inches thick and 54 inches long. Tie spacing was 24 inches. The roadbed was six feet wide at the top of the grade and wan ditched out ten feet wide in cuts.
But the switches! The period of construction was just as efforts were being made to find something better than stub switches. The Worcester Frog & Switch Co. had the contract to supply the frogs and switches, and they installed a Bryant switch point. The design was undoubtedly one of the safest in use, but extremely cumbersome. When the Massachusetts Railroad Commission inspected the road prior to public use, one of the commissioners is reputed to have expressed concern as to how a train would behave when operated through the switches at speed. Mansfield therefore ran the train through the area in question at some thirty miles an hour. The commissioners were impressed and granted the company permission to operate. The photograph and drawing show the switch construction. The car house, incidentally identifies the location of the photograph as at Bedford. When set for the main line the rail opposite the turnout was continuous, and the other running rail was made ‘solid’ by the shifting of a heavy segment on the stub principle. When set for the siding, this inner segment was shifted to align the rail with that of the siding, but a pivoted ‘point’ on the other side came into use, just as on a modern switch. However, a trailing movement could be made through the switch on the main line, with spring loaded ‘dash pots’ permitting the long point to swing as well as a smaller point on the turnout side. Again this duplicates the action of a modern spring switch. But get this: when set for the main, a trailing movement from the siding would spring the long point open for free passage on that side, but the inner wheels would ride up on what looks to be a tapered wooden wedge, cross over the top of the rail set for the main and drop down (with a thud) into the proper flange-way. The long extension of the outside guard rail would guide the wheels at this occurred. I doubt that this operation was looked on with any favor, but it was so arranged by the designer. This entire mass (on the inner side of the turnout) was pivoted by bending an iron rail less than three inches high and unsupported as far a gauge was concerned, for some twelve feet! The effect of winter ice and snow on this heavy mass of rail can easily be imagined.
When the rail was relaid on the Sandy River Railroad the following year, there is no record that these Bryant switches were used. It is believed that all point-type switches were installed, in the manner that became standard construction for all railroads regardless of track gauge. It is doubtful if many modellers, even two foot fans, would want to undertake the construction of the Bryant Switch in miniature, but the type is of interest historically.
