When architect Solomon Willard arrived inwards Quincy , Massachusetts , inwards 1825 , as well as discovered a granite ledge inwards a wooded surface area , he knew he had constitute the perfect raw textile for what would exceed his around famous edifice , as well as the cause monumental obelisk erected inwards the USA — the Bunker Hill Monument. Willard envisioned a 221-foot tall obelisk amongst a xxx feet foursquare base of operations that would require about half dozen ,700 tons of granite. Transporting the massive blocks of granite from the quarry to the site of structure presented a challenge.
Quincy was separated from Charlestown , where the monument would hold upwards erected , past times 12 miles of swamp , wood , as well as farms. The granite needed to hold upwards delivered to Neponset River , 4 miles northward , from where a barge would carry the stone through Boston Harbor to Charlestown. Willard wanted to movement the stones to the Neponset River on sledges during wintertime , only Gridley Bryant , an engineer , suggested a to a greater extent than efficient method — a railroad.
The Incline part of the Granite Railway , Pine Hill Quarry to Neponset River , Quincy. Apr 1934. Photo credit: Arthur C. Haskell/Library of Congress
With the back upwards Boston human being of affairs as well as solid reason legislator Thomas Handasyd Perkins , Bryant ended upwards designing what would exceed the cause , commercial railroad inwards the United states. Rather than steam locomotives , Bryant used horses to line the railcars a distance of iii miles from quarries to the Neponset River. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 unmarried Equus caballus could line iii cars loaded amongst xvi tons of stone over wooden rails plated amongst iron. Later , the wooden rails were replaced amongst granite rails. The Fe plates were retained.
Although , Bryant benefitted from developments already inwards purpose on railroads inwards England , he did alter his pattern to let for heavier , to a greater extent than concentrated loads as well as a three-foot frost line. The Granite Railway also introduced several of import inventions , including railway switches or frogs , the turntable , as well as double-truck railroad cars. Gridley Bryant never patented his inventions , believing they should hold upwards for the create goodness of all.
In 1830 , afterward 4 years of functioning , a novel department of the railway called the Incline was added to serve a novel mine , the Pine Ledge Quarry. The incline was 315 feet inwards length as well as rose to a marking of 84 feet. At the top was the novel mine patch at the bottom was the railroad system. Wagons moved upwards as well as downwards the incline inwards an endless conveyor belt , delivering loads to the bottom as well as returning to the top empty. The incline continued inwards functioning until the 1940s.
Photo credit: Warren S. Parker/www.digitalcommonwealth.org
The novel railroad before long started to attract tourists who journeyed out from Boston to spotter the mechanical as well as technological marvel inwards action. Tourists would stride into the empty wagons as well as would hold upwards pulled upwards the incline. During i such tour , the cable broke as well as a wagon derailed throwing its occupants over a cliff. One perosn was killed as well as iii other passengers were badly injured. The accident which occurred on July 25 , 1832 , became i of the cause fatal railway accidents inwards the United States.
In 1871 the Granite Railway was acquired past times the Old Colony as well as Newport Railway. The novel administration replaced the granite tracks amongst contemporary construction. Steam trains hence took granite from the quarries straight to Boston without demand of barges from the Neponset River. During the early on twentieth century , metallic channels were lay over the one-time granite rails on the Incline as well as motor trucks were hauled upwards as well as downwards on a cable.
Today , a department of this railroad is preserved equally a trail as well as its famous incline is listed on the National Register.
Photo credit: Warren S. Parker/www.digitalcommonwealth.org
Photo credit: C Hanchey/Flickr
Photo credit: C Hanchey/Flickr
Photo credit: C Hanchey/Flickr
Photo credit: Warren S. Parker/www.digitalcommonwealth.org
Replica of the cause wagon of Granit Incline exposed on 1934. Photo credit: www.funimag.com
The one-time Quincy quarries select given agency to recreational activities such equally stone climbing as well as graffiti. Photo credit: Robbie Shade/Flickr
Photo credit: vikramjam/Flickr
Photo credit: Jason Eppink/Flickr
Bunker Hill Monument , Charlestown , Massachusetts. Photo credit: Chensiyuan/Wikimedia
Sources: Wikipedia / American-Rails.com / geologywriter.com