Crossing installed, 1915. Cost per sq. ft. 15 cents. Average number vehicles using crossing per 24 hours, 2,500. DESCRIPTION-Old ballast was removed and replaced with crushed rock and new oak ties put in. The Railroad Company put track in shape and fastened guard rails. Concrete was placed by Contractor, who paved street. Concrete extends from bottom of ties to top of rails and between main rail and guard rail, up to the top of the 1-inch bolt tying them together. Contract price for paving was 15 cents per sq. ft. This does not include any work done in preparing the roadbed or track.

This crossing has been in service about 6 years. There has been no maintenance connected with it, except for the cracks, the total cost being about $5.00.

Crossing installed, March, 1918. Cost per sq. ft., 57 cents.

DESCRIPTION-Concrete slabs were installed on two tracks of the C., M. & St. P. Ry., one track C. R. I. & P. Ry., and two tracks of the C. & N. W. Ry. The street is paved with asphalt with the exception of the Crossings. The five tracks are paved with Concrete slabs between the rails and for a distance of 1 ft., 6 in. outside the rails. The tracks were not well ballasted before the installation and provision was not made for drainage. The cost of 57 cents per sq. ft. is only the cost of manufacturing the slabs and does not include placing them.

The only maintenance expense incurred has been in removing the slabs to resurface the tracks. However, in the five tracks there are thirteen slabs that need renewal. Considering the traffic, these slabs are holding up fairly well, but have been more or less damaged by being picked up and replaced to permit resurfacing of the track.

Concrete Slab Crossing

ILLINOIS CENTRAL-CHESTER AVE., CHAMPAIGN, ILL.

Rodo 12°O.C.

SECTION B-B

Crossing installed, May, 1920. Cost per sq. ft., $1.60. Average number vehicles using crossing per 24 hours, 1,600.

DESCRIPTION-The slabs are pre-cast and placed directly on the ties. To prevent creeping they are fastened to the ties with 4-in. x 9-in. leg screws. The edges are protected by 4-in. metal strips and where the wear is unusually great, Kahn Curb bars are provided. Beveled ramps are cast on the ends of the slabs, inside and outside of the rails, to prevent dragging parts on moving trains tearing up the crossing. The inside slabs are 5 ft., 6 in. long and 25 in. wide, while the outside slabs are 18 in. wide and the same length. Reinforcing rods used as shown in plan. The cost of this crossing was $1.60 per sq. ft. in place.

This crossing was installed May 26, 1920, and as yet shows no wear. There has been no maintenance expense and the crossing has proven entirely satisfactory.

Crossing Installed, October, 1921. Cost per sq. ft., 22 cents. Average number vehicles using crossing per 24 hours, 1,000.

DESCRIPTION-Tracks were first put in good condition, ties renewed and fully tie-plated, ballast thoroughly cleaned to a depth of 6 in. below the bottom of the tie over the full width of the Crossing, tracks were lined and surfaced, rail renewed, if necessary, and good drainage provided. An 8-in. plank, 4 in. thick, beveled to provide the proper flangeways, was then placed on the inside of each rail and at the ends of the crossing, level with the top of the rail. While the above work was being done, two mixtures of clean stone and Tarvia K. P. were made. One consisted of 3/4-in. to 134-in. stone, and one of the particles of stone up to 1⁄2 in. in size, mixed in the proportions of 1 3/5 cu. ft. of stone to 1 gal. of Tarvia K. P. and allowed to cure for a period of 24 to 48 hours before using. After the mixtures were thoroughly cured, the coarser one was spread over the railway 31⁄2 in. deep, and after being thoroughly tamped, a sufficient quantity of the finer mixture was spread over this to make it level with the top of the rail, after being thoroughly tamped and rolled. The City of Dayton furnished a roller to roll the Crossing,

at cost.

Crossings of this kind which have been in service for two years have required only a slight amount of maintenance, which can be done at a cost of approximately 3 cents per sq. ft.; others which have been in service on densely traveled streets required no maintenance after a period of one year. The City of Dayton at first objected to the installation of these crossings in 1918, but after allowing the construction of one crossing, are now insisting that all crossings be made of the same construction.