_Graveholz Tunnel._--The Graveholz tunnel on the Bergen Railway in
Norway is notable as being the longest tunnel in northern Europe, and
also as being built for a single-track narrow-gauge railway. This tunnel
is 17,400 feet long, and is located at an elevation of 2900 feet above
sea-level. Only about 3% of the length of the tunnel is lined. The
mechanical installation consists of a turbine plant operating the
various machines. There are two turbines of 100 H. P. and 120 H. P.
taking water from a reservoir on the mountain slope, and furnishing 220
H. P., which is distributed about as follows: Boring-machines, 60 H. P.;
ventilation, 30 to 40 H. P.; electric locomotives, 15 H. P.; machine
shop, 15 H. P.; electric-lighting dynamo, 25 H. P.; electric drills, the
surplus, or some 40 H. P. The boring-machines and electric drills will
be operated by the smaller 100 H. P. turbine.
_Sonnstein Tunnel._--The Sonnstein tunnel in Germany is particularly
interesting because of the exclusive use of Brandt rotary drills. The
tunnel was driven through dolomite and hard limestone by means of a
drift and two side galleries. The dimensions of the drift were 7¹⁄₂ ×
7¹⁄₂ ft. The power plant consisted of two steam pressure pumps, one
accumulator, and four drills. The steam-boiler plant, in addition to
operating the pumps, also supplied power for operating a rotary pump for
drainage and a blower for ventilation. The hydraulic pressure required
was 75 atmospheres in the dolomite, and from 85 to 100 atmospheres in
the limestone. The drift was excavated with five 3¹⁄₂ in. holes, one
being placed at the center and driven parallel to the axis of the
tunnel, and four being placed at the corners of a rectangle
corresponding to the sides of the drift, and driven at an angle
diverging from the center hole. The average depths of the holes were 4.3
ft., and the efficiency of the drills was 1 in. per minute. One drill
was employed at each front, and was operated by a machinist and two
helpers, who worked eight-hour shifts, with a blast between shifts at
first, and later twelve-hour shifts, with a blast between shifts. The 24
hours of the two shifts were divided as follows: boring the holes, 10.7
hours; charging the holes, 1.1 hours; removing the spoil, 11.7 hours;
changing shifts, 0.5 hour. The average progress per day for each machine
was 6.7 ft. The total cost of the plant was $17,450.
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