Hello Histarchers. I am undertaking some research regarding railroad
workers on the Central Pacific Railroad ca. 1870s-1880s. I have plans for
section stations where buildings designated as bunk houses show the predominant
size being 16 x 24 ft, with perhaps half that number at 16 x 22 ft and
even fewer at 18 x 20 and 18 x 22. Other smaller and larger sizes exist, but
there are very few of them.
Can someone suggest what number of railroad workers might be housed in such
building sizes? It has been suggested that I might consider that it
takes 6 workers to move a length of steel rail as a starting point, but if
someone has good data on this, I would appreciate hearing.
Thanks.
Mike Polk
Sagebrush Consultants
Ogden, Utah