Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1852-11-25


two of two hundred horse power, Of s
German, and one each at the towns
Nanlerree and Chalop. in the valley
wards Paris,
To each engine Is adapted two Iarg
cylinders which exhaust fourteen cubil
feet Of air per second. The pressure il
the large air cauldrOns (chaudieres) attach
ed to The exhausting machine 10 equal d
six absolute atmospheric. Il will be read
ilY understood that when this long tube il
completely exhausted of air, II piston SO
nicely adjusted 70 the size of the tube ae
10 render it air tight, is allowed to 60 Iooss
at one end, it will rush through to the 9th
er end 10 GIL up the vacuum. To apply
the motive power, therefore. 70 the pro
puIsiOn of the train, it is only necessarf
that this piston be attached 10 the train d
cars in such way as 10 drag them alOnl
after it. e 80 #
This was the great difficulty to- eneouns
this overcome, that the engineer assured
Cured. Throughout the. entire length Of
the tube, section Is made in the top,
leaving an open space of about FIVE inches.
In each cut edge Of the section there is an
offset to catch the edges Of valve which
fits down upon it.
This valve is made of piece of SOLE
leather half an inch thick, having PLATED
of iron attached to it on both the uppeI
and corresponding lower side. to give
strength TO resist the action Of the vacuum
which are perhaps one fourth of an inch
in thickness. They are NOT quite as wide
as the leather, but wide enough TO tOucq
the offset in the section.
The plates are about nine inches long
and their ends above and below, are PLACED
three quarters of an inch apart, form inI
Joints, so as to give the leather valve pliat
biity, and at the same time frmness q
resist the powerful atmospheric pressur
which is brought to bear on it when iii
air is exhausted. The entire length of til
valve, from one end of the tube to the oil
or, is attached 10 one side like cell
door, for instance.
From the back side of the piston, a slroI
iron rod passes up through the aperturI
which is made by raising up the edge
the valve, and is attached to the bottom
the foremost car. As fast as the pist
passes along, the valve is relieved tro
I pressure UOtIIuu It's Inc tOOSO OuSO IL
ated, and the bar of iron which is attach
to the car foot or more behind the pistd
meets with no, obstruction to its passage.
The pressure of the atmosphere on Il
valve in front of the piston, where Il
vacuum still exists, is 80 great that thei
is no danger Of the bar of iron exertiq
pressure SO far forward as 10 loosen the ID
able valve; but to render the matter &c
tain. and to obviate all doubt, slide
the bottom of the ca! slips along on IL
iron plate Of the valve over and in advanc
of the piston, and presses. firmly down.
Every part of The tube is kept we'll ollie
The rate at which trains ascend vari
from fifteen to twenty miles per, hour.
cording to the load.
Wheu we went up, there were six q
very we'll. filed with passengers. Az
the ascent commences, two bridges acI
1.-THE Seias. and one siadpct Of twenty Il S
thigh, and. wide aches aye crossed,
Eone. long tunnel thEo, the brew Of ,le
land under, the Kins's terrace iR pass
where the road 10 parabolieallg curved.
The road has now been iA operati
five years, apd 80 safely and So. veil has
EwOrEed, thai the ;experiWeqt - regard
as entirely successful, The cost Of,
entire machinery was eleven millions
francs. The cost of working it. or
dividends which the read. pays. l, did
EascertaiA,. * s.Ti