Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-11-12
Nov. 2. ISLt
A Successful Atmo> phcric Railway.


A Successful Atmospheric Railway.
To the French belongs the credit of having
brought to successful issue the experiment
of an atmospheric railway on a large SCALE
This mode Of propelling cars has been adopted
at ST. German, a city about ID miles from
Paris. The distance run is five miles and a
half the last half mile with an ascent of
three and half per cent. The ascent was too
great to be overcome by an engine in all wealth
ers. The following description of the machn-
cry employed S given by foreign corrcspon-
dent of the Ohio Sta Journdi -
San iron tube is laid down III the centre of
the track, which is sunk about one-third of its
diameter in the bed of the road. For dis
ance Of about $500 yards the tube has d.
amcter Of only 81 feet the ascent here be-
| lng so slight as not to require the same amount
of force us Is required OH the steep grade as
cendIng to st. German, where the pipe for IA
distance Of IS . yards Is , feet inch IN diam
! cter.
The manner of applying the atmospheric
pressure to the propulsion of the train is ex-
cecdingly simple, The air is exhausted from
the entire length of the tube, az to produce
perfect vacuum, lust before the arrival of each
train, which is every half hour, by means OF
powerful and beautiful engines, somewhat re-
semblnr those at Paramount. These engines
are placed, two Of two hundred horse power at
St. German, and one each at the towns Of Nau-
terree and Chatton, in valley towards Paris.
TO each engine is adapted two large cy,ln-
dcrs which exhaust fourteen cubic tc't o AR
per second The pressure in the air caudron
chaudIcresl att lched to the eXhuustlng ma
chimes Is equal to six absolute atinospheres. 1t
will be readily understood that when this long
tube Is completely exhausted OF air, If a piston
so nicely adjusted to the SIZE of the tube as to
render 1t alr-ught, is allowed to 30 loose at one
end, it will rush through to the other end to fill
up the vacuum. TO apply the motive power
therefore, to the propulsion Of the train, it Is
only necessary that this piston be attached 10
the train of cars in such way as to drag them
along alter 1t.
This was the great difficulty to encounter
f but SO admirably and So SIMPLY WAS this over
come, that the engineer assured US that an ac-
cldent of any kind seldom ever occurred
r 'Throurhout the entire length of the tube,
section Is made III the top, leaving an open
space OF abon, five inches. Ia each cut edge
of the section there is an Offset to catch the
edges OF valve winch tits down upon ii.
This valve Is made of piece OF sole leather
lIIl All IlIN!I lliiCh, blNlI!S F'i'te iIOI AZ
,ached to II ontboh the upper and correspond
lng under side to give ii strength to resist the
suction of the vacuum, which are perhaps one
fourth Of an inch in thickness. They are not
, quite as wide as t e leather, but wide enough
to touch the offset in the section.
The plates are about nine inches long, and
q their ends, above and below, are paced three.
. quarters of an inch apart, forming Joints; so as
10 give the leather wave plability, and al the
Saue time tiruness to resist the powerful atnos
pherlc pressure which is brought to bear on it
4 when thu air IS exhausted, The entire length
4 of the valve, from one end of the tube to the
other Is attached to one side, like cellar door
tor EXAM lie.
n From the back side of TIE piston, a strong
4 iron rod passes UP through the aperture, which
Is made by raising up the edge OF the valve,
ana Is attached to the bottom of the foremost
car. As fast as the piston passes along, the
value Is released irMn pressure behind 1t, the
loose edge is liberated, and the bar OF iron
: which is attached to the car foot or moro be-
', hind the piston meets with no obstruction to its
:, passage,
" The pressure Of the atmosphere ON the valve
in front of the piston, where the vacuum still
= exists, is SO great that there is no danger of the
bar Of iron eXcrtng pressure so far forward as
to loosen the phabe valve; but to render the
| matter more certain, and TO obvlate all doubt, a
slide on the bottom Of the car slips along on
: the iron plate of the valve over and in advance
! of the piston, and presses firmly down. Every
part of the tube is kept well oiIed. The rate
at which trains ascend varies from fifteen 10
. twenty miles the hour, according to the load.
" hen we went up, there were six cars very
9 well filled with passengers, After the ascen,
90 commences, two bridges across the Seine, and
1 one viaduct OF twenty feet high, and wide arch
es, are crossed, and one long tunnel through
= the brow of the hill and under the Kings ter
= race is passed, where the road is parabolicaly
-. curved,
u The road has now hecn in operation years
- and so safely and SO well has 1t worked that
% the cXpcrlmont Is regarded as entirely success
n full The cost of the entire machinery was
e millions of francs The cost of working it, or
the dividends which the road pays, | did not
. ascertain
~ Mr. Wcb>tcr'> Death.
To the EditOr Of thc N,ic- York Da,iy Times,
4 NEw-luRk, ! ucsday, Nov. !, lei9,
~ Many OF the sayings of DATEL WEBsrfR
/ and incidents IN ms life, now travelling the
"A rounds of tlr naDcrS have their existence only