The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-26

new plan OF railroad and loeomotyeengine lateiy per
fecled by him, have had the same under eonsuetalon
and after careful examination OF the SUBJECT pes ie@fe
10 submit the following report
The plan OF Mr. French is certainly original ana is me
only one known to your committee IN Whcn suooth
wheels and the rails OF The Track are 20 a.
able The engine 10 work readily and safely LOT hlgheI
GRADES than have heretofore been attempted IN cohnekon
with railway transit This is effected by very slight
modification OF The present plan ana consists IN s9os.u
ing pressure Tor weight in producing the required adhe-
The apparatus by which adhesion to any extent desired
by the eng neer may be produced al pleasure is simple
compact mechanical conlryance, costing but few hun.
bred dollars readily attached TO any engine and may be
thrown in out OF gear instantly by the turning OF a
steam cock When out OF gear, 1t is lifted some twelve
eighteen inches above the rails and The engine IN no
way differs from The common locomotive bat runs readily
by the adhesion due TO lis weight over the level portions
OF the road.
This plan, therefore, adds nothing to the expense OF
constructing railroad small increase in the weigh,
of the rail heavy inclnes. where large business is
done but saves time and expenditure in grading, reduces
the weight OF the engine and consequently the working
expenses OF the road gives greater security to railway
travelling, and suggests the introduction OF railroads with
machinery so light scarcely to exceed 10 weight the
ordinary mail Stage.
Surely the present system must be regarded greatly
detective when 10 express even the Presidents message,
contained in few newspaper slips weighing but a few
pounds 1t only be done by some thirty or ory tons
OF machneTy and the dispfopofon throughout the sys-
tenn between the dead weight and paying load, whenever
passengers light articles are transported is so great as
to account readily Tor the great depreciation IN railway
stocks This invention, by substituting pressure Tor
weight equalzes this dsproporon and suggests an en-
tire change in a system which has absorbed, and Is al
sorbing all the floating capital OF the world II proves
that millions OF dollars have been unnecessarily expended
and looking 10 the future, multpes roads and dsrlb-
ules their advantages at greatly reduced expenditure
OF time and money.
Your committee have no doubt that on this PLAN far
cheaper railroads may be constructed and safely worked
with corresponding light machinery, than nny now In
use; they doubt that by an engine may be made
ascend any required grade These things are perfectly
apparent from the working model which has been sub
mtled to inspection and nothing whatever 10
justify in asserting that this invention will not
plish all the Inventor claims for IT, The application Of
we'll established principle is simple in this invention,
we can see no reason why II will not work well
large scale small and, referring to the ex-
permens heretofore made by the inventor this plan,
confidence Is Increased in the belief that he has per-
eced Degrading the vast interests to be affected by O
one OF the NEST remarkable improvements OF the age.
de has supplied what has been considered as the
greatest desderaium IN railway epower-namely,
suhcent adheson Tor the engine on the rail. 1t was
this want OF sufficient adhesion which Tor many years
delayed the introduction Of railroads into use.
aud led 10 vast expenditure OF time and money. and
much Ingenuity, in remedying this defect With the ex-
ceplon OF an Ingenious contrivance, which gave TO the
engine legs to enable il to push train OF cars, all the
early plans for Obtaining adhesion consisted of cog
wheels and rackrails, in some form or other Some
few years after the building of the Liverpool and Man
chester railway, centrel rail, pressed by hori-
zonal wheels, driven By extra cylinders, tried in
England lOuDu 100 Tor and all tDts
various conrvances have, with slight notifications,
from time 10 time, been brought before the American
public. In addition 10 these, many other plans have also
here been resored TO to obtain The end. The ten
der, by means OF lever, has been made add por-
ton OF lis weight to that OF the engine when required
the steam of The boiler has been conveyed into perpen
Ocular cylinders and made 10 exert lis entire pressure
on the driving axles and The ordinary driving wheels
the engine have, incines been substituted for very
small wheels running elevated rails thus increasing
the power oil the engine by diminishing the diameter OF
the driving wheels. Magnetism has also been invok ed
to furnish the necessary adhesion with many other sug
gesons which we have not time 10 enumerae. None
OF these however, have answered the purpose and
growing wants of the railway have only been srpplet
by heaping weight upon the engine until has become
huge steam-tug, with tue and-box, appendage
Tor sprlnkng the raisthus carrying within itself ele
menis OF destruction which no road however well built
can long Withstand for while the huge engine prese
the road into the earth and Eliminates the ras the
which sprinkes cuts away lis journals and greatly add
TO the wear OF the road
We have examined aud all these various
for the purpose OF comparing them with the one now be
fore u.s. and while they serve TO strengthen our convc
TONS that the railway system can never be perfected
long as weight limits the power OF the engine, they con
hrm us 10 our belief that MIR. Frenchs plan the mos
simple the most effective and most readily adapted L
the present system, which has yet been suggested.
The model which has been for time working il
the Capitol shows at glance the whole arrangement. /
consists OF common wooden superstructure, with IA
bar rail the ends oil the crossmbers are cut off usl
with the sleepers and the Fat bar resting on the sleeper
n
continuous space each side oil the road for friction
rollers or small wheels, 10 Tevolve up against the pro
jecng edge OF the rail The cranks attached 10 IN
ends OF the drivIng-a1e. and between these aud iii
driving wheels Is suspended from the axle oa each side
friction roller wheel, which is made drop pleas
ure directly under the driving wheels Using the dri
vng-ax as iucrum, by means oil a compound lever
these friction rollers wheels pressed up pleasure
and 10 that extent press down the driving Wheels pro
ducng instantly whatever amount OF adhesion may b
required. The tread OF The driving. wheels is as wild
as the rails, and the friction rollers revolve Just undo
them, with fanges to prevent their rubbing the sides
the road. These friction rollers small wheels, whe
not required, are instantly thrown up eigheel
inches above the track where they renal until they ar
again required when they are instantly thrown into gear
This facility OF removing them adap- the engine in nj
respects 10 the common road ADD requires modification
oil the rail only IN working the inclines
That road on this plan may be as substantially con
sruced as on any other, your committee do not question
nor that the heavy rail may be readily adapted TO it, thu
gvlsg 10 the road, however constructed the use OF ma
ohlnery directly suited TO its Light engines witt
light loads, at high velocity, while on the same road
might follow freight engines and even these greatly re
dueed IN weight, with large loads, at slower velocity
and The adhesion being al all times ready and certain
induces the belief the part Of your committee iha
roads with high grades be worked in all conditions
OF the weather. with more certainty and regularity thai
are now The more level lines The various modes which
suggest themselves for eevatng the ras and fasenn.
them down. well for taking advantage OF this prin
cipe, will readily occur 10 mechanical minds, and you
committee therefore deem II unnecessary TO dwell upo
them. They think 1t important however 10 call atleH
ton 10 the fact that the railway, always seeking
level lines, frequently passes at considerable and incon
venIent distances from villages and towns. which il
great measure cut of from their advantages, whic
could have been readily reached by grades OF
hundred feet 10 the mile; and when they Tehec, upo
these grades and the great benefits which railways
notwithstanding all their expenditures have confeTTe