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

road
The adhesion due to these light engines auctuated
greatly account OF the weather and gradually led TO
the introduction OF heavier ones, with corresponding IN.
crease in the weight OF the rail From that Time TO the
present Improvement has been made for increasing
the adhesion Of the engine other than the connect.
ing together several pairs OF wheels Tor drivers, ana
thereby rendering available more OF the weight OF the
engine than be done by single pair To increase
the adhesion OF the engine, must now increase lis
weight and yet we cannot increase it's adhesion direct
ly, In proportion to the weight added II we could, The
present system would not be defective II IS Ex-
pertinent teaches that one pound OF iron suspended rom
pulley will move on plane SIX pounds OF iron, resuhg
on iron; hence II Is said, the adhesion OF IRON upon IRON
is equal 10 sixth the nsstenl weight II TINS DC So
II requires six tons OF weight to be added TO the engine
to give il ton OF adhesion-sx pounds added ior
every pound gained But actual practice on railways
shows that the adhesion Is not worth 80 much but IS,
under ordinary circumstances probably nearer oneeghi
ninth OF the nsslent weight and uctuates great
ly below this standard when affected by The weather
that will be seen, while the size OF the boiler ana It's
effective power may be increased directly IN propoon 10
the weight added, the adhesion OF the engine cannot be,
but for every eight nine pounds added can gam bul
single pound yet the adhesion limits the traclle power
OF the engine II u.s. therefore, and has ever been, since
the introduction OF the present system, the object OF en-
CINE builders 10 make these forces proporonate Tor IL
the steam power be greater than the adhesion, the
wheels will ysuolue, but not progress less the en-
CINE remains stationary.
We have entered thus infinitely into this branch of
inquiry to show that heretofore there has been no IN
ducemen 10 combine in the locomotive engine as much
power possible with little weight but that, on the
contrary, all the inducements held out have demanded
more weight. From this view your committee con-
WINGED that the locomotive engine may be greatly reduced
in weight without diminishing liz steam Capacity, and
yet be made TO retain sufficient strength for all practical
purposes. In e1amnin. this subject of the paccabilly
81 ascending high grades on railroads your committee
have had their attention directed not only to the many
various plans which have been suggested Tor eectng
this object, but they have also examined the various re-
ports OF the performances OF carriages on common
roads in England reprinted in 1922 by order OF the Cons
gress OF the United States On the common roads the
roughness of the earh's surface afforded sufficient adhe
sion and the great object then 10 accomplish to adapt
the engines 10 the unduatons OF the roads and give them
much as possible and the necessary strength with
as little weight as was practicable In this report several
very important facts stated rather exhibited First
that these eamcarTiages. from weighing live and six
tons on their first introduction. were improved until
they reduced in weight to two and half and
three tons, without lessenng their effective powers sec
ondy, that there far less dsproporon between the
weight Of The machinery and the available load than ID
now ordinarily exhibited on railways and thirdly, that
they hauled up steep ncnes lar greater loads, IN pro-
portion TO their weight, than now be done by the
ordinary locomotive a railway.
These facts but serve TO strengthen the opinion before
expressed, that locomotive engines may be constructed
much lighter than those in use, with equal capacity
to generate steam; and whenever shall become the IN
erest of builders to supply light engines. combining the
greatest steam capacity with the necessary strength
American ingenuity will not be found wanting in capacity
10 construct thems
That, by mechanical adhesion. propery-consructei
locomotive engine may be made draw far greater loads
able as has often been shown IN practice, and may at
any time be proved by converting locomotive into a
stationary engine Your committee thereioe feel great
confidence IN the opinion, that II mechanical adhesion,
applied in the plan before us, be substituted for
weight engines may be made 10 draw renuneratve loads
mach higher grades than any now used, such
worked with assistant engines. These opinions
not in harmony with The current thoughts OF the day
and simply because, having long been accustomed to
seeing things done ina particular way we come 10 regard
that as The only way In which they can be done. We
huge engine drawing ,rain and another monster
engine pushing 1t up grade OF eighty or one hundred
feel 10 the mile and the labor appears so great one Is
apt 10 think the working OF grades cannot prove remu-
neraive when IN the instance referred TO the weight OF
the engines themselves may have constituted the greater
part OF the resistance.
Iftwenty years ago il had been proposed to work a
grade OF eighty feet 10 the mile with the common loco
motive engine, II would have been thought eallrey i'm.
practicable, as it when was claimed that engines
could be made to run twenty miles an hour-so much So
ha, writer, in derison OF what he deemed to be 80
absurd proposition, published his opposition TO II, with
the declaration that as soon as ihcur The risk al
tending such velocity il possible 10 obtain IL, he
would consent 10 be placed in mortar and shot out OF II
head foremost"
When we look abroad at the wonderful effect. Of steam
and the various Offices in which il is employed, and
fleet that il tires, but performs the most srduous
duty readily as il does the ghtes labonng inces-
sanity, and demanding only water and iuel-when we
driving the the largest vessels which
hoat regardless OF opposing winds and wayes-we have
been led 10 wonder why should have been regard
cd insufficient for hauling Train OF up an inci
u
adhesion explains III and the power Of steam shows
when the supply Of adhesion shall al all times become
equal 10 The demand, then will grades be worked with
much case as level lines.
Your committee feel also convinced that the plan FOL
producing mechanical adhesion proposed will ohs
less resistance 10 an engine ascending plane than /
would the same quantity OF adhesion produced BY
weight This is illustrated 10 the model we have exam
ined This works generally grade OF about 100 fee
10 the mle and the engine Is made 10 ascend by
adhesion produced by ping the engine, just II,
driving wheels, sufficient weight TO produce the required
quantity. This Is then removed and mechanical adhe-
son Produced and with this the engine Mp the
with the necessary weight That this effect, exhibited
in The model, Will be realized in practice, your committed
do doubt When the locomotive engine shall become
limited in its power only by its steam capacity, u will b.
30 much more powerful and effective than II now is, ",
may reasonably expect advantages almost great to flow
from this change ~ s character those which hav,
hitherto accompanied its introduction.
In view of these things, and seeing nothing whateve
in theory TO dsproye the utility or practical value OF lh
invention, and confirmed is belief by the workinl
model, and by experiments heretofore made on quite
arge scale, recommend the appropriation by Congress
OF sufficient sum TO test fully by practice ITS aeus
value.
The inventor has spent much tims and labor and in
Cured great expenditure, in experiments and in perlectn
his plan. He has demonstrated his success; yet tn
world Is not prepared Tor the wonderful change he pro
poses aud the he simple rather e
excite ctedulty, and awake opposition than to favor III
introduction, The history OF inventions shows how grea
are the difficulties attending the introduction OF anyihnl
new; and also that inventions the most valuable have
for years often, been delayed and al last owed their sue
CESS accidental circumstance Nor can we II
this connection fail 10 remark that the first published con
cepion OF railroad and locomotive engine known Il
your committee, is due to Oliver Evans, citizen OF Phil
IAlal -. H. - ,sANA 80