New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-09-22
hundred and twenty-five millions Of Pousd, %.
DOT for each bushel Of coal burned: s,S a.

" one hundred millious-sn increase u hu, h,.
bred per cent ia economy without any a,rtx
discovery in either the generation or "a. A.
steam.
These remarks have been called forth by.,..
cent trial on a magnificent scale OF the Ac.sy
effect of powerful locomotive in hauling hesv
train over the whole New-YOrk and Erie ro.i
instead of changing engines and men st certain
stations as usual. The road is usually worked in
four divisions, and the chief design Of the expsn
mental train was TO test the comparative dii,als
presented by each to heavy train moving eat
A large number of cars were provided and loaded
with lumber and ample arrangements were mMs
for moving by other trains all the cars left By
the trial engine at each station. Every up grsis
was tried with big losds, which were gradually
diminished till the exact limit was reached at
which the train could proceed, in consequence Of
which much of the ground was many times Travelled.
and the whole experiment consumed nine dap
time.
The width between the rails on this road il
6 feet. that of great msjority of roads bsig
only feet 81 inches; snd many coAtesd that the
resistance to motion on curves isincreased wiA
each increase Of width, sn opinion which, al
thouih ap ,srently well founded IN theory. this
experiment has done little to establish. AL
though frequent experiments of this kind have
been tried at various times Oh long lines of mar.
row roads, this is the first TO our knO wledge On
a 6 fee. gauge, and we doubt whether trsia ali
mile in length and weighing ia toto nearly or
quite 800 tuns has ever before been aaulei ever
road rs crooked as the Delaware River portion
of the Erie by single engine. The smallest
radii of curves on the whole line is 955 feet, AMI
the greatest inclination go fee. per mile. The
most difficult points of course are thosei shi,h
curves and grsdes are combined for long dis
tances OF at frequent intervals, and the equs-
tons of grades, curves and distances farm some
of the most perplexing problems represented
To the civil engineer. The smsllest number Of
cars hauled at any time was -, and this was
where a carve l,29i feet long and l, lag feet 1,
radius was combined with the maximum grade
of 60 feet per mile. The engine, No. 2lO, which
hauled 100 cars at 4 speed of 6, ) or even IA
miles per hour on levels and up grades Of feet
per mile. combined with curves in many 10.
stances, as also through curves of $50 feet ra
dius on level points On the Delaware, stuck fairly
in the five-degree curve above mentioned, but
started again and went through after being
pushed about half a rod by another engine; af,ct
indicating very close balance between the
power and the resistance.
Experiments on the resistance opposed
motion on railroads are yet very indefinite. and
any data from this experiment may be OF some
value. The variable elements are so numerous
and complex that probably no two experiments
have ever been made under precisely similar
circumstances. Even the wind exerts an n1u-
ence which is difficult to compute, and 1t is
not yet agreed whether head or side wind Ia
most Objectionable, as the latter blows out and
continually replaces the air contained between
the cars The speed has evidently very great
influence on the resistance of the air, andN
more rapidly consuming the steam affects very
seriously the ability of the engine to hsul with
great power The absolute highest pressure in
the boiler of No. 2l0 with this train was 1865 lbs.
or $50 above the atmosphere, aud probably the
Average pull on the couplings of The forward car
in the tightest places was about 10, 500 lbs, or
equal to more than One.tbird Of the whole
weight on the driving wheels. 1t is only bya
liberal flow of sand upon the rails that the
wheels can be prevented from slipping under
such circumstances, and il may be remarked
that the wheels when once slipping, have q
most discOuraging property of polishing the
track. The only safety in very severe pull
is in dry, gritty rail, well pepPcred with sharp
sand
The engine which was employed in this eI'
pertinent is a most extraordinary machine, and
is perhaps only equaled by three others on the
same road, built from the same patterns. Tho
design was by James b. Gregg, Esq, Of Susque
hanna, and the whole weight is $4,000 lbs, OIL
which 1900 lbs. are supported by the two pairs
Of driving wheels, and &c, 900 By the truck. Ii
is outside connected, the cylinders being II
inches 10 diameter, with 81 inches stroke oil
piston. The valves are worked by the link mo-
ton, and when moving very slowly the steam
acts nearly atdull pressure for 23i inches oil 'he
stroke. With no means Of testing directly the
actual pull on the train or even of approIlmiE
ing it by finding the average pressure in the
cylinder when working expsnsiyely on lever
portions, we despair of settling any veIed qae'-
ton by aid of these results, and can only regre'
that some means were not devised for ascertain.
ing both these quantities. as well as the ac'u''
quantities of water eyapOrated at short lh'er
walls. We notice these experiments not only "
means of calling attention to the subject ana
to the more elaborate reports which will PROPS