The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1855-06-13
Velocity CT Railroad Trains =
Their Speed and Safety.

Few persons realize how great Is the We
locty attained by the trains on our first class
lines of railroad. Not that the speed is
greater than is consisant with safety, this
do not believe; as upon all we'll conducted
roads the trains are run witt care at a re-
duced rate of speed at such points as safety
requires. Upon straight portions Of the
track, however, remote from stations, the
speed of express traips, at every trip will
reach fifty miles per hour
1t seems almost incredible that as we
glide smoothly along the elegantly furn sh
ed car moves twice its own length in Sec
ond of lins'; about II feet! At this veIoci-
ty we find that the locom 1tiva driving
wheels, six feet in diameter, making four
revolutions per second! 1t is no idle piston
rod that traverses the cylinder thus eight
times per second.
II man with horse and carriage upon
an unimportant public roal in a country
to yn should approach and cross the track
at speed of six miles per hour { which
would be crossing rapidly an express train
approaching at the moment, would move
towards him 257 feet while he was in the
ac! Of crossing distance barely suffi ;ient
to clear the horse and vehicle. Ii the horse
was moving at a pace no faster than walk,
(as the track is usually crossed) the train
would moye toward him. lie in the act
of crossing, more than 500 feet. This fact
accounts for the many accidents at such
points. The person driving thinks he may
cross because the train is few rods distant
Under no circ instances does train cross
any public road without timely warning
from both bell and whistle when within 80
rods Of the crossing. This the law rigidly
compels.
How compares the highest speel Of the
train with the velocity OF sound? When the
whistle is opened at the 80 rol "whistliEg
post" the train will advance nearly 100
feet before the sound Of the whistle traver.
ses the distance to and is heard at the cross.
ing. The velocity exceeds the flight Of ma.
nv Of our birds. Dir. j. L Constock, the
we'll known author of several philosophical
works, informed the writer that he was re
Gently through western New York when
the train actually "ran down" and killed Z
common hawk. The train was stopped
and the game SO rarely captured, was secu
red. Probably the greatest speed for any
considerable distance, ever made in this
country WAS by an extra train for the Euro
M mail from Boston to New York via
Springfield and New Hvaen, in January
1858. On certain portions Of the route
the speed exceeded one mile per minute
the whole distance 259 miles, was accom-
plishet, in an actual running lime (exclu
ding delay at water stations of FIVE hour,
and FIVE minutcs--an average speed ofnear
lly az miles an hour.
f A. word in regard to the weight OF rail-
vav trains. whsn crossinya high, open
bridge during gale Of wind, it seems a
though its fury would hurl us into the val
| ley or foaming waters below The danger.
however, disappears when we consider that
the weight of first class locomotive alone
is 25 tons. and irst class passenger ears,
unoccupied. 10 to IA tons each. A loaded
train Of 6vs passenger cars, therefoie.with
baggage car. complete. would give an
aggregate weight Of about lab tons. asi
\ Notwithstanding the rapid eomnunica