Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-02
For ne Eaqsirer.
RAILROADS Is VfRGiNIA-SPEED OF
TRAINS,
R:cnMoyD Dao. g,h, 1856

lara meeting If The Board ~ Public Works hclG
on Tile 2l-t day Of November, 1886. the following or
Ger TA- hdrp'cr:
.'Whrreas, ;t- Brs-d of Public Works i. very r,
uci9nr 10 nbirudr up.n The d-ra!'ei gtnG.trn'iun n
rno vaii fliroId cnnIpauie. rasprt 10 mai
aua!i better uEt"rsoi by t.i"sr practically tHin u
with !heln than By the inabsra of lbs Bo rd; hu!
b.i " 10 r%teut chGr.r'! with Inc " tn
Stairs Interest IN the railroads, and fss ng d~"i
nlxirty ia behalf II! Ih+ If ud;suus AID success al
uauag-,urHt and having r-aspu - believe thu; u
.uEe Of III. railroad irsna are a snh yh pe.d
n. Ia oocrsinn Srea; r unnecessary wear and t-ar "
tle rohis nnd ;c rolling e!och, aIt very hssvy cI
pr;idtureS !r rrpH!ra, - wei. great rick vi
i.sn'- ~ ps-s-ng-r therefore,
Resolved, That II b" mast respectfully and cRr
mostly urged and recommended Ia the railroad compa
ues whutu r"ads trai!3 ran II high speed,
.lopt regulations such lower "f speed vii
mutually Gialnsn the cost OF repairs aud furuiss.
greater security 10 passengers.
Sgued W. X. DRlSBaRD
"Seo'y Board Of Pubic WORKS."
In laying this paper before the Drecrnrs thu Pre-
sd-nt feels 1t Ia be his duty f. make sotne Remarks
in support OF tho views OF Iha Board Public Wurk.
aud la recommend measures Tor carrying them into
II ct
Although tho discovery that rapid speed Is very
expeusivp, indeed runou. 10 rard, IL nui nf very
r-ceu: date, got my aff-Tin having bsen III ldt. d.
Tec,rd more I" the euj-r than i'rn ry, and h"r'n.
had IN opportunity Ia learn from personal ors.rva
ton the ri .uta IN this road within the LAT Twelve
lnuuhs, should be very delinquent in III di.charg
& my daiy 1t did MT urge upon lila Directors TIL
pruprl-ty 4" reducing The sp-ed "t all the trains es
lEurh Is III. circuT .tnlres OF our c'.an vii alloS.
IL support of ihese opinions, much very hi IN au
ihnrity Of PRACTICAL well sciegfiin railroad
c.n he prnduc.d huf the ty-rrlse at sound Common
Is quits sufficient tr .ati-fy Eny TINT rrpin
running with heavy engir drr'ac;lve ~ the rolf
luG stuck sid the track u! ANY rr':rrad.
Imagine Tiachins Weighing 3iHiiO lbs. ths great
u.,rttu IcC ri
tho point c"rncI ~; the four d.tv-rs III the wcu.
bearing not czcead!n; tx" iGches OF gurince-i; Hu,i
reCuif- area. deal vi strength HE rail Ia .upppr
n, when = .ipndrr y. 1uvluS eOhiv o. per
tr,;! smooth .grGae.
Bat aiulr,i II phy s;ra npos.h;y 10 ksep
the Track at 2 r'iirond ftsr ir"n Inequalities What.
tier, .ii.. he t:s ELECT ui this poIIzrngs body iI
ia weight rticrE:rE:.d "s-y c:l&ll point, :rv
ing al IN. rG;u'f ii 10 ST. miles hour over m
even sur.arrt II III. iron have tu Use, WAS Of n
quality superior 10 wha. Is ordinarily ln4ds, the
heavy weight moving over |, Al great velocity inu.i
unsvudablv prCdurs cruebiG.. ur yielding NJ s"El-
point, aud the continued apylicat On / The silie
must deepen those Impressions rendering tiIr
-Crl.ce more uneven, sud IA, iron w.tker al every
biua aui causing the darEer I" tie trains, end lie
jury ~ the rvad 10 norease With p:okressivc ra'
ito.
I, may no, be without edyau;cgs 10 quote some
authoririe, on hs sui JET,
In The Knruad journal If The 9Th HovrUbrr, l.
il rin'td IN erag Of he iStorkholdsr. Of '.prGt n
he .N,'c EaSiaad Rs.iroGG ComBn'.ies e0' rec,"f-
~ hid nj Boston. 10 enquire 1rto. md eo""!dcr ne
ecu.fs az i.' greet DRIP ec1a'!0H o. thar property "
Capt SYii an Engineer Of great experience end
Judgment, PR seuted ~ tiny nreinS III. views and
upininn. which enb .dy much Information, and
-ur! -ound views upon he SUI jet rbss II has he'
Declined proper TO pre-nt The t"ilnwoig nhslrac: o.
rir report IL that nbsrso, setting iurih the cnuses
( depreciation. b. cites thu fo"wing VIZ:
'rke excessive speed 81 passenger trains requiring
larger and I1rr ~Epens!ys engines. The Increased mo-
rn-nruin OF which, III lis q CITE Oil the rad and ma
rhi,iriy ',Ing in proportion 10 the weight ;IulpirG
rs the sguarr nf !hs v,"c;'y) bgs been sttenteo
with l.rg' " increased ~Kp"nses.
"And i.uI ruch s,,eed with pn''engrr trains hrire.
The present n.ceary II srrGiy Increased speed mn
e irrigh, ':g!u'. g. Ee"p uc' :" the way at fhn pas
-tnger ira M, AID m rnid wcHr n:id ctruc!i"n
If tho raiia Huu wnudrn hr dg's rruscd by the 3
crt.;ve pp.rd aud rea'sr weighr nj ibr ma Einsry
Th- IA iro"i Journal OF tho ID u. qi"i"- 'n-
following fr.sn The Report ri '. "Roi!rooG Co,a
aissioarrs Of :hs Ssaie Of Mo Yors':
sir is a'irDri ~ all rail r'md managers that IN"
i-.crrasts u ina!n;nini'g the pTrsrnt high TAI"
speed IN the n,srssT trnin- is t"rious drn'TbnrA
thu ~, uc' If The r"rde. IL has br"n stated
ihs, tbs ru:t OF transportation was aoout in proper
tinn 10 tho rHie Of 'prsr!."
The following rshr, based on the assumption Of a
charge two crn;s per mile for spsrd ri 20 miI-'
an hour, shows in lie opi6inn VI The Board, the cor
responding rates which should DC charged IS the
pied ~ ird'ns is iHcreaSrd
a. serty nilss per hour, charge OF two cents
per mile.
Al twenty I've iaiee per hour, charge OF et cents
PR mile.
At thirty miles per .i"ur, cl.arSs Of 2! cents per
mile.
At tir,y.6Ys mics per hour, charge Of q cents
per mills.
Al forty ul.!,s pcr hour, charge Of cents por
mile.
|; win he ch,ar7sf that the Z rcad C"7,'ni'''on'
-rs Of New York ,ae thar -p I'd tt tofty miles pr!
hour su,rs an increase of 20 Per cent. o expense
speed Of twenty miles.
III. great advantage nf .lo7v speed on the scnTa ri!
-x,...- and In the preservation pf the r1ilS is suf
.ently est .5li.:.sd 6y the foregoing authorities, bu
If anything rl".- !s wanted IN e1hih!t Us prnrhi'
,nre clearly, perhaps Ihr sEnnT"ai arEu"n' n'G me
iarst c;,r.u-i7e illustration "1'rh eau ~ ds7l'th
rom railroad ezprrirnc-, is I" be found In the sab
! u.d STATEMENT of thu superintendent Of car NOUN
Iun track over The Biz Ridge;
awaY,E.soRuuoH, Nov 2s:h, 1856
Col E. FoHraiSE:
Drax SIK:-Y"u requested me TO give you state
rnanr nt the condition vi tho iron trH"n up afouid
BrooS. yiil. Tunnel, the distance. grades, o..
w. have besn running over that portion ot The
nd nv, war. End ,ish, months anil hav" not taken
Up more Than half d":er ra'Is 'rH nstng '!l"r"H
,',d from my ub--rvnrnn. ftnE me iron That has
b.,p taken up sino- left ih- road Is IN yer" g"G
cnn,.i:inr dn not think there Is SC irceiy OAR mt
viii not do To lay ag ain.
I'm. d;-tanc- around the tunnel is about half mill
m. curves shout 5liJ f-e reius eni the grads from
$50 10 27C feet pr mice i:- -psei ~ run is about
AZ mills per hour. ioura respectfully
Siyned, GEO ). SErHERLASU
Here il reported the result of slow running an our
Mountain Track, under n c"mb nation nf circun
.ance. all r1.remely unfavnrsbe tur!Ir prrservn'irn
iron; not only were The gradss and GU Yea calcu
lated produce greater DESTRUCTION OF ths rails M
that section tasn hrlnw tho mnunfrin, but the en-
zines used there were ffom tn tons heavier rhsn
those used on other paris Of tie ad. end the trsins
pa,.ing over it we're Eoru f-Qgoni and yet the 1sa,
Of fs sans Iii ID Of irn hsr-. In cons. Gu-nce OF
speed of miles. has bern aim st nothing conpsT-d
with o'her paris If The road where :he speed has
ran1eI between % AMI 50 miles pr hour.
The combined -tect VI ordinary reflection, the
opinions of h sh authority. snt on7 own very salts.
factory experiences vt the tfcc, # .ast running CON
pared with moderate sped nu.h, 10 hr susE.i-ut
10 stimulate the Board tn make practical -e.po1.
10 the resolutions uitho Board Of Public Work., with
IA little d-lsy IA possible
However plain The duty and interests Of I'll. Pras
dent AMI Direrru-> @ RAJ! 10 80 upsn.s may ap.
pear ne in such ca+.-, Yet wh-n any company I'm.
bern running ii.r trains ~ Il high -pesh Tiers are
ditfcul lis in The way Of m king reform 4 spirit
of rivalry and orr natural love of Distinction, may
excite with til Board of roc'nrs d-si-e 10 ngt.
tip u,h-rs. T.1 travelling cum Huo!iy in this 20.
ahead 49,, are r,stssS and impatient of any delay
they clano. at the smallest dm!nu'ion CT ths. CON.
forts DO matter hUw uecessary for the interests Of tbs
s'astaSssst Tss SPsg!sadsD'' esaSsS'' aaa