The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-09-25
Mount Washington Railway.

The new railway up Mount Washington
is one of the most curious, and may prove
to be among the most important achieve
ments of modern engineering. 1t suggests
that half a century hence mountains may
be as plains with the steam engine and air
cylinder. An engineer is said to have made
a thorough examination of this road, within
few weeks past, with view to introduce
ing like roads in Switzerland. At any rate,
the inclined plane, with its stationary ell
CINE and treacherous wire rope and coup
llngs, is soon to become obsolete. Even
about our colieries l fancy that this plan
will soon be substituted by that of Mount
Washington. The speed of travel now in
no wise represents that attainable by this
species of road, consistent with perfect
safety. Yet it is well not to damage the
reputation of this road by unnecessary ex-
periments, and wear and tear. Speed is
not demanded by the traveller up the slopes
of Mount Washington. He will almost
always prefer to feast his eyes on the mar
Vicious scenery revealed in the ascent, unless
he be so unfortunate as to feast on 'sfog-
soup"
\ few words will scarcely convey any
clear conception of this road. Its entire
length is two and thirteen sixteenths miles,
in which it ascends thirty-six hundred feet.
Portions of this road are at a grade of
twelve and a half inches to the yard. On
"Jacob's Ladder" as trestle-work on
the steepest grade is called, the forward
end of the passenger-car was eleven feet
higher than the hinder end, though the car
was but thirty-three feet long. In one mile,
believe the road ascends seventeen hun
dred feet. The descent over this road is
frightful. We did not wonder, when we
looked at it, that the scheme to build such
road should have seemed so chimerical
as to provoke a member of the New-Hamp-
shire Legislature, when its charter was I'M
der consideration, to move to amend it so
as /" to extend the road to the moon''
The bed of the road is a plain tram-way,
with central track, which is narrow lad
der of wrought iron, with the rungs few
inches apart. The engine and passeng-car
have each a large centre cog-wheel, which
play into the open spaces of the ladder
track. These are regulated by other cog
wheels, into which, in ascending, an iron
'deg" or clamp fits, securing the wheels.
There is no possible backsliding. If there
should be, there would be retaining tho
subjects of the experiment. AS security in
the event of these failing, great cross-bar
of wrought iron can, by means of the
brakes, be turned between the teeth of the
main cog wheel, so as 10 lock the train in
stantly.
In ascending, the car is pushed by
forty horse " engine In descending, the
engine accompanies the car, and keeps up
steam, ready to reverse the motion of the
train should it be found necessary. But
the descent is regulated by means of air
chambers on the sides of the train, geared
to the cog-wheels. The forward motion.of
the piston causes the cylinder to fill with
air, which can escape only by valve en-
tirely under the control of the conductor
of the car. The extent to which this valve
is opened or closed of course regulates the
speed of the train. If shut off entirely,
the train must stop. The same appliances
are on the engine. There is force enough
in the machinery of the car to hold it when
disconnected from the engine, or in that of
the engine of course to hold itself and the
power of either is sufficient to hold BOTH
Altogether it is, perhaps, as safe as any
road in the country; yet one needs sound
faith in the laws of physics or real reck-
lessness to get quit of all nervous twitch-
ings on taking his first ride up Mount
Washington. This road, it is said, cost
100000. 1t was completed July Sd, and
the first train run over its whole length
July 9th, 1869. l judge it yielded about
$500 per trip the day we committed our
precious selves to its keeping. 1t is the
proper way to get to Mount Washington
Go try it.