The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-12-01
The Right Railway.

The Righi Railway.
The Right has been appropriately
named "delusivep mountain, for,
seen from a distance, it looks very easy
of ascent, and its position on the Lake
of Lucerne is SO attractive that all who
travel thither feel tempted to rush to
the summit. Easy as it looks, the
Right is, however, very steep in places /;
and from four to five hours of continu-
Gus climbing produces at times serious
consequences, especially among those
season passes without few cases Of
invading of inexperienced tourists,
who won't believe that a mountain
must be assembled slowly.
On the other hand, Lucerne has many
visitors who would gladly ascend the
Right, but that their weak health for
bids all active exertion on their part.
To some of these, mountain air is es.
sential for recovery and if it be asked,
Why do they not ride upon horseback
the answer is, that they are too weak or
too timid.
Henceforth these objections may be
dismissed, for the Right Railway re-
moves all diffic Ilties, and makes the
ascent so easy that any one may 60 up
and down, if so minded, twice in the
day. The terminus at Vitznau is a few
yards from the landing-stage of the
steamers. 1t comprises a luggage office,
ticket office, and a spacious restaurant,
which is also the waiting room. Some
what more to the rear are turn-table
and large shed for the engines and car
riages. The engine, when on the level
turn-table, looks like a huge iron bot.
tie standing on low platform, which
carries cylinders, cranks, and other To-
connective gear, and is much lower at
one end than at the other. This diff
ference of height imparts an awk-
wardness of appearance, and the huge
bottle, which is, in fact, the boiler and
chimney, leans to one side as if about
to fall. But this is planned, and with
purpose, as you will see when the To-
connective begins to mount the slope.
Then its floor becomes level, and the
bottle stands upright. In front Of the
boiler is a rallied space in which luggage
is carried; the driver and stoker stand,
as usual, in the rear, and the fuel is
coal.
The passenger carriages are ten feet
wide, and resemble the tramway cars
recently introduced into London, and
are not, as has been stated, of two sto-
ries. The seats, nine in number, are
placed transversely, and when all are
filled, the carriage contains fifty-four
passengers, who find their comfort cared
for in the convenient shape of the seats.
These carriages and the locomotives
were built at Often, busy center of
Swiss industry.
The railway gauge is five feet the
sleepers are longitudinal and continu
Gus, as on the Great Western line.
Midway between the rails lies what may
be described as a heavy iron ladder,
with thick steps, slightly beveled, from
below upward. Up this ladder the To-
connective walks by means of thick
cogged wheel fitted beneath its floor.
There are no trains, unless a single
carriage and locomotive can be called
train. The carriage is pushed up the
hill, not pulled. The passengers sit
with their faces to the engine, whereby
they have view Of the slopes beneath
them, of the lake, and of the opposite
hills during the ascent. Timid people
should sit in the middle of seat, so as
to avoid the CULTS and precipices over
which the railway passes. The right
hand side as you look toward the en-
gine) is the best for those who wish to
enjoy the prospect.
The pace is about double as fast as
ordinary walking. AS soon as carriage
starts, mana way-watcher-walks
ahead, TO clear away distractions that
may have fallen from the upper slopes,
and especially to pick out stones from
! between the steps of the ladder. Tray
elers who have seen the Right know
that it is mass of pudding, so to
speak, with millions OF stones for plums
Hence, constant watchfulness is neces-
sary; for a stone in the wrong place
would keep out the cog. There are re-
! lays Of way-watchers, each being respon
sible for section of the line and. as q
precaution against accident, each car
riage is fitted with an efficient brake.
The line stretches in one continuous
slope up the mountain, with but slight
departures from straight line. There
are no zigzags; half way up, the locomo
| 1--WE Stops dt Suing W tdhe III wafer
an operation which requires about ter
minutes. The view becomes more anC
more interesting with increasing height
and the fresh mountain temperature il
felt. Here and there, the footpath from
Vitznau makes a slant towards the rail
way; and tourists are seen going up OF
down at what seems slow pace. The
sight then reminds one of Hawthorne
celestial railway, and the pilgrims wh'
went plodding in the old-fashioned way
The trees become fewer and fewer, anC
presently the carriage stops at Kaltbad
hotel and boarding house apparent,
commodious enough already to enter
tain hundreds of guests, and which i
being built still larger. Invalids ma.
now mount to Kaltbad without fatigue
and enjoy from its noble terrace a pros
pee. of sunsets far better worth lookin
at than all the shivery sunrises seel
from the summit.-Chamber's Journal.
The Oldest Locomotive Engineer i
the United States.
The Bethlehem pa Times saws tina