Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-26
steam on the City Railways at louis
villa


The epizootic has effected a change in the
CITY railway system of Louisville. The fol-
lowing resolution was passed by 10th boards
Of the council on Friday night:
Resolved, That the street railway COM
panies of the city are hereby permitted 10
use steam power on their lines of road for
transmitting passengers and baggage, dur
ing the prevalence OF Tie horse epidemic, or
a, the pleasure Of the General Council;
Provided, that before such permission shall
take effect, such street railroad company
shall execute a convenient, with approved Sc
curity, to be responsible for all damages 70
person or property resulting from the use OF
such steam power, and that the rate OF speed
of sue cars drawn By such steam engines
shall not exceed six miles per hour.
Mr.. Dawson, President Of the City Rail
way telegraphea for Baxter engine, to De
used Oh the road, which is expected in that
CITY in few days. A Utica paper gives the
following description of the Baxter engine:
Tie engine perfected By William Baxter,
and now in use in lion, is made on the
principle of the English compound engine
in use on cur ocean steamers. 1t has two
cylinders, and drives the car by direct crank
connection without any intermediate mech
anism. The steam is admitted from the
boiler to the first cylinder, which is smaller
than the other, and which is in fact "high
pressure" cylinder. 1t escapes f:om this to
a chamber formed by a jacket around the
boiler, where it is super-heated, and
then it is used in the larger
cylinder, As it finally escapes it
is reduced to about atmospheric pressure.
Py this means the entire force of the heat
is used, and economy OF fuel, as well as OF
space for the boiler is obtained. The en-
CINE is arranged to consume its smoke, and
with the low pressure of the exhaust, both
SCOT and noise are avoided. The engine, as
ordinarily run, is a fye-hoTse power engine,
and will take load of thirty or more pas
sepgers over a reasonably level track at the
rate of fHteen miles an hour, at least. The
engineer can Instantly, and at pleasure,
throw the steam from the boiler directly
into both cylinders, and give his engine for
the time q. horse power. 1t thus takes It's
load easily, and without retarding its speed
I'D grades of 400 feet to the mile. 1t is
in fact, g five-horse power engine, with
mower to increase its power five times, with
ont stopping and without loss of speed.
Having no gearing, cogs or intermediate
mScD8IlSlu DCbhCCh bhO OAeShAS ~-AN SAS
crank of the drive-wheel there is no danger
comparatively from disarrangement IN that
ouarter. The outer jacket Of the boiler is
sbnt ia from the body of tina car BY
wooden screen, through which no heat
masses at any time. The exhaust in the
snmmer goes under the car. In the winter
if il taken through the car by pipes, which
Give moderate but equal temperature to the
sstmosphere. Mr.. Baxter has embodied in
this engine another new feature, by which
the objection tos reversing the engine are
entirely done away. Running at the rate
of six miles all hour he stops the loaded car
in ak feet. Going at the rate OF twelve
miles an hour he stops in thirty-two feet.
The great economy in steam gives equal
economy in fuel, so that coal is consumed
al the low rate of one ton TO the thousand
miles. As nothing precedes the car, all the
windows can be opened without trouble
from dust. Smoke, there is none; dust
there is nothing to raise except the car it.
q If and what dust it raises is under the
car and left behind. When the car is In
motion the front windows can be opened,
and refreshing breeze is felt, with none OF
the ordinary discomforts.