Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1872-11-28
Helena, Montana, Thursday, November z8, 1871
The LAaest idea Am RmalRmmds4-Gmxet ta
n ! - Rnm ON q single Track. r g..


n ! i, ..r Rnn ON o Slngle Track. f,o,
From the Chicago journal Of Commerce.
We learn, from recent Issue Of the se
John IN. b. Neos, that w. X. Reynolds, of
that city, has patented an entirely new plan,,
not only for the construction of q single track
on which to run cars, but also an improved
coach suited TO such track. "''''" 80
The description of this invention ia very
general, andwe are not certain that we fully
understand all the details; but we deem the
suggestions worthy the attention of railroad
men, and we doubt not that practical engi-
neers will soon be able to turn this invention
to good account. lti @so Ha a@tt5 ,2H
In the first place the road dispenses with
nearly all the cost of grading, roadway and
sleepers, Mr.. Reynolds proposes series of
posts of timbers firmly set in the ground by
pile-driver or some means that will insure
their permanence and exact vertical position.
These will be some seven or eight feet above
the earth, and eight feet apart sawed off as
the top and made even and true; they will
then have bolted to them . good solid timber
twelve inches square. On the top of this
shape of an inverted a., The roadway is
now complete. ......, e,..,. 49,.
Il The cars are fifteen feet wide and two
stories high. Much of the first story is In
two parts, hanging on the rail like panniers
on o mules back. AL the cars, including
the locomotive, are thus constructed, and are
therefore suspended on this great central rail
mo part touching the earth. TO prevent
oscillation, there is on each side of the posts
a series of rollers that will always act Ms fend-
ers. 1t seems, however, to be the purpose of
so evenly balanced, and theirweight so much
greater below the centre, of the wheels shan
above, that the whole train will hang steadily
upon the rail. ,,,, -; ..,........-
|dNM Mr.. Reynolds Is calling the attention to
this invention as peculiarly adapted to n new
country like that over which it Is proposed to
build the Dominion trans-continental railway.
which is to connect the present Grand Trunk
Railroad of the Dominion with the ports nf
the Pacific ocean. He thinks speed could
easily be attained ON such q road of 100 Omiles
an hour say ,Eeo1llwI dttlo$ pre egrag
region Hs T o soRs or % shs areat
rail may be more than eight feet above the
earth, andNths cars may be proportionaliy
elevated. Ega quI,tg{B haa 1oaysEs.,9 Hm q
IT, 1t is also urged that the cost of grading and
OF sleepers for our present system OF roads,
constitutes q very great item In the expense.
Two-thirds, at least, iwould be saved blythe
new invention n rroi1,eauo3 hfa4 stqap
:" We fear that the great difficulty that will
| confront Mr.. REYNOLDS will be the impossi-
bility of hanging passenger coaches or even
! freight cars on single rail SO as to move
steadily. A heavy train running at greet
| speed, suddenly oseillating, would be in dam
ger of breaking, or tearing the rollers of
Tenders from the side of the cars, or jarring
the coaches SO violently as to keep passen-
gers in constant state of anxiety for their
slfety.3s Had lie suggested . double rail,
eighteen inches or two, feet apart, and "A
double row of piles and ,timbers securely
bolted and clampcd, we see no reason to
doubt the success of the experiment. We are
under the impression that n few full and fair
trials will result in such a change of his plan
and patent. ...,. -.
We do not belong to that school Of conserva.
tives who imagine that the present system of
railroads has reached perfection. We are
anticipating many great and important
improvements: and we therefore ask the
public to give our "one rail" system a
full and fair trial. 1t may be that both CO.
gine or locomotive may be 30 constructed
that the engineer may be able to keep them
on q centre as easily as boy does his yeloci.
pede. In that case we see not why the single
elevated rail may not be traversed as safely,
securely, and with greater rapidity, than any
OF The broad or narrow gauge roads that now
have their advocates aid admirers all over
the land , -.,
The era of the broad gauge road has passed.
The tendency has been towards the narrow
gauge for the past five years. The one rail
may be the other extreme; but we hope that
the plan may be subjected to fair and faith
full test under each circumstances as to satisfy
all concerned. .', +. .#..s'+