Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-17
Lightning Trains.


Perhaps there is no popular delusiOn which
obtains so generally, even among people who
ought to know better, as that regarding the
speed of railroad trains. A striking example
OF this is given in the report of a trial in
Northern State, in (which the claim for dam
ages rested upon the speed at which a certain
train was driven. Several wItnesses-amOng
them a cle-gymsn-testifed that IL was rum
ming at the rate of sixty miles An hour, and I'M
doubleday believed they we're telling the truth.
Any practical railroad man howe yer, cou have
told the jury that the speed, even of an express
train. rarely exceeded thirty-tve miles an hour
and was Oftener less than more than that.
There have been instances where trains have at
tanned a rate OF fifty miles an hour, but anthem
tic ones are as rare as centenarians among the
population of an average community, and when
achieved have been under the most favorable
auspices and for short distances only. There is,
of course, a difference on different roads, some
particular lines maintaining a higher rate of
speed, owing to superior construction and
better natural advantages. Frequent stops,
which are, of course, q necessity, form one
great obstacle to rapid transit over the rails. A
"spurt'' of ten miles in fifteen minutes is not an
unusual thing with engineers of express trains,
butt only happens under extraordinary pres
sure. The highest average speed judging from
the comparative reports, is made upon the Eng
lush railroads. The fastest line in Great Britain
is the Great Western railway, the average speed
Of which is estimated at fifty miles an hour.
This superiority Is due to several reasons. The
road, in the first place, l. limited in length, and
admits of greater perfection in tracks and
equipments. American roads are OF much
greater length and intersect ruder territory.
They are more expensive in construction and
more costly to keep in repair, Fifteen years
ago 1T was estimated that the annual cost of
mai1ta ming the London and North western rail-
way was only one fourth as great as the similar
annual expense of the New York Central. That
discrepancy Is somewhat remeded now, but the
conf arative shOrtness of the English roads
gives them opportunities for perfection in the
matters of solidity and smoothness, which they
, ave been careful to observe the consequence
being better laid, stronger roads and higher
speed than our weaker railroad system will
permit. For long time the English corpora
tons have been experimenting with a view OF
attaining the rate of one hundr ed miles an hour.
The wear and tear of the roads would be i'm
merse, and a thorough revolution in the rail
and tie system would have to be made. The
raii itself would have to be nearly twice its
present size and weight to insure necessary rig
idity. without which the required velocity
could not be obtained or maintained. Corners,
curves and inclines would have to be tabOoed,
Al even then the result would be problemati-
GAIA change would also have 10 be made in the
rolling stock. Cars much lighter than those In
Ordinary use would be needed, and also locomo-
tives of extraordinary power. These latter
would have to be, according to the estimates of
English engineers, of 200 horse power, or more
than four times the power of the strongest high
speed locomotives ever yet built. The result of
their specuistons, thus far, rather ndIcstes the
impossibilty, or, rather, the impracficability of
so high rate of speed ever being reached-at
least with the means and appliances at present
known to railway mechanics.