The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-13
Gar IOupIIugs.

terrible disaster at Mingo, we called at
tention to the fact that in that tremen-
dous crash the Pullman coaches suffered
no dam,ge whatever, that the occupants
Of those cars scarcely knew that there was
a collision. Since then We have obtained
accurate information concerning the con
s,ruction Of the Pullman coaches and
also concerning the couplings now in use
on several Of our leading railroads. This
information We consider Of sufficient in
terest to lay before our readers.
In the construction Of the Pullman
coach the frst great improvement is 10
the platforms between the cars. Instead
Of being In manner a separate structure
placed below the car frame, as in the old
style Of coSches. they are, as it were, a
part Of the fraue Of the car, and there IL
consequently no step from the plat
form into the car. Instead Of 4
space Of couple OF ieet be-
tween the platforms over which it Is so
dangerous 10 step when the train Is in
rapid motion; the platforms Of the Pul.
msu coaches are close together, not
more than two or three inches space be-
tween them. This arrangement secures
10 them entire freedom from that diss.
greeable swinging motion which 10 a
feature Of the common style Of cars. It
also renders impossible that horrible
accompaniment Of disaster, known IS
telsscoping. So far as the hitching ar
ransements are concerned, the Pullman
coaches being as a rule assigned to the
different companies who use them, are
keptin repair by them and equipped by
such roads with Whatever couplings such
roads use on their ordinary coaches.
The Pennsylvanis Company and the
PC. & ST. L. Railway Company within
the past year, alter some three or four
years experimenting, have adopted and
purchased the RICH. to use the:Janny car
coupler, invented by E. II. fanny, Of
Alexandra, Va. In combination with
this .elt acting coupling, and the high
platforms which ne have described, the
companies mentioned have adopted and
use Il spring buffer, invented by s. NJ.
Cummings, late Mater Of Machinery on
the Fort Wayne Road. This consists oil
strong iron bar with fat head on each
side Of the coupler, set in strong springs,
the two connected at the rear, under the
platform, with cross or equaliIing rod
When the cars are coupled these buffers
are compressed and keep the platforms
from coming quite in contact. As the
cars 20 round a curve one buffer goes in
and the opposite one comes out, the COM
preston in each case being equal lowing
10 the equallIing bsr) the surface Of
opposite buffer heads are always in con-
tact under strong pressure, and the cara
being held upon three points, the coup.
ling itself and the contsc. Of the buffers
on each aide, the effect Of the strong
pressure Of the springs is, as We have
said, great steadiness Of motion and
especially to prevent the disagreeable
lateral swing. The coupling it:elf, which
acts with a movement not unlike the
opening and closing OF the band, lie Of
steel, Is very strong and so designed that
1t is hardly possible to uncouple 1t BY any
sort Of shock TO the cars. The Pennsyl'
7ania Company, when experimenting, ran
arain over drop Of twenty-five inches
10 the track without uncoupling the
fanny, which resists either side twist or
vertical lift. The cars thus equipped
couple themselves and are uncoupled
with lever above the platform, and men
are relieved from all danger to person,
The combination altogether, not only con
tributes wonderfully to the steadiness Of
train IN motion, but has shown remark
able strengthen accideutSome months ago
on the New Castle branch Of Erie & Pitts,
burgh, passenger train equipped as We
have described, collided with the ireigh,
under circumstances very like those at
tending the Miugo disaster. The whole
train escaped unharmed and not paSsen.
ger hart, when without this coupling it Is
morally certain there would have been a
terrible wreck. The coaches destroyed
at Mingo, ss we understand, had old style
couplings and platforms, while two Of
the three saved had the fanny COmbina.
tion-that 10 the coach just forward Of
the hotel car and the hotel car; and they
saved the sleeper in the rear, which had
old style coupling, The Fort Wayne,
(which has a'plsndid passenger equip
msnD ha ali its own coaches and Its az
signed PuIlnanS equipped with the
fanny Combination. So has the CIeve-
land & Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania
Railroad and the Panhandle are making
the change "a last a. they can, and i. i.
evident the sooner they effect it the bet
ter. The companies using 1t think this
combination gives them the best car
coupling in this country. Some other
roads have adopted 1t, and no doubt ii
will soon take precedence Of all others,
unless somebody can devise still better.
The Pennsylvania combination Of lines
has been censured for not long since
adopting Millsr's hook self coupler. But
Miller asked 800 a car royaIty-an out.
raeeoisprics. Railroads ought to make
haste always to get the best, but they are
governed like other people by considera.
lions Of (Supposed) self interest; and Il
really takes both time and money 70 de-
tsrmine what Ia best.
Right here comes IL q point we made
10 our former article, to.wit: That all
such inventions should become the prop.
srty Of all railroads. Itthey prove TO Be
T. u - 4 .