The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-12-19
A NEW ENDLESS RAILROAD PLAN.
AN AMERICAN INVENTORS PROJECT
FOR TRAVELLING ONE HUNDRED
AND FIFTY MILES AN HOUR.

I'll II.
Jesse Frye, a mechanical engineer, has
on exhibition at his residence, No. 693
Sixth avenue, the working model of
novel railroad. The most important
part OF the plan is the production of
very high rate of speed by means of
peculiarly arranged wheels. Each wheel
consists of a lesser and larger whe ell. the
smaller one resembling the hub of an
ordinary wheel The two are cast in
one piece, the hub projecting InwardS
and being one-fourth of the entire diam
eter of the wheel The hub, so to call
it, moves along the track by means of
any power, and the large wheel, OF
course. moves with it, but entirely free
of the track. A block of wood repre-
senting a car and having grooves on the
under surface is fitted on to the larger
circumference of two pairs of wheels,
the track being double like an ordinary
railroad track, and power being applied
to pins in the aXles, the car moves along
at a rate of speed four times greater
than the speed of the hub and passes
rapidly from one set of wheels to another.
In other words. while all the wheels,
which are in the form of an endless
chain. move one foot, the car moves
four feet, the motion originating in the
hub and being transmitted to the car
through the larger wheel. 1t Is designed
to operate this system in ar iron tunnel
elaborately constructed in small sections
and fitted together so closely as TO be I'M
pervious to water and gases, the tunnel
To be placed under ground or under
WATERWAYS at any required depth. With
in the tunnel are to be two compartments
or avenues for the two trains moving in
opposite directions. The compartments
will be Just large enough to allow the
trains to move easily, and the road or
tunnel is to be somewhat in the form OF
a fattened ellipSe forming circuit, the
train being continuous and having
neither beginning nor end. Thus per
son going in one direction and remain
ing in a car would fter time find HIM
/ self at the place from which he started.
( Mr.. FRYE claims that the close fitting OF
/ the trains in the compartments VIII over
come very greatly the resistance OF the
air. and so enable high rate of speed to
be maintained without loss of power. He
/ also claims that axle friction Is entirely
/ done away with by his plan, and thus so
/ much additional power gained. The
! compartments will be ventilated by
stacks running up through the tunnel to
the outer air. The Steam-engineS are to
be placed beneath the tunnel, one en-
( CINE to operate acircuit. 1t is proposed
! to build the tunnel not by excavation
but 10y burrowing, or boring, thus OBJ
WAITING all damage to property on the
surface Ingress ard egress will be
made to the trains by means of elevators,
and each car will be twelve feet long
and divided into two compartments.
The trains viii not be stopped at any
point, but at regular intervals, such as
every quarter of mile. The cars will
be coupled by meansof a universal Joint
and the road will be so even that there
will be no jarring. Each circuit will be
in charge of one signal-master, who will
be communicated with almost instan
taneously by electricity. aid he will start
and stop the train. Mr.. Frye claims
that by his system speed OF $50 miles
an hour can be attained. He says the
strong points of his invention are higl
rate Of speed, absolute safety to life, iht
absence of inconvenience inSeparablt
from the present system of railroads
and the Use of compartment cars, which
will prevent passengers from being an
noyed by other person. as they are Otter
annoyed in horse and steam cars.-N.
II-0J-d