Sharp County record., 1881-04-28
A Scientific Railway Car.

There arrived at our depot, yesterday
afternoon, a passenger car the like OF
which is not to be found anywhere in
the world. 1t is the property of Mr.. P.
H. Dudley, inspector of the tracks and
apparatus of railroads, and this gentle
man and his wife live in this car. A
reporter of the Sun called on the Occu-
pants Yesterday afternoon and was en-
tertained for nearly an hour with the
explanations of and experiments made
with the large piece of machinery by
which the gentleman accomplishes his
work. 1t is of the most complicated
and delicate nature, and the amount Of
work done by it is marvellous. A de-
scription OF it would be wearisome, with
its systems of cOgs, switches, wires,
pens, ETC., ETC., and would be almost
unintelligible, but an idea of its extra
ordinary work may be gained from the
following summary of its accomplish
ments:
A band of plain paper, about twenty
inches wide, is fed from a roll into the
machine, passing under complex set
of everhowing pens. For every fifty
feet of track passed over by the car this
paper band moves one inch, thereby
taking eight and fraction feet for a
mile of road. By carefully constructed
and adjusted machinery, connected
with the wheels of the car, the operator
obtains upon the paper perfect chart
of every foot, yes, every inch of the
road. The instrument shows; first, the
power required to draw the train Sec
ond, pen marks on the paper the Sec
onds of time in transit; third, another
pen marks every tenth second in the
same way; fourth, still another pen
marks each minute. Then comes a
schedule showing the distribution of
coal used by the engine; the amount of
water used by the engine; a perfect dia-
gram of the track is delineated, showing
all curves, grades, etc; the number of
revolutions which the driving wheels of
the engine make in a minnie or mile,
or parts of these two; the location of the
mile posts are shown, as also the
bridges; the work done by the engine,
so given that the foot-pounds of work
can be readily ascertained by multiply
ing the ratios, the velocity and resist
ance of the wind. All these are plain
ly and accurately shown upon the dia-
gram. When used to inspect the track,
the machine shows the surface of each
rail, giving the condition of each joint,
frog, etc., and shows at glance wheth-
er the rails are fitted perfectly
true, or the least triie out of place, or
if one is a hairs breadth higher than
another. The elevation of the rail on
curve is shown and machine has just
been added, which Mr.. Dudley, invent
ed, giving the exact amount in feet and
inches that the rails are depressed from
true line. Another section of the
chart gives the exact movements of the
engineer when the brakes are applied,
when steam is put on and the power re-
quired to stop and start the train. Mr..
Dudley examines road in this way,
hands his chart to the uperintendent,
and that gentleman knows at once just
where to make repairs and all other
needful particulars. The machine Is the
invention of Mr.. Dudley, he having
spent eight years perfecting it, and
save one which he made and sent to
Australia, his is the only one in exist
ence.
Besides this workroom there are a
nicely furnished library and parlor, con-
tanning cabinets and fine piano, dim
ing-roOm, kitchen, bedroom and store
room. All this in common size pas
senger coach and in it Mr.. and Mrs.
Dudley have lived for the last four
years, travelling all over the United
States. The lady says the life is very
pleasing one and she enjoys it much.
Both the lady and gentleman are finely
educated and entertaining people and
an hour spent in their company is very
profitable one.-.PiH$feld (IHaSS.) S,tn.