The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-30
The Pneumatic Engine.
ANOTHER TRIAL TRIP-wHAT Is CLAIMED FOR
THE NEW MOTOR.
fFrom the New York Timesi

THE NEW MOTOR.
IFrom the New York Times.I
The pneumatic engine, with which
number of experiments have been made OF
late, was run from the Northumberland
Twenty-seventh-street station of the Sec
ond-Ayenue Elevated railway 10 the South
ferry yesterday morning, dragging train
OF four cars, all OF which were comforta-
bly, loaded with passengers. The engine
is a curiOus-loOking affair, and its appear
ance along the road always attracts the
greatest attention. In general terms it
has four steel cylindrical tanks in which
the compressed air Is carried, and cab,
like any ordinary motor, but without any
tender. The cylinders are about ten feet
long and thirty inches in diameter. They
occupy the place OF symmetrical boiler OF
motor, and are rivetted strongly together.
They lOol; oddly enough to passenger
who stands on platform and sees them
coming full tilt toward him. There is no
smoke-stack, no steam-pipc, no bell 10 the
engine. The inventor is Robert Hardy,
Glasgow Scotchman, who for year or more
has been experimenting the construction
OF the engine, making such alterations and
improvements rs from time TO time seemed
necessary, at the works OF the Baldwin
Locomotive Company, in Philadelphia.
Mr.. Hardy says that these steel tanks have
been tested with pressure OF so pounds
to the square inch, though capable OF re-
sisting 1000 pounds pressure. The engine
cab contains small upright boiler partially
filled with water, which j. kept at boil
inc point or thereabout by the heat OF
miniature fire-boX. The compressed air,
1t is said by Mr.. Hardy, will, by being
heated, so increase in expansive power
as TO drive an engine double the dis
tance that compressed air cold Will
drive il. Hence the upright boiler and its
boiling water, through which all the COM
pressed air is carried before it is brought
TO bear upon the cylinders, and motion is
acquired. The apparatus for filling the tank
with compressed air comprises double
DclamateT air-cOmpressOE and NorWalk
air-compressOr, situated in an old stable OF
the Second-Avenue Uorse-Car Railroad
Company, on the opposite side OF the street
from the station. The air is carried by
means OF hose TO the engine on the track
above the street. From one to two minutes
only. or the same length OF time now re-
quired for steam-enginc 70 fill its tanks
with water at either end OF the line. will be
consumed in filling the four tanks with
compressed air.
The engine took the 11:15 train out of
the station. Its gauge indicated pressure
of 600 ponds. On board the engine were
its inventor. the regular engineer, John \.
Wallace, and Mr.. Campbell, the general
foreman of the company's repar-shops, at
Ninety-eighth street. Mr.. Campbell kept
a record of the gradual loss Of air, the
temperature, and other details important
TO determine the practical value OF the
engine. In the forward passenger-car
were Colonel Hahn, general manager
of the elevated railroads; Mr.. James
NJ. BOYD, OF BOyd a. Vincents, stock bro
kers, whOiS the president OF the Pneumatic
Trlmway Engine Company; Mr.. q. l..
Hawkins, its treasurer; and Mr.. III. l..
Grant. one OF the larger stockholders.
The air-brakes were employed as on
regular train. The stops were made as
easily and the starts quite as smoothly as
those Of train drawn by steam motor.
There was 10 putting sound, and no escape
of binding steam. South ferry was reached
in A25 minutes. The regular running time
of the locomotives is 40 minutes. The
tracks. however, owing to the drenching
rain, were slippery, and the extra time
reUlired bv the engine was, as Colonel
Hahn said. quite eXcuSable, for many OF
tbe locomotives could do no better on such
a dav. When the ferry was reached the
gauge showed a pressure of 200 pounds.
Four hundred pounds had been used in
making the stops and starts and running
the EIGHT and three-quarter miles, dragging
a tolerably heavy train. Colonel Ham SAID
fhe experiment was quite satisfactory.
whether pneumatic engines would come
into general use on the elevated railways
of the city, he said, was question that
could not be settled yet, and would not be
until they had been perfected. The pre-
sent engine was crude affair, which It's
owners would doubtless largely improve
uDon. 1t would be at least two years before
they could be used here, for it would be
impossible, owing TO the demand for en-
gines OF every description, for any large
locomotive companyto fill an order for any
number of the pneumatic motors before
that time. As soon as the engine was un-
coupled at the ferry it was driven back
without any train. Ii was calculated that
the 200 pounds OF pressure would be sulll-
cicnt TO carry it as far as SiXty-illth street,
when motor would drag il the remainder
of the distance to Harlem station.