The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-02-20
The Chicago Limited Express.

The Philadelphia Record has the follow
ing account, by Mr.. Angus Sinclair OF the
American Machinist of trip from Jersey
City to Chicago via Philadelphia on what
is called the Limited Express. The dis
lance is nine hundred and twelve miles,
and the time consumed in making the
run, twenty-five hours and half. Some
of the distance is run at the rate of over
sixty miles an hour, and the average time
is thirty.five miles an hour. "The engi
neer and fireman reached the round-house
about half an hour before it was time for
the train to start, and each proceeded to
do his own line of work in preparing the
engine for the run. The engineer pro-
ceeded to oil his charge, an important
matter where ninety miles have to be
traversed without stopping. As he moved
around the engine his trained eye de-
tected the smallest defect, and he examined
every cup and reservoir. At the same
time the machinery got final inspection,
and the air pump was started going.
Meanwhile the fireman was attending to
his duties-giving the fire its finishing
touches, filling oil cans, and brushing the
dust off the cab fittings. Then the en-
CINE backed up to the train. The air
hose was coupled, two minutes fast pump
ing of the air pump charged the car reser-
voirs with their full pressure of air, and
all was ready for the start. While wait.
ing for the signal, peep into the ,fire-box
disclosed furnace ten feet long by forty
two inches wide filled up with coal to
depth of ten inches. 1t took about a ton
and half of coal to make this fire ready
Co. kba Tho traip oaroiotaI IF Eva
Pullman sleeping-cars and one dining-car,
the six weighing two hundred tons. The
engine and tender, in working order,
weighed seventy.four tons, which gave
total weight of two hundred and seventy
four tons to be moved by the force exerted
by the pistons. As the signal was given
to start, sprinkling of sand was dropped
upon the rails, the Unbelievable was
opened little wider, and with resounding
exhausts the engine worked into speed.
From the start the necessity of pushing
forward and utilizing every second of time
was recognized. The train had not moved
more than its own length when speed of
ten miles an hour was reached. 1t COW
cred the first two miles, with heavy up
grade, in four minutes. Then a speed of
forty-seven miles an hour was attained,
but it was soon checked, because bridge
was to be passed over. Several miles were
covered in fifty-seven seconds each. Then
the impetus was reduced. Thus it was
throughout the whole trip-a struggle to
get up speed followed by an effort to dis.
sipate part of the power gained. The en-
CINE maintained speed of sixty miles an
hour easily enough, but it was laborious
proceeding increasing the speed in a
couple of miles from mile in two min
utes to mile in one minute. Sevaral
heavy grades were assembled, one of them
three miles long, which reduced the speed
in the second two miles to thirty miles an
hour. The engineer exhibited remarkable
skill and intelligence in handling the en-
CINE. The water was carried steady,
without any huctuation, which enabled
pressure. Where the speed had to be re-
duced no more breaking was done than
was absolutely necessary, and the brake
was applied 80 gradually that it was hard
to distinguish that the speed was not
being reduced merely throug Oh natural loss
of momentum. The fastest running was
done under the favorable conditions of a
straight, level track, or descending grade.
With the big driving-wheels of the locomo-
tive, and at speed of sixty miles an hour,
the wheels made two hundred and fifty
eight and one-half revolutions per minute.
The fireman's part of the work of getting
the train over the road was no less skill
fully done than that of the engineer.
During the first seven miles of the trip he
did nothing for the fire other than crack
up some coal Jumps. All the coal burned
was broken down to pieces about the size
of two bricks. When he seemed to think
the proper time had come he glanced at
the fire, then threw in one shovelful of
coal. To pitch coal on to the right spot
in fre-box ten feet long requires con,
siderable skill when the engine is swing
ing at mile-a-minute speed, but this
youth seemed equal to the task. He did
not pile in load of coal and then CLINT
up into the cab and wait for it to burn, as
is the practice of poor fireman. After
he began the fire he kept at it. About
every two minutes he got in shovelful Of
coal. When the engine was working hard
getting into speed he varied his intervals Of
firing; but he worked on system, which
was to keep up the body of the fire anG
maintain the temperature as nearly ever
as possible. He followed scientific methods
whether he understood anything about
science or not. He never hesitated about
the spot where the coal was going bu
pitched it in and closed the door quickly
waiting till the turn of the next install
ment came around. By this means the
steam never felt the chilling effect tina
results from heavy-charge firing. Abou
eight miles from Philadelphia the fireman
stopped putting in coal, and the remainder
of the run he several times used the hoe t.
level the fire. When we stopped at thu
station, about four inches of glowing Gin
ders covered the CRATES. AS the trair
came rushing along electricity enabled
the train dispatcher in his Office at Jerse.
City to follow its progress and move ever,
obstacle that might cause delay. Al
known resources of mechanical scienc,
have been ransacked to produce appliance
for reducing delays so that the highes
possible percentage of the time allowed TO
the journey may be devoted to running
Water for steam making is collected a
the train runs along, and stops are onl