Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-09
Air-Driven Street Oars.



About two years since we described a
system of air-driVen tram cars which
was the about to be adopted on the Gale
DOMAIN road line of the London Street
Tramway COmDany's system. This was
the Mekarski system, and the car which
WAS then experimental with WAS put on
for regular traffic, and was worked on that
line for about four months, taking Its turn
with the PAIR horse cars. IL was Intended
then TO displace the whole Of the horse
worked cars on this line by 10 air-drlyen
cars. but various delays occurred which
prevented effect being given TO this inten-
ton until the present time. Now, how
ever. arrangements have been completed,
and the first of the series of cars will very
shortly be placed on the line for regular
Nv working. TO be followed in due course
by the other nine which are being built.
Since our previous notice, however, sew
eral improvements have been introduced
into the details of the air engines, winch are
now made upon the compound principle.
The high pressure cylinder is o. inches
and the low pressure inches in dame
ter, with an S-inch stroke, and through
these the compressed air from the reser-
yoirs IL successfully used. Means are
provided by which the high pressure air
can be used In the low pressure cylinder
il necessary. The engine house CON
tanning the air COMPRISING machinery Is
situated nj the Holloway road end OF the
tramway line, where there are boilers,
engines, and pumps, by means OF Which
atmospheric air ia compressed, at pres
aure OF 45O pounds per square inch, into
reservoirs placed in the engine house.
From these reservoirs the air Is conveyed
TO the tram car through charging pipes
with proper couplings, which are connect
ed for charging and disconnected wnen
the reservoirs on the cRr-Whicn are
placed underneath the plattorm-aro
charged to the necessary pressure Ihe
principal feature Of the system, however
is that the air In passing from the feser-
vOirs on the tram car to the cylinders OF
the engine is conducted through boiling
water and steam at n pressure OF w
pounds 20 the square inch, which ~ con
tained in what is known IA hot pot
This hot pot Is charged at the compfef-
sing station while the car reservoirs are
being iillsd with compressed arr. by TINS
means the heat which the air takes up
during rs passage through the bot water
not only causes the air 20 expand OUT pre-
vents the formation OF snow IN the c( M
ders and at the exhaust. The WORKING
pressure In the high pressure cylinder
rauvee from 100 pounds down 70 20
pounds per square inch, and can be varied
~ will. There are efficient brake ar
rangements, and all the other require
ments of the Board Of Trade have been
amply met. The first OF the series oil cars
FOR the CALIFORNIAN road line was inspect
cd last saturday nc the Inventions hNhl-
bitiOn by number OF gentlemen inter-
ested in tramwny locomOtion. They were
received by Capt. Clipperton on Denali o.
of the company, and the construction Oh
the engine aud ITS working were eN-
plained by Mr.. Harris, for Sir ffedeileh
Bramwell, who IL the engineer 70 tao
Makarski Company, but who was una,
vuidably absent. The car was run " ana
fro on short line la the south promehaoe
of the exhibition. it's working powers ue-
INK satisfaciorily demonstrated over suon
severe curves ~ could not occur ~ pi"o
tice. We NAV add that the tram ears
upOn the Meknrsk system have been SUI
cosamllv working on the tramWay lhtH
at Nautoe, ia France, for She last siA
years.