The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-24
CAR BRAKE AND COUPLER.
Helms Famous Invention Tested with
Gratifying RcSults-Auth0rity on
the Subject.

the Subject.
The last issue of the Railway Repietc
gives u very interesting account of a test
of the Eames Vacuum Freight Brake, and
| Helm Automatic Car Coupler. The test
was at Newton, Conn, and at other
points on the Housatouc railroad
| While the exhibit was in the interest of
the vacuum brake, the cars We're equip
ped with the Hem coupler. and what
they accomplished under the test would
| 90 to show that solution OF the vcxcd
question of automatic safety freight car
couplers had been reached The Helm
coupler was invented in Rock Island. and
the stock of the company is largely owned
here. But we will let the Rerietc speak
| for itself, as it carries weight with every
| statement:
On December 2d test of the Etmcs
vacuum brake as applied to freight trains
was made on the lIousatonic railroad,
near Bridgeport. In connection with
this the Helm automatic car coupler was
tested. The following is ~ account by
one who was present:
The special train, which consisted of
10 freight cars and one passenger car, left
the depot at 1915 n III, in charge OF Su.
perintendent Charles w. Wood. The
first stop was made at Bo,sford. where II
few tests were made with the brake.
These tests satisfied every one that the
brake could lie safely applied 10 heavily
loaded freight trains OF almost any
length. The time required to apply the
brake to the whole train was pat al the
fractional part of u minute, A. Stcpney
only eight seconds elapsed from the time
the exhaust was applied at the engine till
the last brake on the rear car was tightly
fastened, and later much more success
tnl test was made, as will appear further
on.
AT Newton the train was side tracked,
while the engine went on to Hawieyville
and turned around Then 10 more
freight cars many of them heavily load
ed, were added to the train, making 81
cars in all, and further tests We're made
not only at Newton, but at various
points between that place and Bridges
port. AT Newton only six seconds
elapsed from the time the exhaust was
applied at the engine till the brake on the
rear of the twenty>tirst car was as tight
AS it could be drawn. just below Step
ney, running on down grade of 60 feet
to the mile at rate of 20 miles an hour,
the train was stopped inside of 500 feet
or Il little more than once its length.
The Helm coupler, which has been illus
trated and described in the Reciee, rs
| a1cn N 4 Satis~
factory test of the coupler was made just
below Botsford, on the return. Here the
train was broken up in half a dozen
parts, and each part sent flying on down
grade; then the engine put chase after
them and caught them all, one after the
other. the couplers locking into each
other automatically. and when the las,
section was captured the eng inc brought
the entire train lriumphantly to stand
still To couple the hose of tho all
brakes together was but the work of &
moment, and then the train came on
down to North Bridgeport, where the
| final test of the brake was made. The
party were left in the open field while the
train backed up about mile, and Their
came down the grade under full head OF
steam at the rate of 80 miles an hour
j The first test here was made without tho
use of the Eames driver brake (witl
which the engine was equippeD, and il
50 seconds from the time the exhaust was
applied the train was at stand still. Il
$ should be borne in mind that here there
, were 81 cars in the train, and the actua
distance run after the brake was applied
was 400 feet. The next test was made
with the driver brake in use, in addition
t to that on the cars and at the same
, speed go miles an hour. The actua
, length of the train was 744 feet, and
complete stop was made in 644 feet, o.
before the train had passed within tw,
n cars the point at which the signal wa
s given. AT no time during these tests die
!, a single wheel slide or was it flatted. The
quickness with which these stops wer
made and the fact that none of the wheel
ceased to revolve until the train stopped
1 attracted the attention and comment o
n the railroad men present, who eNpresse,
:, themselves as much pleased at the wa,
the brake worked. Representatives of tn
c various railroads present were as follows
. New York, New Haven Il Hartford. .
: NJ. Sheppard, assistant to the president
Superintendent William II. Stevenson, j
II Denver, master car builders; New Yorl
Central. Hudson River and Harlem sys
. tens; Joseph III. Franklin, depot maste
r at Grand Central depot, New York; Con
- necticut Western. ey Roadmaster Samue
' Green; Shepaug. Andrew Braugh. maste
: mechanic; Naugatuck, President William
y d. Bishop, Superintendent Geo. Beach
n Assistant Superintendent Henry A. Bis h
:, OPP, Superintendent of Motive Powe
> Henry ID. Beach; New Haven x North
ampton. President G. n. leomans. Tn
Is Housatonic road was represented b
N President William II Barnum and Su
- perintendcnt c. w. Wood. n. Sling
land. superintendent of motive power OF
It the road. also accompanied the train, an
e together with O. T. Earle, mechanics
/, expert. directed the various tests. Tn
officers OF the Housalonic railroad repre-
sented the Helm coupler also Tn
e Eames Vacuum Brake company was rep
IL resented by its vice president and secre
b tary. Mr.. J. A. Sade. of Boston, and b
one of directors. Hon. Geo Bagley, o
WATERFOWL. n. y. NJ. Geo B. Massey
of Watertown, the treasurer of the CON
81 pany. was also present.
IS In these appliances Rock Island ha
" more than ordinary interests as Mr.. Helm