The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-17
Railroad Curves are, Us&
"You NAV live tillthe yellow dog)

"You may live tillthe yellow dog
from history" said conductor the OF
night as the train hummed along, 'buss
you'll never see straight railroad down
steep hill" 6;
The curious passenger with the wart
on his nose rolled up his eyes in astonish;
ment. "My dear fellow" he exclaimed !,
staring at the conductor, II do not under
stand what is to prevent train from,
running straight down hill"
"Just this" continued the conductor,
"curves are necessary on very heavy
grade. Passengers are sometimes struck
with the great number of curves on the
road while it is up among the hills.
They imagine the curves are merely nee.
essary because the road winds around tue
hills. This is only partly true. II the
railroad were to cross directly at heavy
grade it would still be necessary to have
the curves. No train can 60 q high
rate of speed down heavy grade on a.
straight. The explanation is simple.
The tendency of any heavy body like p
train is to move in straight line, and
the attraction of gravitation is not suffi
cient to overcome the tendency to shoot
off where great speed or momentum has
been obtained. Hence, q train flying
down straight track on the billside,
instead of keeping the track would shoot
off on tangent into space. s. =
"The curve" continued the wise man
in the blue uniform, is one of the great
est safeguards in mountain engineering.
This is particularly noticeable in the case
of freight track. It very frequently
happens that an engine, drawing heavy
freight train cannot stick close enoughto
the track when going down heavy
| grade, to control her speed. An engine.
going down hill is really more helpless
| than the same engine going up hill.
That is, she can pull a greater weight up
the hill than she can hold back in going
down the hill. 1t is a very common
experience with engineering Of freight
engines to have their trains literally push
them down heavy grades at q high rate
of speed. In such instances every curve
| is 80 much salvation at the right time.
The curve retards the speed and enables;
the wheels of the flying train to get Q
frmer purchase" on the track. a rail.
road in the hills would bevery dangerous.
were it not for the curves sprinkled along
at frequent intervals.
son some railroads it is the custom TO-.
| disconnect the lever from the driving.
rods when passenger train is descending.
heavy grade that extends for many
miles. The train is managed altogether
:by her air brakes. Every curve acts as
La brake on the speed, and in this way the.
train can swing alone for hours without
attaining too reckless speed, with the;
aid of the air brakes"
Just then. the train went around .
curve and the curious passenger was
thrown to one side of the seat.
cts wonder to me" he gasped, that.
these measly express trains don't ay off.
the track in going around these heavy.
curves" q
"Well, sir" said the conductor I've,
been railroading for twenty-five years and
1 never yet knew or heard of q train
jumping the track on curve. There is't
the slightest danger on a graded curve,
and hardly any on a. fiat curve.