New-York tribune., 1888-08-26
FAST TEAMS IN AMERICA.

The racing OF trains between London and
Edinburgh that has attracted so much atten-
ton makes it of interest to know how fast the
best trains are in the United States, or, perhaps
it would be better to say, whether we have any
fast trains. Comparisons between the two
countries can hardly be considered just, unless
the greater obstacles to speed on our roads are
taken into account. Journeys are apt to be
much longer here than in England. Grades
there are easy here they are often very dill
cult. This requires heavy engines to make the
grades and heavy cars for safety. The Ameri-
can expects every comfort while he is travel
ling: the Englishman is willing to deny him.
self every comfort to have what he calls the
"privacy'' of a compartment car. The Eng
lish train looks as if it were made up OF pack
ing-boxes on wheels; the American train is
handsomer, but far heavier. When these dis
PARTIES are considered the differences in the
relative speed of English and American trains
seem less marked
"Tbe Railroad Gazette" publishes table
showing the speed of trains between the prin-
cipal cities of the United States. An examina-
ton of this yields some interesting results
II was found impossible to make allowances for
stops in all cases, so as to give the speed of the
train while in motion only. The figures give
the average rate of speed as shown by the
time actually consumed in the journey. This
is the true standard, as the important point to
the traveller is not how fast he travels at GER
tain stages of the journey, but how long 1t
takes him to reach his destination. The high
est average of speed for the distance run is
shown by Pennsylvania train making 43.6
miles an hour between New York and Phila-
delphia. The fastest train on the Philadelphia
and Reading makes the same journey, but with
many more stops, in four minutes more, max
! ing its average speed AZ miles. This IS short
run however. The fastest train on the New
York Central makes the 441 miles between
New-Yorlz and Buffalo at an average OF Al
miles an hour The fastest Erie train to the
same point with a road s miles shorter. makes
an average of only 32.5 miles. The fastest
Pennsylvania train from New-Iork to Pitts
burg makes 80 6 miles an hour, the run being
lust three miles longer than to Buffalo The
PENNSYLVANIA "limited" between New \ erk
and Washington makes the 226 miles at an
average of 4O.8 miles an hour. But the iastes'
New-York Central and Lake Shore train be-
tween Newly ork and Chicago makes more than
four times that distance, or 90l miles, at an
average of 30.1 miles. The Pennsylvania
route is shorter by 90 miles, and to equal the
Centrals time of % hours has only to make az
average of 36.5 miles an hour. Some gooc
time is made between this city and Boston
The fastest Boston and Albany train makes
80 miles an hour and the best Shore Line
time is 1872 miles.
The average rate of speed on the Western
roads is not Of the highest. The fastest tralh'
ending in Chicago are Wisconsin Centra
train, which, having a much longer route u
Minneapolis than its rivals, makes ol'o nhie
an hour to approach their time; three hansa
CITY trains on different roads, and two Omah'
trains, all making the same rate with trliiinf
variations. These distances are all long, iron
400 TO 500 miles. 1t is fact of some lnteres
that although Southern railroads arc renowned
for slowness, the fastest Southern trans arr
faster than the fastest Western trains, ana 10
long distances. The Cincinnati, New-Orlean
and Texas Pacific makes 626 miles betWeel
Cincinnati and New-Orleans, and the Louis
vile and Nashville 811 miles between Louis
Vile and New Orleans, both at an average spee'
Of a fraction over 80 miles an hour.
These rates will doubtless increase as road
beds improve and business grows. Fast traih
certainly stimulate travel to some extent. Bu
how to increase speed without disproportion
ate increase of expense is serious problem 10
the railroad managers