Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-09-07
SPEED IN RAILROAD TRAVEL

SPEED IN RAILROAD TRAVEL.
Probably the highest speed ever OBJ
tanned in railroad travel has just been
made on the London and Northwestern
road running from the English metropo-
lis to Edinburg. The competing road is
the Great Northern, which operates the
famous 'Flying Scotchman" fast express,
and he summer schedule time between
the two cities has heretofore been over
81 hours for the 1929 miles of distance, or
400 miles over the first-named road. In
June, however, the Great Northern re-
duced its time to st hours, and the North
western met the cut on July /. This led
to a further reduction by the former to
eight hours, two weeks ago, which was
promptly met by the latter, and the two
roads have just begun to run on the new
schedule, the Northwestern being at a
disadvantage of eight miles in respect to
distance. The first train over this road
beat the "Flying Scotchman'' not only
the eight miles in distance but seven min
utes in time, covering the 100 miles in .
hours and SO minutes, including stops,
o.; hours % minute excluding stops,
which puts the average rate of speed at
a trifie over 533 miles an hour. A part
of the journey was made at the rate of
IS miles an hour. aud long sections of the
road were traversed at y and - miles to
the hour. The distance from Carlisle to
Edingburgh, l0l miles, where the track
extends over a summit 1918 feet high,
was covered in 10i minutes in a binding
B. lin-storm and wet track. One run of
15S miles was made without "A halt in 17S
minutes, water being scooped up from
track-tanks for the engine.
Such a rate of speed has rarely, if ev-
er, been attained in any country; GER
tainly has never been called for by a reg
ular schedule. The English have al
ways led us in this respect. and this new
time table between London and Edin-
burg puts us farther behind than ever.
But we have some fast trains in this
country, nevertheless; although the pop
ular clamor would seem to indicate 9TH
erwise. Our fastest train is given by the
Railroad Gazette to be the PENNSYLVANIA
express, which leaves Jersey City at lib
,. M, and covers the distance to Trenton.
P54 miles, without stop, in Ga minutes,
giving a rate Of 52.3 miles an hour. The
same train makes the distance from Jer-
Fey City to Germantown Junction, 81
niles, at an average speed of 50.4 miles
IN hour, which includes one stop. But
to Philadelphia the average rate is only
IS miles. Much complaint is made of the
low time of the New York and Boston
express train running by way of this city,
put with theh highest standards before us
here is not so much to complain of after
ii. The distance is at the lowest estimate
R34 miles and this is covered by the two
rains that pass through this city,-the
me at 81 and the other at 6 20 p. M,
in six hours, which yields an average
peed of 80 miles an hour including a
arge number of stops-in fact. no less
han five. The other New York and
Boston trains average about SO miles an
lOur.
People sometimes wonder why it is
hat, in the improvements that are con-
family being made in all the departments
r~ailroading, greater average rates of
peed are not attained than are. But il
hould be remembered that with locomo-
ives of greater capacity have come cars
(eavier and stronger and more durable
5 well as comfortable; and heavier
rains to be drawn, and a track more
roken up by crossings and the like, and
more impeded by traffic. In short, the
cry demand that calls for higher speed
invariably accompanied by these ad,
erse elements. Consequently the only
Fay to reduce the time of a regular
chedule that must be made at all times
nd in all weatllers is to reduce the nun.
|er of stops and improve signals rather
han to attemp greater rates of speed
yer favorable portions of the track:
1hich are already improved in this res
|ect as far as safety will allow.-[Spring
ED Republican.