Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-14
TRAIN TIME.
speed I'm the West-English
Kailr0ading.

speed I'm the West-EnglislI
Railr oading.
The rate OF speed attained by trains
in the Western States seldom exceed
thirty miles an hour, and in most
cases is considerably under that
figure This is, however, for through
travel, for at some places where the
grade is straight and the track excep-
tionally good, mile minute may be
made for few miles, in fact it is said
that train on the Canadian Pacific,
between Cotaneau and Ottawa,
averages so miles per hour for
78 miles. The fastest through
time made in the United States
is between Jersey City and Philadel-
phia, distance of 80 miles, which is
covered in 112 minutes, an average
of 48 $40 miles an hour. One of the
fastest through trips on record is that
made by the directors of the Southern
Pacific when the, G. III. & s. A. Road
was connected with the S. p. at Ell
Paso. A through train was run from
San Francisco to New Orleans, dis
tance of 2496 miles, at a rate averag-
ing nearly 40 miles an hour. Thirty
six and half miles is considered a
fair rate of speed, though this looks
very slow compared to Mr.. Wander
bilt's celebrated trip on the New
York Central when he was pulled
over that road at the rate OF 80 miles
an hour.
1t is generally understood that
trains in England 90 at breakneck
speed, but this is scarcely the case, as
the fastest schedule time is made by
the "Flying Dutchman," between
London and Bris oil, which distance
OF 11S4 miles is covered in less than
two hours. Under exceptional cir
cumstances, though, much higher
rate Of speed is often at
tanned, especially on the part Of
the mail trains, who have to
pay Her Majesty's Government
IS for every minute that they keep
the mail wagons waiting at the Lon
don terminus. This restriction Is
necessary one, as connections have to
be made with steamers and other
roads, and few minutes wasted may
mean possibly missing the Calais
boat, which conveys the mails to
France. The writer has sat in train
which travelled between Leicester and
London, a distance of 81 miles, in one
hour and twelve minutes. The train
was due at the London depot at 6
o'clock, and considerable betting was.
goin on in the cars as to whether or
not the trip could be done. No stops
were made though after reaching st.
Albans, on the confines of London,
the speed had to be considerably
slackened owing to the increased dan
ger OF travel. The excitement be-
came very grsat when it was an
nounced by the holder OF
chronometer that there remained
seven miles to be run in six minutes
but the ground was covered and as
the st. Paneras church clock started
to chime the hour of six the train
steamed into the Midland depot.
A rather amusing incident occurred
at Del Rio. Texas, when the writer
vas there two or three years ago. A
number of English engineers had just
been brought out by the Southern
Pacific and were put to work on the
Sanderson division. The general
superintendent OF the road happened
to be at the Del Rio river bridge as
freight in charge OF one of their new
men was coming in. The train was
putting along at lively pace,
and instead of Stacking up
on approaching the bridge, ac-
cording to orders, went vhizzing
along at the same rate Of speed.
When the General Superintendent
went up to the yards he sent for the
disobedient engineer and asked him
why he did not slack up while cross
ing the bridge?
"Slack up" said the Britisher, 81
had no occasion to; according to the
regulations, l was not going fast
enough"
"What do you mean?'' asked the
astonisbed official.
"Why," was the response, as the
lever -puler produced a Midland Rail.
way (England) book of regulations
from his coat pocket, "these are the
orders have always worked UNDER"
and pointing out a paragraph he
handed it to the Superintendent who
read the following notice Engineers
on crossing bridges must slacken
speed to forty miles an hour"
IL la needless to saw tn ne received