The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-03-15
GAS ON RAILROADS.

Ths Natural Article to Supplaut Cosl ~
Fuel ON Locomotives.
Within the past nino months more
improvements have been made in rail-
road equipment than in any like period
in the history of the country. Per-
haps tho most daring one now being
attempted is the utilizing Of natural
gas ~ fuel for engines and to. furnish
light and heat for tho carA Several
master mechanics in the country hold
that this product can be confined and
used At WILL and the master mechanic
Of the Fort Wayne Cincinnati q
Louisville road has demonstra his
belief 20 plainly that the officials Of
that line have placed at his command
all tho money, mon. and material nec-
essary 70 . thorough test. The route
Of that road Is through the heart Of the
Immense gas regions Of Indiana, many
Of the wells being Of great pressure.
and flowing from 8. o0o. 0oo to IL. OO0..
90 cubic feet every twenty.four hours.
Several weeks ago the master me.
shanie and superintendent had con.
strueted . wrought-iron cylinder.
eighteen fect long and two feet in
diameter. with heavy ends screwed in.
The cylinder was subjected to the most
critical and scientific tests, and was
provided with gauges to register the
pressure It was placed ON board
car and transported to Montpelier,
Ind, whore there are located two
strong gas wells. The cylinder was
attached to one Of them. which had
rock pres sure Of $50 pounds to the
square inch. When the gas was
turned on the gauge showed. that 1t
was full In less than one minute. The
tank was then loaded on the cars and
taken to the shops at Fort Wayne.
Here It was attached to the usual nat
ural gas burning apparatus with a
regulator" that controlled the enor.
nous pressure Of the gas so that It
flowed out in q steady. regular current
Of ono and . half oun ces to the square
inch. tho pressure at which natural
gas Is burned. The gauge showed
that the gas had lost but little Of its
pressure. and 1t supplied light in the
burners In the shops for several hours,
besides heating one large stove and
ono forge.
So much Of . success was tho first
test that others have been made with
larger cylinders and the gas trans
ported each time . distance Of thirty
eight miles The officials and experts
are 20 we'll satisfied with the export.
ment that orders have been issued to
equip the road engines with tanks and
the workmen in the shops are now
making the necessary changes Large
steel tanks or cylinders some what after
the pattern Of tho Standard Oil
Company's cars are being made, and
these win be attached to the engine in
the rear Of the tender. They will have
capacity equal to a. many thousand
cubic feet Of gas 40 will represent
enough Of coal TO make q trip over the
road. which 10 about ono hundred and
ton miles In length. The attachment
10 the IRE box OF the engine and stoves
in the cars will be BY means Of
pipe leading from the tank. and will
b regulated BY ahand screw
The cost b exceedingly small. - an
saGine san b. supplied for about twsn-
Y sents day
n experiments made ct Fort
WWns have been watched by expert
nnsehaniess employed BY the Erie and
tennsylvania companieA and these
systsms will also commence the con-
efseeeeaS ee gas tanks fCs The same
pa3coea y eass u tsets made "
49, eenpeeleo - sseeeeefuL y viii
- 81 sAogt ti1ne pa>iI ~ fu1l
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