Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-05-12
GAS ON RAILROADS.
The Natural Article TO Suppiant Coal ~
Fuel on Locomotives.

Aho NdiurM ArIlCl0 10 SuUpldnb VOHt ~
Fuel ON Locomotives.
Within the past nine months moro
improvements have been made in rail-
road equipment than in any like period
in the history of the country. Per-
haps the most daring one now being
attempted is the utilizing of natural
gas as fuel for engines and to furnish
light and heat for the cars. 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 &
Louisville road has demonstrated his
belief so plainly that the officials Of
that line have placed at his command
all the money, men, and material nec-
essary to 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, 100000 to ~ 000,-
600 cubic feet every twenty-four hours.
Several weeks ago the master me.
chanic and superintendent had con-
structed q wrought-iron cylinder,
eighteen feet long and two feet in
diameter, with h:avy ends screwed in.
The cylinder was subjected to the most
critical and scientific tests, and was
provided with gauges TO register the
pressure. 1t was placed on board o
car and transported to Montpelier,
Ind, where there are located two
strong gas wells. The cylinder was
attached to one of them, which had q
rock pressure Of 450 pounds to the
square inch. When the gas was
turned on the gauge showed that it
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 q
regulator" that controlled the enor-
nous pressure of the gas so that it
flowed out in steady regular current
of one and q half oun ces to the square
inch, the pressure at which natural
gas is burned. The gauge showed
that the gas had lost but little of its
pressure, and it supplied light in the
burners in the shops for several hours,
besides heating one large stove and
one forge.
So much of success was the first
test that others have been made with
larger cylinders and the gas trans
ported each time a distance of thirty
eight miles. The officials and experts
are so we'll satisfied with the expert.
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 somewhat after
the pattern of the Standard Oil
Company's cars are being made, and
these will be attached to the engine in
the rear of the tender They will have
capacity equal to as many thousand
cubic feet of gas as will represen
enough of coal to make trip over thu
road, which is about one hundred an(
ten miles in length. The attachment
to the fire box of the engineand stoves
in the cars will be by means of ;
pipe leading from the tank, and viii
be regulated by ahand screw.
The cost is exceedingly small, as al
engine can be supplied for abouttwen.
ty cents day. uat
The experiments made at For
Wayne have been watched by exper
mechanics employed by the Erie anC
Pennsylvania companies, and thes,
systems will also commence the con
struction of gas tanks for the sam,
purposes. In case the tests made b,
these companies are successful, it vii
be only a short time until the fue
; problem on railways is solved. Kan
Sds CatU Times