Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-17
NATURAL GAS ON RAILROADS..
Is VIII SupplnnE COHs as Fuel for Looome
tlves-A Locomotive Can BE Run for
About Twenty Gents Day.
Kansas City Time


Within the past nine months more I'M
pToVements have been made in railroad
equipment than in any like period in the
history of the country. Perhaps the most
daring one now being attempted is the
utilizing of natural gss es 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, CipciL-
natl and Louisville Road has demoz-
gtrsted his belief so plainly that the Of
details Of that line have placed at Is com
msnd all the money, men and material
necessary to thorough test. The route
Of that road is through the heart Of the
immense gss regions CT Indians, many Of
the wells being of great pressure, and
flowing from 5000. 900 to 100000 cubic
| feet every tW9nty-fOur hours.
Several weeks ago the master mechanic
and superintendent had constructed q
wrought iron cylinder, eighteen feet 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 a car and transported
to Montpelier, Ind, where there are
located two strong gas wells. The cylin-
der was attached to one of them, which
had rock pressure Of $50 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 Wss
then loaded on the cars and taken TO
the shops at Fort Wayne. Hers it
| Was attached to the usual natural gas
burning apparatus with "regulstor"
that controlled the enormous pressure Of
the gas so that Il flowed out in a steady,
regular current OF one and { half ounces
to the square inch the pressure st which
natural gas is burned. Tue gauge showed
that the gas had lost but little CT It's
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 8 success was the first test
that others have been made with large
cylinders and the gas transported escb
time distance of thirty-eighE miles. The
| officials snd experts are SO well satisfied
with the experiment that orders haYe
bsen 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 someWhst
after the pattern Of the Standard
Oil Compauy'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 represent enough
Of coal to make trip over the road,
which is about ITO miles in length. THe
attachment to the lce-oox Of the engine
aud stoves In the cars will be By means
of pipe leading frou tae tank, and will
! be regulated by hand screw.
| The cost is exceedingly small, as an en-
CINE can be supplied for1aeout 20 cents a
| day.
The experiments made at Fort Wayne
| hsve been watched by expert mechanics
employed by the Erie and Pennsylvania
companies, and these systems Will also
commence the construction Of gas tanks
for the ssme purpose. In case the tests
msde By these companies are successful
1t will De only d short time until the full
problem on railways is solved.