Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-30
THE DREADNACGHT,

The main difference between the new and
the old English locomotive is in the application
of the principle of the compound engine In
working order the Dreadnaught weighs IS, 200
pounds, and her tender weighs $1,000 pounds.
Her driving wheels are 6 feet inches in
diameter. The outside cylinders are AZ by "a
inches, and the inside or low-pressure cylinder
&c by "a inches.
1t was an engine of this pattern that made
the marvellous runs between London and Edin-
burgh last summer when the racing fever on
English railroads was at its height. In regular
working the Dreadnaught has taken a train
weighing with engine and tender, 464000
pounds up grade of 70 feet to the mile, four
and one-quarter miles long. at the rate of 80
miles an hour. She has pulled train weigh
ing $4,000 pounds from Euston to Crewe. 1853
miles. in three hours and thirty-four minutes
including two stops. or at the rate of A. 3 miles
per hour, and without stoppages 46 miles an
hour.
WHY IT Is TO BE BROUGHT HERE.
1t should not be assumed that the action of
an American railroad company in sending to
England for locomotive is an acknowledge
ment that the English locomotive is the best
1t indicates the growth of liberal spirit among
railroad managers that inclines them to take
advantage of any good points John Bull has
discovered without regard to the fact that they
are of British origin. This spirit has led to
the adoption on American railroads of the Eng
llsh seml-phore system OF signaling. after
many thousands of dollars were spent in trying
TO devise new system purely American. A
similar feeling is evidenced in England by the
Introduction of Pullman cars to run
between London and Brighton. It is not
certain how the English locomotive will
behave on an American railroad.
The American locomotive builders have given
much attention to the development of the
heavy freight engines for long hauls. often
over steep grades. and have produced loco
motive which for Its purpose has no rival in
the world. It remains to be seen whether the
fast express locomotive is equaled or excelled
III any respect by its English competitor. 1t is
not question of speed merely. There are
trains run now in America at as high rate of
speed as any in England. Mr.. Watkins said he
thought the trains on the West JERSEY road
were run as fast as any in the world. There is
question of economy in the consumption of
fuel. The English locomotive uses at home a
coal that is softer than American anthracite
and not so soft as the bituminous. With this
coal 1t accomplishes a great deal of work
at small expenditure. Whether it will succeed
so well with American coal is a question to be
determined by experiment. In order to cross
the mountains trains running between Philadel-
phia and Pittsburg have to be drawn by loco
motives capable OF doing the hard work of
mountain climbing. Such locomotives are not
economical on the many miles of dead level
stretch. The railroad company will determine
by experiment. probably. at what cost the
compound will do this work. The conditions
prevailing on American railroads in the more
thickly settled portions of the United States
are approaching those prevailing in England.
The great eastern lines are gradually straighten-
ing their curves, and many roads now are in
condition which would permit the running
over most OF their distance at least of the four
wheeled truckless English cars.