Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-06-28


invention claim for 1t.
The motor car is IS feet long and
q feet square at each end. 1t Is
pointed in front, the wedge or point
being below the longitudinal cen
ire, adjusting it to the air pressure
thus keeping the car down to the
track. To reduce atmospheric lric-
ton to a minimum all wheels and
electrical appliances are placed
within the walls Of the cars. The
road is to be built on the surface Of
the ground, with track OF "a inches
gauge, and will cost, about $4,000
per mile. In IhickIy settled dis.
tricts the road can be elevated, the
varied length of the upright being
a cheap uOde of covering Irregu.
lafities in The surface of the ground
over which the road passes. The
mail and express cara are telescOped
in forming a train, tine former into
the end OF the motor car, and the
latter into that Of the one proceed
ing IL, forming a flexible train of
cars, offering an unbroben surface
TO the air. The rear end of the
rear car is pointed in similar
manner to the front Of the motor
car, thus preventing any suction
as the train rushus on its way. The
motor may pull one car or train
of cars.
All trains will be controlled from
a generating station, where will be
placed an electrical generating
plant. Electrical brakes are to be
used and trains are started, stopped
speed lessened and backed at will
from the station. Special appli.
ances will inform the operator IN
charge of the generating station OF
the exact location Of the train from
the time it leaves or passes any
point until it reaches Its destina-
ton. 1t has not yet been deter
mined how far apart the genera
ting stations shall be placed. Pos
sibly 100 miles may not be ont of
range, as the current can be run
for 80 miles each way from the
station as a centre without much
loss of electricity.
The electrical force may be gen
Grated by either steam or water
power. The main object, that OF
carrying heavy currents over long
distances, is attained by special
methods. By these, in a given
time, large number OF trains may
be dispatched with extraordinary
rapidity and at comparatively lit
tie expense. The frequency of the |
trains consumes only a small |
amount o. power, and the fact that /
no attendants on the train are nee
essary constitutes no small item of
ECONOMY.
A series OF experiments have |
been made at Laurel, Md, to show
what the Weems railway system |
will do. This experimental line IS
circuit of exactly two miles. Over
this route there are 90 changes of |
grade, some of them very heavy, |
even to the extent of 10S feet TO
the mile. The generating plant
there contains all the electrical ap
plisnces necessary to the attain
ment OF high speed by a railroad
tram. There is also special ma
chlnery tor experimentation, and
the perfecting Of all mechanical
aud electrical inventions tending
to advance and improve the system.
All tests of speed have been made
upon heavy grades and curves
combined, too great ever to be re-
quired in the construction OF a
commercial line, therefore the ex-
perlments demonstrate the high
rate of speed which will be OBJ
tanned upon lines built for business
purposes. At this experiment sta.
ton two miles minute are made
around heavy curve, or the equiv
alent OF 100 miles All hour, or three
miles q minute, on a level track.
Prior to the Inauguration Of this
system 20 miles per hour was the
fastest time ever made by any kind
of electrical railroad travel.
A visitor TO this experiment sta.
ton sees many things to surprise
him. There are no extensive works,
aud the motor car when it comes
out from under it's shed, in obedi.
ence to the will OF the engineer in
the distant plant building where
the electric dynamo generates the
current, moves deliberately, slowly
and with absence of all sound,
This plsar.shaped par painted q
bright red apl moving sharp end
foremost at first sight does not
aaan, q vvondprfnl thing aa n pope