The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-01-26
A WONDERFUL ENGINE.
Mr.. John Lidback Makes a Machine
on a Hew Plan,
To Furnish Power for Lighting Pull
man Cars with Electricity.
A Successful Trial OF the New Inven-
ton Yesterday.

A small but interested group of gentlemen
men. among whom was Charles b. Strout,
president of the Sewall Car Heating Com
pany. assembled yesterday afternoon just as
the sun was setting, to witness the trial of
the new Lidbaek Pullman engine, which is
designed to furnish power for lighting the
Pullman cars with electricity. For months
Mr.. Lidback has been at work on this won
derful machine, and yesterday all the parts
having been completed, it was set up in one
end Of the machine shop on Commercial
street, steam pipe connected with it and
everything made ready for the trial, which
was looked forward to with intense interest,"
by Mr. Lidback and the machinists who
have been at work upon it, The engine,
which is of five horse power, was not fast
ened to the floor ia any manner, nor was it
braced in any way to keep it from Earring or
moving out OF place. Neither were the caps
put upon the main bearings, and there was
nothing to prevent the axle on which are the
balance wheels. from jumping off the bear
ings If the tendency of the machine was to
lift the axle out of its proper place.
II guess you never before saw an engine
set up for trial without the caps over the
main bearings" said machinst to the
PRESS reporter.
II confess never did" replied the writer,
Il should think there would be danger of an
accident If you start the engine before bolt
ing the caps over the bearings"
'0h, well, this isn't an ordinary engine.
In few moment you will learn whether
oo; f..
chine in its present condition. You observe
it is little thing. 1t could be put in two
bushel basket without difficulty, but it will
prove nevertheless a very high speed, pow
erful machine. 1t has hut one cylinder ia
which are two valves and two pistons. The
movement of the pistons and the design of
the cylinder are entirely different from any
thing ever before invented. The piston has
a twisting instead of an in and out motion,
and the action of the two pistons neutralize
each other so that there will be absolutely
no jar. Then it will be almost noiseles S.
OIe might sit in Pullman car with one of
know the machine was there only by the
humming sound it would make"
While the machinist was talking wish the
PRESS man Mr.. Lidback turned on the steam
and instantly the engine began to move.
Gradually the steam was admitted into the
unique cylinder and in moment the little
engine was making humming noise so fast
were the balance or power wheels revolving.
1t registered 600 revolutions per minute,
there was not the least jar, it did not move
hairs breadth on the floor, nor did the axle
show any tendency to jump out of place.
While at this very high speed 1t did not
make more noise than the ordinary
sewing machine. On second trial nut
got loose, and owing to. It's striking another
part of the machine sharp, clicking sound
was made. This, however, was done away
with by tightening the nut full pressure
of steam was not used, and although 600 rev.
olutions per minute were registered, under
full pressure the number would nave been
1000 per minute.
The trial was very satisfactory, Mr.. Lid
brck was greatly pleased, and the machinists
who stood by and watched the test enthuSi-
astically declared the little engine to be a
"daisy."
boiler that is TO furnish steam for the en-
CINE" said the machinist, as he led the way
to another part of the shop. Here, then, the
writer saw an iron frame or box, three feet
and two inches high, two feet wide, and two
and one-half feet long. This was made to
Soheoth WIG OOhcis hlO-DOA anu diis
and will occupy, as will be
observed, a very small space in a car. These
unique engines and boilers will be forwarded
as fast as they are made to the Pullman car
shops, where they will be put into the ears
to furnish power for lighting them with
electricity. These engines are superior to
Others, because they are comparatively
noiseless, very compact and strong Mr..
Lidback is also the inventor of marine en-.
CINE that promises to be a great success, and
If all indications do not fail 1t will soon
take the place of the more cumbersome ma
chimes that now occupy so much space in all
steamers. The marine engine will be given
practical trial next spring. These engines
are the result of years of study ON the part
of Mr.. Lidback, and that he has at last
achieved great success there is little doubt