The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-28
Flying on One Foot.

EA1AuR On OIe FOOL.
Writing TO Frank Lesaie's Illustrated
Newspaper Of last week DIR. James b.
Bell makes rather "a novel proposition, and
details decidedly unique innovation By
which TO increase the speed Of railway
trains TO something like 12O miles an hour
or such matter. This is a somewhat as
lively progressive age, and the doctor is
evidently disposed to ''get there" as it
were.
Under this new plan that the proponent
tells us has been tried at some time and
place that he does not disclose, he suggests
converting a single-track railway into a
double-traok line by substituting what he
calls a needle train composed Of double
deck bicycle coaches four feet wide and
fifteen feet high for the ordinary trains
that smoke and cinders have given US cause
to distinctly remember.
Instead of weighing 400 tons and
moving upon two tracks the new train
! Is 10 weigh only about thirty tons and glide
ON double Hanged wheels over single track
and be held in position by small horizontal
wheels running over a light overhead rail
supported by a light and strong open struct
ure all the way along on which is also to be
strung the trolley wire. Such train is sup
posed to carry 300 passengers if they are will
ing 70 trust it at the rate Of 100 to 100 miles
an hour.
At that lively rate of speed local train
would pass five or six stations before it
could be stopped, and even then SUCH ter
rife momentum suddenly impeded would be
apt to stop the train with such violent shock
as to throw passengers into the adjoining
counties. Else the speed would have to be
gradually reduced until it was actually
brought down to about an equal rate with
the ordinary heavy trains that now mangle
tramps and kill off our finest cattle.
Accidents are also left wholly out of the
doctors calculation. Manifestly he is dis
posed to regard any such possible incidents
as so much clear money. But in case Of
washout or a broken wheel at either top or
bottom or a sudden break In that slight
and strong" sustaining structure, light
train" moving at such a humming We
locity would literally whiE through
spaSe and be knocked into kindling wood
by the first formidable obstruction It came
In contact with. Nor could cranks and de-
signing people be expected to exempt this
particular kind of scoot continuance
simply because 1t is the doctors pet.
Any effective device that would dispose
OF the natural atmospheric resistance that
such an accelerated velocity would essen
TALLY create would also shut out the view
that would be necessary for the driver of the
train to watch for distractions on the track.
Were all railways built in a straight line
over solid roadbeds this idea might prove
practical In case passengers all went 10 the
same place some 1000 miles distant from
the starting point But people persist in |
getting of at all sorts Of odd places that are |
sometimes situated at very short distances
apart That would have tendency toharass |
the innovation.
Undoubtedly DR.. Bell has given great |
deal Of thought to this pretty little scheme |
and his talk Of it is perfectly grammatical |
as we'll as very entertaining. Still the doc
tor will probably have to take his scheme |
apart and oil it up and think some more /
before he can expeou to send American citi- |
zens humming across this continent in |
PACKAGE Of 800 at graceful and gently |
swaying 30-second gait. 1t is not absolutely |
safe. 1t would wreck the insurance COM |
Tapiau