The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-03
One Hundred and Flrty Miles an Hour.

Ina recent number of the Electrical World
the statement WAS made that, with electricity
as q motive power. and with a solid Toad-bed
and track carefully laid with rigid and
heavy rails, there IS not the slightest reason TO
doubt the practicabllty of the transportation
of passengers at as high a rate of speed as $50
miles an hour. To the argument that no.
body would care 20 ride at such q rate Of
speed it was answered that the same
objection was made not 50 many years
ago regarding the dangerous and
reprehensible speed of twenty-five or thirty
miles an hour. The question is one OF track
more than ANYTHING else. with the lOcOmO-
tive" says the Electrical World. there 10 a
practical speed limit set by the permissible
size OF boiler and the amount OF fuel that can
be carried. In the case OF the electric motor.
however, there IS no difficulty on the score OF
supplying power. The only limitation is in
the weight efficiency Of the motor itself, and
10 IS impossible 70 predict what this might
be-"
That these views are not visionary is evil
denced by the experiments made some time
ago at Laurel, Md. to show the power OF the
electric motor 10 develop a speed that had
heretofore existed only in the imagination.
The results Of these experiments formed the
subject of paper that was read at recent
meeting Of the American Institute OF Electrl-
cal Engineers and without going INTO techn-
cal details a short description OF the invention
may he OF interest. -,
MIR. David q. Weems. the inventor, laid a
circular track two miles in circumference
with r. shaped rails. From the ties O vertical
framework was built up on both sides of the
track with a crOsspiece TO which was at
tached a small Trail. head down suspended
over the middle Of the track. This rail was
designed 20 serve IS an electric conductor,
and also as guide. There were three aXles,
on each Of which a motor was placed; but
Il ton
found TO be almost impossible to start the car,
and that on the middle axle was removed.
To supply the current contact was made be-
tween the upper rail and brushes of sheet
copper set against the rail by springs. The
return circuit was through the wheels
and rails. The, generator was an Edison
machine. driven by hlgh-speed engine.
The track failed, however, to serve its pur-
pose On three occasions the car was de-
railed-Once while running at ll5 miles an
hour New and more elaborate plans were
made, involving q change from automatic
control TO control by human intelligence on q
locomotive drawing three cars. The total
weight of the locomotive IS about eighteen
tons. fifteen tons Of which rest on the drivers,
the construction being such as TO put the en-
tire weight of the armature directly on the
axle. Two motors are provided, and the use
of a parabolic-headed locomotive Will assist
in the reduction of atmospheric resistance.
or me OF l,UuU HlAtS inc I"'9' OC7O VI
construction and train equipment has been
estimated at $4,000 per mile. The expense
OF one trip if put down at 1895, and the income
az $500 showing a profit # over 300 trip,
or with twenty trains each way daily profit OF
81 900 a day As the Electrical World says,
the commercial success IF electrical high
speed traction is presumably somewhat de-
pendent on the radical nature Of the improve
ment secured, and an electric railway between
New York and Chicago that would reduce the
running time from twenty-fonr 10 eighteen
hours would have no special reason TO expect
remarkable returns If, however, it should
make the trip in eight or ten hours. it would
infallbly attract a very large patronage. -
Philadelphia Record.