Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-01-31
French Engineers Ingenius C0ntriy
ance to Utilize Water as a Motive
Power.
Using Sliding Shoes Instead Of
Wheels, the Motor Resembles a
Sledge on fee.
BY Hydraulic Pressure a Film OF
Water is Forced Between the
Shoe and the Rail.

l =
or whilst the resistance due TO friction on
the rails should be greatly reduc d by the
substitution Of sliding surfaces for wheels
/ Elm OF water being % all times inter-
posed between slides and rail. is due to
] NJ. Girard, eminent French hydraulic en-
gineer. apj dates some forty years back.
Shortly before he outbreak Of the Franco
/ German war, VI Girlrd commenced the
/ construction 5f a line on his system be-
tween Paris and Argenteuil; but during
] me hostilities that ensued the works W ere
/ destroyed and the engineer killed. Owing
! to NJ. Girard death, the invention fell
/ into allowance until recently revived by NJ
/ Barre. "a former colleague. At the Paris
exposition Of 1889 short line on this
/ system attracted considerable interest,
whilst no visitor to the exposition held in
| Edinburgh in 1890 can have failed TO no
/ tice this novel innovation IN the modes
of rapid transit.
! Before passing 10 an examination of the
special features of the invention, and its
| advantages and adaptabillty under gener-
al or exceptional conditions Of working or
surroundings. we will freely lay before
our readers a succinct of the general
principle of the new railway.
Two particular points of novelty claim
aftenton-the sliding surfaces In substitu.
ton for wheels and the means Of propul-
sion. Dealing first with the paths or
sliding surfaces, each carriage IS fitted
with four or six sliding shoes which glide
along broad, fat rail, thin film Of
water being continually forced by hydr20-
! lie pressure between the shoe and the up
per surface OF the rail, so that the carriage
may be said to float along its rails; the
( The motion closely resembling the pleas
ant easy passage Of a sledge across smooth
ice. ltmay here be noted that NJ Guard
at the commencement of his experiments
proposed TO float his carriages Oh COM
/ pressed AR, but speedily abandoned this
medium in lavOr of water under pressure,
az "A means of reducing to the lowest pract-
! icdbie limit the friction between the sup
ports of his carriage and the rails bearing
/ them The quantity OF water required TO
maintain constant finn between the
"patin and ral-surface is necessarily
considerable, and is supplied Dy a tender
ACCOMPANYING the train and charged with
pressure at intervals. In tin case Of trains
I running considerable distances steam
engine is required on the tender to main
/ tain the requisite pressure without stop
/ age
without going into minute technical
details as to the shoes We may state that
! nracauJion has been taken in their design
to minimiz3 the consumption of water,
and that arrangements are made all along
/ the line for catching the expended water
1 i'm troughs, with view to its subsequent
utilization
Turning, now, to the means Of propul-
sion. Each carriage Is furnished beneath
/ its seats with what may be termed a
( straight turbine, that Is, a stout bar run
ming he greater part of its length, and
1 mrnl he'd on either side with a series Of
cup-hke recesses in front of each other, and
| comparable to q water-wheel whose cir
l,umterenCe has been Aattened, and to
which a second water-wheel Similarity
| treated has been secured back to back. Jets
placed at intervals along the line, and I'M
/ der considerable hydraulic pressure, I'M
puge on the series of cups, and lmpart
great impetus 10 the carriages. lngnl-
Gus arrangements are made for opening
and closing the Jets. A lever placed IN
/ front of the train opens the Jets as it pas
SEES over hem: while % -lmlar meChaul-
cal coutriyance placed at the rear OF the
/ train closes the jets when the train has
/ duly passed ovel them,
Into the numerous devices and adjust
mcnt requisite 10 secure ,ne efficient work
4 ing Of thus part Of the gliding railway It'll
/ foreign to oar pnrpI>e TO euer; sufficient
10 point out thlt grel, mechanical re-
source has been broIgGt 10 belr on these
details, and the regularity and efficacy
with which they have operated the lines
ia'rtady and down ON TINS system testify
uudantIy to tie skill and ability Of the
. designer
A special feature in connection with the
Vehicles employed on the new class OF rail
/ way now under couSJderatIOn-we had all
most said rolling stock is their light.
ness. Owing TO the entire absence or all
/ Jar. shock and vibration tie carriages adj
INIT OF considerably less solid iraIIng than
in the case OF their prototypes or ordinary
1 lines. Notsoniy doas aconslderahie saving
I in FIRST cost result from such economy IN
} construction; but permanent reduction
i'm dead-weight 70 oe hauled forms taN.
orablr item in the advantage Of the IN
yentIOn
A further feature Il economy Is the saw
. ine ot ull on and grease required for hub
I rlcAtion the wheels. an item o. cost I'm the
4 working expenses Of railways tnat would
I fairly as'oul>h those unac4uainfed wtth
+ the heavy sur3s annually dsbursed by our
1 leading hnes for such comparatively mln@
stores
F.. The excellent and stiicier; brake-rower
inherent % tine gliding railway deserves
some passing notice, q, 1T entire obyuies
any necessity for other brakes beln- ln
itself both ample ami speedy Nothing
further is requisite beyond stopping the
The Haw IT vat-r between the gadng shoe
the rail- the friction between shoe and
rail- ON dispersion Of DE film Of water
usually between then being N8ite >ut-
feitn % bring The train tga stand sud-
in d very short time.
Among tha special advantages claimed
81 it, iuuadncers Tor this new competitor
asa means 81 popular .ecomQiign We have
aEra,ly mentioned an absence 81 vibration
and ian. together with >ide-rolag lu'-
uor. q these may BIZ udde1 the pleasant
gliding motion. Comparable e sa4hmg
over l,a. and tie ab>euSe oi rs NOISE,
8n,t aaa smoke. lhe inventors are SAM
euine 81 attaining Is high 8 aeea l2l
mile. pr hour. Nltn the greatest facility
ser bringing tue tram qWess Y stant-
Sull