The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-23
A BICYCLE RAILROAD.
Proposed Rapid Line From Sc
attic to Tacoma.
ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM.
Revolution i'm Travel Threstened-HoW
the Cars and Road Are Buiit-Eiee-
trio Road to Edmonds.

The Seattle & Tacoma Air Line Railway Com
psny is seriously considering the adoption OF a
new system OF railroad, which would double the
present speed OF trains aud greatly reduce the
cost of construction and operation. This Is the
bicycle railway, an invention already IN sue
oessfrI operation on line one mile and three
quarters long on Coney Island, y. Y. survey
has been completed for line from Seattle 10
Tacoma, on which the distance is reduced To
thirty-six miles, and the maximum grade is
cent This line would give an opportunity of
testing the system on long distance, and the
profile OF the proposed route has been sent East
for the consideration of the directors, with
whom viii rest the decision whether bicycle
railroad shall connect the two cities or not.
The Boynton patent is the application 70 rail-
roads of the principle OF the bicycle. AS
thirty-pound bicycle will carry ten times its
weight, and man has travelled 3SI miles on
bicycle in one day, the advantages OF the sys-
TEN were seen to be the minimum of dead
weight and friction and the maximum OF speed.
The bicycle railway consists of a single rall III
the middle of the road-b bed and a guide beam
overhead, held in position by timber or metal
framework The wheels are under the center of
the locomotive and cars and have double
fange, which prevents them from jumping the
track while pair OF trolly wheels on the roof
run on the guide beam overhead. The guide
beam serves to prevent the car from jumping
the rail and keep the train upright, especially
while rounding curves, its motion Keeping Il
upright on straight track.
The chief point relied upon to give increased
speed on the bicycle railway is the reduction of
friction On the present style Of railroads, the
framing OF engines is strained by friction and
wedging while rounding curves, which entails
large loss of power and great wear and tear on
engine, cars wheels and rails. The impossi-
bility of maintaining pair OF rails horizontal
renders it inevitable that the train should jerk
from side to side, SO that the danger is greater
as the speed is increased This prevents the at
tanment OF high speed, and necessitates the in
crease OF dead weight OF trains 10 such All extent
that one ton OF train weight is required TO carry
one passenger and empty freight train
weighs more than the freight ii carries.
For the bicycle railway it is claimed that the
friction is reduced to a minimum, consequently
the amount OF dead weight may be immensely
reduced and thus higher rate of speed can be
safely and with ease maintained. driving
wheel six feet in diameter with short stroke
engines can be made to run bicycle locomotive
100 70 l25 miles an hour, and bicycle trains can
carry five times their weight without any pro-
poTtionate Increase of friction.
The passenger cars OF this system four
teen feet high, forty two feet long and four feet
wide and two stories high ana are loaded and
unioaded from two-story platforms at the
depots. They divided into eighteen COM
partments, nine on each story, and each seating
six persons. They are constructed of three
thieknesses of one-cighth inch wood veneer. are
encirclei lengthwise by triple band of steel
and vertically at the top center and bottom by
ten bands of steel opposite each division wall of
compartment and eighty eight steel rods run
between the seats. They are entered by doors
opening into each compartment and by spiral
staircases at the ends. BY this construction
lightness is combined with strength.
railroad OF this kind can be operated as well
by electricity as steam and the trolley wire can
be inclosed in the guide beam TO be pro-
tected from the weather and from contact with
other wires. 1t may be that the Tacoma air line
will be operated in this way.
II is estimated that trains would make the
trip from Seattle to Tacoma in forty minutes at
the most, and the time may be reduced TO thirty
minutes the line would be double tracked
and no danger Of collisions would be incurred
The route selected after passing the head of the
bay is the top OF the ridge which divides the
Sound from the valley.