Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-04-08
SPEED ON RAILROADS.
The Locomotive Of the Past, Present
and Future.

and Future.
something more than sixty years
ago, when Stephenson announced that
his little locomotive would carry pas
sengers over the ground at the rapid
rate OF twelve miles an hour, he talked
to far more skeptical public than
does that enthusiast of today who ex-
presses his belief in the safe carriage
OF passengers and the regular move
ment OF trains upon time-cards, max
ing an average speed of one hundred
miles per hour.
The rapid living OF the latter half of
the nineteenth century in other re-
spects finds its most accelerated activ-
ity and desire in the eagerness with
which the great corporations, both
railway and steamship, are spending
money and exhausting the utmost re-
sources of discovery and ingenuity in
perfecting safe means of rapid transit.
Charles r. Deacon has contributed
an interesting article upon this subject
to the current Lippincot, which by its
plain recital of fact, and the daily per-
formance of many OF the passenger
trains upon eastern lines, forces upon
one the conclusion that the next fif-
teen-possibly ten-years will witness
the accomplishment of one hundred
miles per hour at a regular railway
schedule.
England has the best tracks and
most secure roadbeds, but the Ameri-
cans mechanical genius is displayed
in the most perfectly built and easily
controlled locomotives in the world.
England is tire only country whose
passengers travel at anything like the
speed that is made over half dozen
roads in the United States.
From London to Edinburgh is four
hundred miles and is covered regularly
at an average speed of SIG miles per
hour, but when this same train reaches
Aberdeen, one hundred and twenty
three miles further, the average has
fallen to Az miles per hour for the
whole distance of five hundred and
twenty-three miles. This is the best
time made anywhere in the world out
side Of America.
The New York Central & Hudson
River railroad sends out regular trains
that make the run between New York
and Buffalo at the rate OF 52.12 miles
an hour, and at single stretch of
eighty miles in this run the engine
flies over the ground at the rate OF
iifty-siA and three-fourths miles an
hour Ever since the Goth day of last
October this remarkable time has been
made daily.
The best record for speed trial OF
sustained speed, no doubt, was that
accomplished over the New York Cen
trail, which was made last September.
The run was made from New York
City to East Buffalo, distance of 1876
miles, in 426 minutes. On this trip
the distance from New York to Albany,
l43 miles, was made in l4O minutes
without stop.
Coming down to long distances,
from San Francisco to New York, this
terrific speed was greatly diminished.
John w. Mackay a short time ago
made this trip across the continent,
$500 miles in length, at an average
speed of thirty miles an hour. OF
course, there were many places where
the rate was doubled ir order to make
up for the steep grades and sharp
curves at certain points.
These illustrations might be indefi-
nitely extended, but enough has been
taken from Mr.. Deacon's interesting
article to show that we are already
narrowly approaching the hundred
mile limit. And it is significant and
most consoling to note that the acci.
dents diminish in almost geometrical
relation to the increase of speed.
II it is safer to run a train of cars
fifty miles an hour than it is forty
miles an hour, why may not additional
security be reached when the train
shall be sent flashing through space at
the rate of one hundred miles an hour?
The greater safety in the high speed
made over the best eastern roads lies
in the fact that greater care is taken
to make all the conditions nearer per-
feet. The roadbeds are better, the
curves are more gradual. the grades
are Obliterated. But inasmuch as
these physical conditions are not vet
nearly perfect, there is this margin to
build on.
The year 1900 may see the hundred
mile train in active and freely accept
ed service on a dozen roads in this
country.
PRESIDENT Bonney, of the worlds
congress auxiliary of the Columbian
Exposition, has issued an address re-
garding the celebration of the discovery
of America by the dedication of the
exposition grounds. 1t asks that the
whole continent participate in recogni-
ton OF the day. The address proposes
that the most representative American
institution, the public schools, be
everywhere the center of local celebra-
tions. To make this possible, the
worlds congress invites the co-opera-
ton OF educators and teachers through
out the nation. An executive COM
mittee has been appointed to promote
the celebration and prepare uniform
program for use in all localities. The
committee will also, through State SUI
perintendents of education, solicit
Governors OF States to proclaim Octo-
ber 18th holiday.
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