The Washington bee., 1892-09-10
A "FLYER, INDEED"
The FASTEST SCHEDULED TRAIN IN
AMERICA RUNS FROM PHILADEL
PHIA TO THE SEA VIA Read
ING ROYAL ROUTE.

That there is a streak of "sporting
blood'' in the veins of the most sedate
among US Is evidenced bv the universal
interest manifested in railway speeds and
tie delight with which the average man
halls each successive triumph of the loco
motive over the combined elements OF
time and distance.
The much-vauntel ''Flying Scotch
man express train between London and
Edinburgh, in Great Britain, is still re-
garded by many persons as the fastest
regularly scEe !uled train in the world d.
This, however, is a mistake, the speed Of
the "ScOtchm an" having been excelled
b. veral railroads in this country, no.
tably by the New York Central, whose
Empire State Express" between New
York and Buffalo as, until within a few
days, claim' d the title of the fastest reg
ular train i'll the world. This cplebrat d
train runs from NV York to B ffqlO, a
distance of 440 miles, in eight hours and
forty minutes. which is at the rate OF
seVenty-one seconds to each nil, or fifty
and twO-t IiIdi mil S per hour. Deduct
ing all stops the average running time OF
this tram is fifty-tW and tw, I've Une-hun-
dredths miles per hour.
Now, however, comes a new claimant for
high speed hOnOrs. 1t has been discoy-
cred that the Reading Rail.old's 3:30 D.
20. train from Philadelphia 10 Atlantic
City, known as the "SeYenty Minute
Flyer, is actually the fastest regularly
scheduled pas enger train in the world.
The distahce from Chestnut street wharf
to the Camden terminus of the railroad is
about mile and a half, and the fer
ry boat trip and transfer OF the passeng-
ers from the boat to the cars occupies ten
minutes. This leaves sixty minutes for
the II ride, and that is precisely the
time allowed By the scheduls to cover the
tilty-tive and a half miles which inter-
Vene between the Camden depot and the
station at Atlantic City. A little fl mr.
ing Will show that this Is a speed OF six
tY-nVe seconds TO the mile, or the Ite of
hftT-fiVe and half miles per hour, beat
Ing the former record six seconds Der
mile and almost five miles per hour.
IL should De understood that this refers TO
the speed OF regularly scheduled trains
over the tntile length OF their scheduled
runs, and not to mere phenomenal bursts
OIL speed or stretches OF fast running to
make up TO- lot time or delays. The
rate OF t1fty-ive and a half miles is ex-
cee0ed every dty on the Reading Rail-
road, and possibly on so ne other lines.
but on no rail o I'd in the world. so far
AS known, is there a train run from end
TO end OF its route at so great an average
speed as that of the fSeyenty Minute
Flyer" "''
When the tier was established If wos
not NTH the purpose of fbrtaking record.
ouc the officials was confident of their a.
0lilty to run train safely and promntIv
IN the specified time or less if reouir, 4
1t was determined, however, to limit the
train to six cars to insure quieknpss. This
was found TO be impracIicable. and for
more tn week the train has been
carrying eight cars, including one or more
heavy Pullmans, and making Schedule
trip.
Pr' sident Mcleod can now e1npratn-
late himself that his road holds tba
worlds record" for the fastest mile T2o
40 seconds, as timed August %, 1891. bv
PRESIDENT Mcleod, Mr.. William Sin0e,ir
OF the Philadelphia Record, and others
ana also has upon its time table the fast'
e't regular train in the world.