The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-26
EVERY MAN HIS OWN ENGINE.
A Novel Railway Between Mount
Holly and smithville, N. j.

Holly and smithville, N. j.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Probably the oldest passenger railway in
the country is now being constructed in
New Jersey, between Mount Holly and
Smithville. and is known as the Bicycle
Railway Company. 1t will be about two
miles In length, and its construction,
Including the right of way, which
has already been secured, will cost about
10000. 1t will probably be the cheapest
road to maintain as far as operating ex-
penses are concerned, as 1t will require no
engines, tlremen, brakemen or conductors.
Each passenger will furnish his own mo-
tive power, and can whizz along at the rate
OF mile in three minutes or 90 as muca
slower as be wishes. There will be two
south bound bicycles. so that all danger OF
collision ls avoided. The run
from one town to the other can be
easily made in six minutes. The depots
will be provided with a number of side
tracks, on which the bicycles will stand
when not In use. The road will start with
seventy-fve or hundred machines, which
resemble inverted bicycles on top of a fence.
The inventor is Arthur H. Hotchkiss OF
New haven, Conn.,, who is confident that
the scheme will be a success.
THE ROADWAY.
The track is built by bedding crossties 8
by 81 feet long in the ground once in SIX
feet, and erecting upon them a post and
rail structure about So feet high Of dressed
yellow pine lumber The post is secured to
the crossties by means of bolts and angle
irons. Narrow wooden stringer pieces con-
meet the posts, and the top stringer piece
has T-shaped rail screwed on it on which
the bicycle runs. This railroad requires for
Pa Nr0u "A nfnl - III A.
the ordinary saddle, handle, bar and pro-
pellinR mechanism are employed.
In the upper part Of the frame are two
grooved wheels, which run one In advance of
the other on a single track rail. The posi-
ton of the saddle is between the wheels. so
that the rider is carried above the track
way and astride the track supporting struct-
ure. The handle bar is located in front of
the rider in the usual manner, and while
not required for balancing or steering,
serves to steady the rider and to
assist when propelling rapidly. The frame
is made double. 1t extends downward be-
low the track rail on opposite sides of The
track structure about two and half feet,
and has at the lower end small guide wheels
running horizontally on opposite sides Of
the lower stringer piece of the Itrack way TO
keep the machlne in an upright position.
LADIES MAY RIDE.
The driving wheel in front of the rider is
about twenty inches in diameter, and is
connected with rachel and chain to the
propelling treadles, which are located at the
lower part of the frame on either side of
the track structure. The machine is geared
up by its ratchet mechanism to a higher
speed than is practicable in the ordinary
road bicycles Other forms of vehicles for
use in connection with this system have
been devised, SO that ladies may ride them
or several passengers may be carried at a
time.
1t is proposed in most cases to construct
the system in such way that much heav-
Ter vehicles than the present ones may tie
used in the event of the machines being
operated by electricity. An important fea-
ture of the system is that the bicycles cam
not jump the track and any one can ride
them without previous experience. The
track, being elevated, is adapted to use at
all seasons OF the year and at night
when the ordinary road bicycle would be
Impracticable or dangerous. Road cross
ings are effected by slightly raising the road
to allow the track to 20 under, or the track
may be easily elevated. The road will cross
the Rancocas creek ten miles by means Of
bridges in the short distance of two miles
TRAVEL WILL BE HEAVY.
There are about 100 persons employed at
Smithville who live in Mount Holly, and
nearly all of them will travel on
the new railway. The Communication
rates of fare will be 5 cents, and
1t is estimated that 1t will pay a dividend
the first year. as the operating expenses will
be comparatively nominal, and it will be
the cheapest road 10 maintain in the world.
Col. G. s. Sims, brother of Secretary
Sims of the Pennsylvania railroad, is one
of the directors OF the bicycle railway, and
other men of prominence are Interested in
the plan, which, they think, will be a suc-
cess
Inventor Hotchkiss is already negotiating
for the building of similar railway at Chi
cago, to be in operation during the worlds
fair. He declined very hatteriug offer
from syndicate at Coney Island for the
reason that he would not consent to the ma
chimes being operated on Sunday.