The Washington bee., 1892-10-08
A "FLYER, INDEED"
THE FASTEST SCHEDULED TRAIN IN
AMERICA RUNS FROM PHILADEL
PIT A tn rur SCA WA Oman

AoA COA L hAlN
AMERICA RUNS FROM PHILADEL
PHIATo THE SEA VIA READ
ING ROYAL ROUTE.
That there Is a streak of sssportinp
blood" in the veins of the most 81 date
among US is evidenced bv the universal |
interest manif, sted in railway speeds and
tire delight with which the average man
| halls each successive triumph of the loco
motive over the combined elements of
time and distance.
The much-vann'el "Flying Scotch
man. express train betwt ell London and
Edinburgh, in Great Britain, is still re-
Rarded by many persons rs the fastest
regularly sche luled train in the world.
This, however, is mistake, the speed of
the "ScOtchman" having been excelIed
By several IailrOads In this country, no
tably by the New York Central, whose
Empire State Express" between New
York and Buffalo has, until within a few
days, claime d the title Of the fastest reg
ular train in the world. This celebrated
train Iuns from New York TO Buffalo. q
distance Of 40 miles, in eight hours and
forty minutes. which is at the rate of
seventy-ons seconds to each nile, or ffry
and twO-thiFds mile per hour. Deduct
ing all stops the average running time OF
this train is fifty-two and twelve one-hun.
dredths Mills per hour.
Now, however, comes new claimant for
high speed honors. 1t has been discoy.
cred that the Reading Railroads $3.50 p.
40. train from Philadelphia to Atlantic
City, known as the "SeYenty Minute
Flyer, Is actually the fastest regularly
scheduled pass enger train in the world.
The distance from Chestnut street wharf
to the Camden terminus of the railroad ia
about q mile and BALI, 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 III ride, and that is precisely the
time allowed BY the schedule to cover the
flfty-five and half miles which inter-
vene between the Camden depot and the
station at Atlantic City. A little fizur-
ing will show that this IS speed of six
ty-five seconds to the mile, or the rate of
f1fty-five and half miles per hour. beat
ing the former record six seconds Der
mile and almost five miles per hour.
Itshould be understood that this refers to
the speed of regularly scheduled trains
over the entire length of their scheduled
runs, and not to mere phenomenal bursts
Of speed or stretches of tsst running to
make up for lost time or delays. The
rate of fifty-f1ve and q half miles is ex-
ceeded every day on the Reading Rail-
road, and possibly on SO ne other lines,
but on no rsilro I'D In the world, so far
as known. is there train run from end
to end Of it's route at 30 great an average
speed as that of the "Seventy Minute
Flyer.'' .-.-
When the latter was established It was
not Uith the purpose of breaking record,
but the officials was confident Of Their a.
bility to run q train safely and promptly
in the specified time or less If required.
It was determined, however, to limit the
train to six ears to insure quickness. This
was found TO be impracticable, and for
more than a week the train has been
carrying eight cars, including one or more
heavy Pullmans, and making schedule
timeonevery trip.
President Mcleod can now oongrstu.
late himself that his road holds the
worlds record" for the fastest mile 89
45 seconds, MS timed August 81, 1891, BY
President Mcleod, Mr.. William Sihgerly.
of the Philadelphia Record, and others),
and also has upon It's time table the fast.
EST regular train in the world.