Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-03-11
SPEED OF TRAVEL.
It Is Being Constantly Increased
 by Rail and Water.
The Compound Engine the Chief Factor in the Attainment of High Speed One Hundred Miles an Hour
 May Be AccompIished.

When the late John W. Garrett pre-
 dicted fifteen years ago that in the
 course of twenty years the trip between
 New York and Washington would be
 made in five hours it was asserted that
 the thing was impossible. Not only has
 it became possible but it is announced
 that the Pennsylvania Railroad compa-
 ny will in few months put on a train
 that shall make the run in four hours
 and half, says cne Baltimore Sun.
 From New York to Philadelphia the
 speed will be at sixty miles an hour;
 from Philadelphia to Washington at
 the rate of fifty miles an hour. The
 Baltimore Sc Ohio will of course work up
 to this time as soon as its tunnel under
 the city is completed An express train
 on the Philadelphia x Reading railroad made about a month ago one mile in thirty-scven seconds, which would be equal to a fraction over ninety-seven miles an hour. This is the highest speed
 ever made by a locomotive. We are en+ tering upon a period when all former records will be broken, not only on railroads but on transatlantic steamers and by fast trotters.
 The ideal limit set for railroads run
 ming light express trains is one hun dred miles an hour, of Atlantic steam ships five days from New York to Queenstown, and of the trotter a mile in two minutes. In all three it is pre- dicted that in the course of short time these several speeds will be attained. ''Therc are two or three directions" :" says contemporary, ''in which we
 may look for the development of the speed of the locomotive before the one ndred-miles-an-hour record can be es- | tablished." One of the chief factors in the attain ! ment of high speed is the compound en- zine, by which the propulsive power is greatly enlarged. The record breaking engine on the Central is of this type, which has become very common, both
 on American and European railways. No doubt the geniuses who live in the world of mechanics and machinery will create in time some new form of com pound engine which will greatly accel- crate the speed of the locomotive. An
 other factor, largely an experimental one, is the driving wheels.
 The tendency is now toward wheels ! of very large diameter. The wheels of the rccord-breaking engine were six feet six inches in diameter, and this size is generally used, although experi-
 ments are being made with much larger wheels, and the New York Central and
 the Pennsylvania are now trying seven foot wheels.
 But every improvement in the speed of steamships and of railroads implies additional danger to the passengers. In steamships there is the danger of
 breaking the shaft and of collisions with other ships or icebergs. But so l thoroughly are they even now protected
 by their water-tight compartments that
 the danger of laundering is reduced to
 a minimum. They may be disabled,
 but they will still keep afioat so long
 as tho greater number of water-tight i compartments remain intact.
 With the fast flyers by rail" every
 thing will depend on the perfection of
 the brakes and the signal system. With
 these in complete order, it would be possible to run at speed of one hun ! drcd miles an hour with ease and
 safety, provided that the wheels and \ aXles arc sound and the rails well 4 fastened to their ties.