The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-11-15
THE RAILROAD or THE FUTURE.
Lart,Eue's si.rl. RAN Scheme May Event.

ally supsrscde the Present system.
We recently pointed out that express
trains in England seldom maintain over
long distances an average speed exceeding
80 miles an hour, and that the same thing
might be said Of the United States. No
doubt engineers have demonstrated on the
English Great Northern railway and on our
New York Central that q short section OF
straight track can be traversed much more
rapidly, but 1t has come to be accepted as
an axiom that under existing mechanical
conditions the rate mentioned Is the highest
speed consistent with safety.
What are the conditions which have i'm.
posed this conclusionf 1t is the curves Of
the existing lines which render long con.
tinued movement at q speed Of 90 or 100
miles an hourimposslble, unless the weight
of engines and trains should be increased
far beyond what the bridges and roadbed
would bear. In the absence of such an in
crease of weight and strength, which Is eco
nomically impracticable, 100 mile express
would fly of the rails at the first sharp
curve. The fact is familiar to every com
potent engineer. He knows the mathemat
zeal relation OF curves to speed. He knows,
for instance, that the force tending at a
given curve to throw off the rails train
moving at the rate of $50 miles an hour
would be about o. times greater than that
which a train .resists when running at 60
miles an hour. 1t follows that the existing
lines must be both Strengthened and
strengthened If the present average speed
of express trains is to be materially height
ened.
Such Strengthening and strengthening is
practically out Of the question, owing to
4 l..
volved. Is there, then, any way OF obtain
ing new rates Of speed on the old routest
1t appears from the London Spectator that
this question Is answered in the affirmative
by Mr. Behr In pamphlet advocating the
application to existing routes of the Lar
tigue single rail system. In this system,
which, as we shall see, is no visionary
scheme, but is actually in operation, the
cars sit astride a single rail raised to a
height of four feet from the ground on
steel trestles, on either side of which. but
2lS feet lower, Is small guide rail.
The wheels on which tho cars run move
on the central rail- while the guide rails on
each side are gripped by smaller wheels
10 speak accurately, this IL not a single
rail, but q treble rail line, although the
hard work Is done on the raised central rail
ButIwhatever name should be given to the
system 1t is said that the stability and ne
curity of the cars, mounted on the central
rail saddle, with the guide rails serving as
stirrups, are such that is almost impossible
for train to be thrown off thetrack. When
curves are encountered, the rail is canted
transvcrsely to a degree calculated to neu
tralize the centrifugal force. and if the cant
ing does not suffice the surplus Of centrifu
gal tendency is counteracted by the joint &C.
ton of the central rail and inner guide rail.
As we have said. the Larti2ue system Is
no untried proposal. 1t is now working
for short distance, 81 miles, from Listo
wei to Ballybunion in Ireland, and an ap
plication Of the principle on IL much larger
scale has been made In the department OF
the Loire in France The calculations re
lating to the stability and safety CT cars
run on this plan go to show that, oven for
speed of 100 miles an hour, the demand
made upon the l.artigue lines would not
exceed, in the case Of the most unfavorable
curve, the normal limit of strain at present
allowed.
If these claims can be sustained, 1t seems
clear that the Lartigue system may render
unprecedented rates of speed not only me
chemically but financially possible, for the
single rail can be Ibid side by side with tn,
present lines on the existing routes. The
financial difficulty which would be present.
ed, were new routes required, being elimi
mated, the provision of an adequate motor
power need not stop the way. Mr.. Behr es.
timutes that the cost Of constructing on
either side of the existing main line from
London to Brighton a I.artigue line to be
worked by electricity at n speed OF from log
tol5O miles an hour, including rolling stock,
generating plant and all appliances for
| working trans, would not exceed e, 600, 900
| Itiscontended that by this means Brighton
which is SO miles away, could be reached il
20 or 25 minutes ride from the British me
| tropolis York Sun.