The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-14
HEIRS OF THE ROCKET.
SOME or THE GREAT MACHINES
THAT SHAME THE WINDS.
Speed Test OF American and English Lo-
comou,es-Queen-E Empress and No.
900 to Race.

Only limited number Of leacir railroad
men are in the secret, and they are guard
ing II jealousty. The only information that
has leaked out thus far Is that the day
FAR the great locomotive race between
the English Queen Empress and the
American 800, the tremendous machines
now on exhibition In the transportion
department OF the Worlds Columbian Ex-
position, has been agreed upon. BY rea-
son OF the extraordinary secrecy main
tanned by the parties 10 the proposed
event, which will be watched with IN
precedented interest by railroad men
throughout the civilized world, 1t is Ina
possible 10 learn the exact day on which
the flight Of the iron horses will be made.
The nearest approach to exactness Is
contained ia the information that 1t will
take place "early in November"
The two locomotives represent two dis
tinct schools Of mechanice. so far as loco
motive building is concerned. The max
ers Of each declare that their particular
engine is the best and The corporations
owning them are patriotic enough TO b3ck
their machines to the extent, 1t is SAID
OF 300 a side.
The Queen Empress is the leading feat
ure in the exhibit made By the London
and Northwestern Railway Company, OF
England. The locomotive standing al
the head Of a magnificent train OF cars
known as the Empire State express, is
999 owned by the New York Central
and Hudson River Railroad Company.
Both engines have attracted unusual at
tention. Nhe spaces allotted to them
being thr0nged with fair visitors at all
hours of the Hay.
During the last day or two Charles Ho-
gan, travelling engineer Of the New York
Central, has been i'm the city, and has
had several conferences with the Eng
lishmen. Mr.. Hogan bade the company's
employees goodbye this morning, after
Chicago day, and 1t is said on excellent
authority that he left for the east with
n contract in his pocket signed by the
two owners Of the locomotives. The
terms OF this contract are unknown save
that a large sum Of money. presumably
$4,000, is wagered on the result Of the
race and that il will be donated to
charity work, no matter which side is
winner.
The fight Of these two magnificent
specimens of the locomotive builders art
will doubtless be made over the tracks
Of the New York Central, between Buff
falo and Albany. Between these points
four parallel bands Of steel stretch, and
the grades are infrequent and slight.
The distance is 297 miles, and the road
bed is declared by the American com
pany 10 be Of a character best fitted for
an important trial Of speed. Whether
the race will be a single dash over the
distance. or whether the route will be
doubled. trebled or quadrupled, is still
unknown save TO the men arranging the
race
The yankee locomotive its owners say
can make 100 miles an hour all day long
and go into the roundhouse cool and ca
pable Of going out again within five
minutes and repeating the performance
Mr. Sawyer. who is in charge OF the
New York Centrals exhibit az the fair,
SAYS that 800 is the fastest locomotive
I'm the world. and so far superior 70 the
British sample that II the latter really
wants 10 20 fast IL will have 10 be LASH
cd 10 the American machine. The Brit
ishers pooh pooh this. and call the Amer
leans bracgarts and other names not cal
culated TO create and preserve the best
Of reciprocal feeling.
The American locomotive has been de-
scribed. so often in these columns that an
other description would be unappreciated.
Suffice Il TO say that the drive wheels
on the great machine which towers more
than twenty feet I'm the air are @ inches
I'm diameter and the whole, with loaded
tender, weighs eighty tons. II has made
several tests Of speed while attached 10
the Empire express" with Engineer
Hogan's hand at the lever. The best
records thus far posted are; one mile
in OBS. or at the rate Of lO2 S-l3 miles
per hour. and a mile in O:52, or at the rate
of 112 miles an hour
The Queen Empress is a full sister OF
the famous Greater Britain" which has
n record Of eighty miles an hour The
great locomotive has two high pressure
cylinders. Is inches in diameter, and "a
inch stroke. and one low pressure cyin-
der. 30 inches in diameter and A-inch
stroke. The great machine carries four
pairs Of wheels, the leading pair being
4 feet and / II inches in diameter. The
high and low pressure driving wheels are
feet ] inch in diameter. The total
weight. with tender is about seventy
seven tons ..
The engines represent two distinct
aud separate classes OF locomotive
building on the result Of the race
much depends It will establish the ques-
ton of superiority Of the two stiles