New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-22
TWO GREAT ENGINES SHOWN.
NETWORK CENTRAL TO MAKE AN EAlilbll l.

THE ode WITT CLINTON" OF 1881 AND TIE
1902 OF 1898 COMPARED.
"Thc smoke and sparks poured back on Inc p'SN'''
gers in such volume. that they raised 'i'r UNI
hrcllas as shields" That is how 1t was III the u.'N'
long ago This is how II Is In these DAYS liz
smoke box is extended and Is fitted with u'h'''''
and a perforated steel plated spirk arresler.' these
two statements represent in some measure III one
dcparmc of human activity the progress That mas
hccn made in the last half century. The first refers
10 the DE Witt Clinton, an old locomotive nuH SAS'
two years ago. and the last TO "0oo, the giant oh'
built for the Empire State Express ana hhlsh'u III
the shops of the Ncw-York Central and Hudson iiVr
Railroad in West Albany ten days ago ho'h "'''
on exhibition yesterday at the annex "i the "'"""
g, ntrol Station and may b. seen there today 100
and possibly tomorrow. In about two weeks 'h'S
will he sent 10 the Worlds Columbian fNPl,l'ioh III
Chicago. and there placed on view. lhouSahus 81"
them Yesterday II an Interesting SIGHT hounh
fends and other Photographic hends LOOK u'"
and everybody looked with interest at the mighty
engine which IL IS mysteriously limited VIII YET
astonlsh the world by making 100 miles an horr'
William Buchanan, superintendent Oh 'hc mo
tive tower and rolling stock was SILENT "h'h
asked about this. If anybody. however, KNOWS "ha'
the great locomotive Is capable Of accomplishing
in this line he does. and he awokc the reporters
curiosity by saving: strange things are happening
every day Young See me again Inc DE
Witt Clinton is reproduction OF TIE original "f'l''
but YOU would never know from It's antique "u'Hh''
that this was 50 unless somebody told you. ii ""ud
make Won think OF the days when DICK InrP'"
rode 10 York When YOU look al IT you VIII say how
greatly Won wnud prefer to travel In one oi 'h'
old broadway stages. The three ola c"ion''' '''"
with seats on top and b"hnd' ana room LOT i"u'
nersons I'm eaoh inside. maybe six on crna!l' III"
mean chilly and wnd.swcpt spot whore the On 'ne'r
and lremen Obliged to stand. and The utter
absence Of anything like what people now under
stand as comfort, show the tremendous advance made
in the running Of trains between 1881. when sh"
was built and 1895, when the "030' was turned out
Of the shops.
The DE Witt Clinton was built at the West Point |
Foundry, at the foot OF Beaclst., ana was inc mt
locomotive run In this state, and Is said TO have |
drawn the first passenger train In America when She
made the trip from Albany to schenectady over the
Mohawk and Hudson Railroad. This was August |
o. 1881, and these persons were aboard; Eita'na
Corning Mr. Lansing Ex-Governor Yates, J. j. BOY
esq, Thurow Weed. Mr. Van Zant, "Billy' Wlhhe'
penny postman; John Townsend Major Mcigs "ohl
Uavs.- High Constable Of New-fork; Mr.. Dudl"r.
Joseph Alexander, Of the Commercial Bank; Lewis
Dcnedict and j. j. Dctiraft. The engineer wa, David
Matthews and the conductor was John IT, lark,
who mounted a small seat attached To the rear Of
the tender and gave the signal for starting by blow
ing "a fin horn The fuel used this trip was dry
pitch pine, coal having been previously Tried AMI
not having worked satisfactorily.
In addition to what the passengers, stated at the
beginning suffered the covers of the umbrellas were
soon burned off and each man whipped his ncehboro
clothes 10 nut ont the fire started by the hot cndcrs."
After looking to-day AT what these illsiarTcd travellers
were Obliged 10 put up with, the wonder i that they
got there" alive The old engine mounted on
four wheels fee, G inches In diameter there were
two cylinders IL inches in diameter. by 1Ginchcs
stroke and the weight Of III" engine was about six
tons. The boiler had thirty copper tubes = L.
inches In diameter.
When the train stopped at the water station, an
effort was made to prevent the uncomfortable jerking
resulting from the slack between the coaches, by
wedging rail from nelghboring fence between the
and tying ii fast by packing yarn The plan
succeeded and the train reached the incline plane al
Schenectady without accident. The coaches
built after specifications by James G0Old. After read
ing something Of what he says, II Is certain that the
proposed solution Of the rapid transit problem of To-
day would leave much to be desired. He said IL
propose and agree furnish for said railroad com
pany six coach top-'o furnish jacks, and jack bolts,
and braces. with thorough braces, and put then
the frame OF the companys railroad carriages TO
support the coach tops the coach tops TO b. finished
and hung in the style Of workmanship generally
adopted In Albany and Troy for post coaches The q
materials and workmanship TO Dc first qualiiy: II
baggage rack and boot 20 be- hung al each end. The
length OF coach body To b. feet ana inclcs-J feet
wild" In the centre. ard feet inches between the
Jacks The general plan Of the coach TO conform TO
The company. TO have three inside seats The hacks Il
n the end seats to be stuffed with n,,s-and all IN.
seat, t. be stuffed with hairto have n door nj each d
,de-to have m outside seat each end across The
op Of the coach with suitable foot board also a seal
IT each end for driver brakeman drop below 10
suitable height To make the rack hi, foot board 9
An oil cl"tl to b. rugged 10 the rod on coach
op to co"er laegace and at each 70 led 10 the
Jack OF tn, seat Ia protect IL from rain" Il
Engine NO 900 i an eight wheel passenger IocomD I
al fl,,r.. fnpr
Inches In diameter. and the tires Inches Ick n
ma "a Inches wide. secured To cast-irOn wheel cen
rvs ny Manscl retaining iingS. The engine truck =
Sicels ale 40 Inches In diameter. with cusi-irJn sI
entre Tires fastened by ManScIi retaining rings The u
weigh, on four driving wheels lond-j Is "a 900 pouml,
nd on The engine truck ~ 600 pound,-nmklnt ical i
weight 81 10000 pounds. The boiler Is OF the wagon
op type. having diameter OF - inches ut TN. 9
nalest ling. and las 2G5 Gues. The rre-Lox Is sci
N top OF frames Of the Buchanan type. with water
rch The length Is los inches aud the width 4 - =
inches. The tai heating surface is about 80, r.
luare feet with great surfurc of 30 40 square .
eet. The smoke stack !, stIashi and Is Ia u
inches In diameter. The boiler Is designed 10 carry d
Do pounds working pressure to the square inch The Il
ender has coal capacity Of ia tons carries 1857 q