The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-28
ADAMS vEsTIBULE CAR.

ADAolo h;o1 I'd LII S<AASs
eral years ago. The inventions are made
the subject Of an illustrated treatist
with the title, Atmospheric Resistance;
Its Relation to the Speed of Railway
Trains, With an Improved System OF
Heating and Ventilating Cars"
If the theory advanced by Mr.. Adams
In this book works out in practice, the
invention will. take place with those
which rank as great discoveries in the
science Of mechanics.
Mr.. Adams claims that atmospheric
resistance is the predominating factor in
the resistance of trains; that it is the
one thing which checks high speed, and
that of all forms of resistance it is tn.
easiest to overcome. He declares that
the existing form of construction of cars
is unscientifc.
The inventions contemplate changes
that are expected to accomplish three
distinct objects:
First-A reform in general construction by
which atmospheric resistance is reduced to a
minimum, with a consequent increase In speed
and decrease in the power required from the
locomotive.
Second-A new system of ventilation by
which air is admitted to the train only from
the front, where it is free from dust, smoke.
CRIME or cinders
Third-Au improved system of heating by
which the waste heat around the boiler and
firebox of the engine is collected and distrfb-
uted through the cars of the train.
Opinions among railroad men who
have examined the plans are divided as
to whether the first or second of tbs
above named features is of the greater
value The principle on which the first
is based is the more novel. In chapter
devoted to atmospheric resistance and
the way in which it has been ignored in
the past the inventor and author says:
The modern passenger train is, of all thing,
animate or inanimate, natural or artificial. the
one exception that attempts, while defylng q
self evident law of nature, to attain a high We
locity. The bird, fish, the ocean steamship
yacht OF submarine torpedo, the Indians ar
row and the Krupp projectile, all conform tc
the common sense law that bodies shaped tc
offer the least resistance to the air can be pro-
PEELED the more swiftly and economically. The
modern pas senger train is succession OF
planes seemingly erected with reference to re-
tarding the motion of the train and multiplying
the powe- exerted in the cylinders.
The writer then calls attention to the
fact that the pressure of moving air in
creases in proportion with the square
of the velocity. He quotes Sweaton's
well known formula to the effect that
the pressure of the wind per square foot
is equal to the square of the velocity in
miles per hour divided by 300.
Other authorities, including Traut-
vine. claim that the pressure is twice as
much. Mr.. Adams recently conducted
a series of experiments which indicated
that the pressures are slightly in excess
of those named by Sweaton. A train OF
six cars presents not less than 600 square
feet of surface, which, at go miles an
hour, would absorb propelling power
of 10 800 pounds. When it is understood
that the average passenger locomotive
hasa tractivep power Of only Il, 000pounds,
it becomes apparent that atmospheric
resistance is absorbing over 85 per cent
of its total capacity. Mr.. Adams claims
that by his construction he can reduce
the exposed frontage of train of six
cars from 600 to 100 square feet, and that
at 60 miles an hour the atmospheric pres
sure will therefore be reduced from
10000 to 1850 pounds. In a chapter on
the properties of the atmosphere the in
ventor writes as follows:
The air surrounding this earth is not the thin,
vapid substance which the unrefecting layman
or railroad engineer seems to regard it. 1t has
so far as hindrance is concerned, much OF the