The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-05
TRAINS MUST GO FASTER.
FIVE HUNDRED MILES An HOUR Is
THE SPEED.
An Invention That Promises 10
shorten the Distance between the
East and the West. at Least rs Far
as Mail and Express Matter Are
Concerned.

Speaking seriously, one who should
propose TO transfer parcel or letter
from New York to San Francisco in six
hours, causing il to traverse the inter
vening 5000 miles at a speed Of 500 miles
an hour, would be considered by most
persons TO be highly imaginative or
grossly unveracious. Yet this seemingly
impossible task is precisely what Albert
Leslie Widdis Of Detroit processes to be
able to accomplish with his aerial rail-
way. Railway men marvel much at the
fast train. the Flyer. that covers the 1000
or SO miles of track between New York
and Chicago in twenty hours, but Mr.
Widdis AYERS that by means Of his sys-
tenn of transportation d letter can be de-
livered in New York within two hours
after being mailed in Chicago. This
would be a practical humiliation of
space. and Mr.. Widdis is satisfied that it
is entirely feasible.
Reduced To its simplest terms, Mr..
Widdis rapid transit devise is an ele-
waited railway with electricity as its pro
pulsiVe fierce. In detail of construction
and mechanism and nice adjustment Of
parts with a view to decrease of friction
and to increase of speed the inventor has
brought out some valuable original ideas
in both electricity and mechanics, and
has recast older discoveries into new
and more useful forms. The result OF
these combinations is. NJ Widdis con-
at 500 miles an hour and yet be perfectly
under control. as TO speed and disposition
of cargo, of an operator stationed at any
point on the line. The primary purpose
of this new scheme of transportation is
10 carry mail and express matter, and in
the extension of the system fruits and
perishable freight. BY ingenious devices
the cars can be made TO stop. set their
brakes and deliver their loads or any
portion automatically at any desired
point.
In appearance the car designed by Mr.
Widdis resembles a long, square box,
terminating at one end in a pyramidal
projection running TO a sharp point.
This is the forward end of the car and is
intended TO pierce the air at a tremen-
dOuS speed, with a minimum of air re-
slStance. This car is suspended by iron
hangers from four wheels two feet six
inches in diameter which in turn rest on
a single bar OF ordinary rail stretched
on arms projecting from a line of poles
arranged exactly like telegraph poles
The patent cash carriers in use in many
large shops closely resemble the method
Of suspension from d single rail en-
ployed by Mr.. Widdis Below the T rail
is another of the l pattern, which serves
at once as "a guide and a support and
which prevents the wheels from leaving
the main track.
III lIe center OF the car Is a specially
designed electric mOter of exceeding
lightness and power that drives by means
of sprocket wheels. and link belts the
driving wheels above. The current to
operate this m0ter is taken from a wire
strung above the track by a trolley
wheel. much after the manner Of the or
binary electric street car. The electric
power is To be supplied from dynamo sta
tionsNat points along the route. Very lit
tie electrical force is required. 1t is esti-
mated that acknowledgements will propel
l,O0O-pOund car with its load at the rate
OF 500 miles an hour.
Where the car is to be used for the car
riage of mail matter no stoppage is
! needed for the delivery of the mailbags
at their proper stations. In the mail
car which is bottomless, each mailbag
! rests on a shelf or platform. which can
| be moved up or down by a lever that
projects from il through the side Of the
/ car As the car WhiZZes by a station this
| lever strikes against an arm extending
| from a post set up by the trick the
shelf IS depressed, the mailbag falls 10 the
ground or on the platform of the station
| or into a net, while the car flies on and
! the shelf, released from the action Of the
| lever. returns automatically 10 its former
| position. ready for another load When
| II is desired To shunt cars from the main
| line to a lateral branch. the same princi-
| pie is used 70 open and close the
switches. These devices render the sys-
| TEN almost automatic in its operation.
The advantages claimed for this new
| method of transportation are: First.
| speed. which can easily be forced up to
! 500 miles an hour; second. safety, because
| the track being elevated, accidents are
| impossible; third, economy the first cost
| Of the elevated track being small and the
| repairs nearly nothing while the cars can
| be built for $500 apiece. The inventor is
| confident that his application of electric
| ity TO the transportation of mail and
| light freight is a success and will be
| generally adopted.
| Mr.. Widdis asserts that there are no
inherent difficulties in his system. The
great speed will not result. he says, in
| the generation of heat in either car OF
the bearings of the wheels.
| Metal for journal bearings is tempered
| so that it will stand speed of 1900 row
! outiOns a minute, whereas the speed OF
! 500 miles an hour by the aerial electric
| car would require less than 5000 reVolu-
! tions per minute of its foot 6-inch
| driving wheels. The point of contact be
| tween the wheels and rails being changed
| with a rapidity almost inconceivable
| there would be no danger from heat by
| friction. A cannon ball travels with ar
! initial velocity Of LOO TO 1000 feet pei
| second, or about loo miles an hour and
does not heat, and so there can be no
| possibility of the electric car becoming
| heated at a speed of only 500 miles al
! hour.
In fact, Mr. Widdis thinks he has over
come the obstacles and impediments tC
| transportation of loads of 10000 pounds
| or less at a speed of 500 miles an hour
| Should the freight carrying project sue
! coed, as he feels certain it will, Mr.. Wild
| dis will proceed at once to devise a cal
| in which passengers may be carried
| safely at the same tremendous speed
Then a man can live In Chicago and &c
! To business daily in New York. or vice