The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-02-16
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY !,
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR ALL
CLASSES OF READERS.
Compressed Air--Old Locomotives
( at the Worlds Fair--A New Milk
Ing Machine--Heat of Melt
ing. Steel-- Cars Lighted
by Electricity.
Compressed Air.

alr as means OF transmitting power
calls to mind the atmospheric rail
way" tried in England nearly fifty
years ago. The first road was on an
extension ofthe Dublin and Kings town
Railway and was one aud three-quar-
| ter miles long. The curves were very
numerous and sharp, while the grades
ranged from one foot rise in q length
! of lis feet to 1 in. 81. A pipe Is
inches in diameter was laid between
the rails, within which was a piston,
shaped very much like one OF the
modern conical projectiles used with
high power guns. This piston was at
tached to thecar and when the air was
exhausted in front of it the car was
propelled by the atmospheric press
ure behind, whence the name "atmos-
pheric railway" A long rod project
ed behind the piston and was furnish
ed with four upright wheels, one be-
hind the other, OF somewhat larger
diameter than the tube. The tops Of
the first two wheels projecting through
the continuous slit lifted the leather
covering JUSTIN front of the arm con-
Meeting the piston and leading car in
the train. The other two wheels
held this covering 9p s4 If je nttlF;ad
the piston. The covering was a long
strip of leather attached to one side
of the slit and fitting over it in chan
mel formed by two ribs cast on theup-
per side of the tube. Behind this APP
paratus came small roller for light
| ly pressing down the valve into
place and also long narrow copper
vessel containing burning charcoal.
This passed along the top of the valve,
and was intended to seal the COW
eling alright by means OF compost
ton of wax and tallow. A verticle
engine with cylinder thirty-four
and g. half inches in d.
ameter and sixtY-six inches stroke,
working under a pressure OF forty
pounds, we set up at the higher ter
minus of the line. The first cars were
run in 1843, and the road was un-
doubtedly successful at first, three
small coaches full ofzpassengers being
"sucked' up the hill at the rate OF
forty miles an hour. Then down
| VI AA1o VOAO I'LL Ny 6ACoSACJ
The cost of motive power was stat
mile, or including maintenance of way
18 cents. The interest on the outlay
wasIquite large, however, as was sub
sequently determined. Encouraged
by the success of the line, q double
track from London to Croydon was
built on this principle few years
later. The road was ten and hall
miles long and was operated from
four pumping stations. In working
the road the second pump in advance
of the train was started as we'll as the
one Immediately ahead, in order that
the tube might be exhausted in readi.
ness. Directly the train passed a
pump it was stopped. The
line worked we'll for WHILE
ut the sealing arrangements
for rendering the pipe alright
proved deficient and the best engin
GERS of the time could not suggest any
successful remedies. After some time
the train would 60 like q sky-rocket
on one part of the line and have to b.
hauled along with ropes or a locomo
tive in another.
Once when the road broke down, Sil
Francis Hean was among the passen
gers forced to leave the tram anc
walk to Croydon, which lead him tt
declare "that the railroad had tainted
away."'< This phrase became popu
lar, and the announcement of the de
cease of the system in the Mechanics
. Magazine for May Is, l847, reads a!
follows; "Scienti6c.~ Obituary, Depart
ed this life at Croydon on the 1Otl
inst, Miss Vacuana Airy, the celebra
ted ia nting lady. She had never beer
perfectly we'll, and latterly was re
duced to a most pitiful state of weak
ness. Her lips, which were ever open
gasping for air, are now alas, sealet
forever"
Old Locomotives at the Worlds
Fair.
A most interesting feature of tn
Baltimore and Ohio exhibit at tn
Worlds Fair will be models and en-
gines showing the development of tn
locomotive. Isl. g.: H..
Models of three of the old Georg
Stevenson engines will be shown-th
famous Rocket 1929, the Blanch
1916, and Mercury 1880. Full-sizet
duplicates from the working drawing
:, of Putting Billy 1913, the first loco
!. motive,,with smooth wheels for smootl
q rails, and the Sans Pareil, in whicl
a the steam blast was first introduced
i From drawings in the Paris Conserva
toire fnll-size reproductions have beel
:, made of the Cugnot 1859, the oldes
d locomotive in existence, and the Sc
/. grim 1927, the first locomotive in tn
o world with multi-tubular boiler. Ex
t perts in Europe who have seen thes
r reproductions pronounce them mar
Vicious achievements and say it
: hardly credible that iron, brass an,
8 copper could have been so successful,
|, counterfeited.
n The exhibit begins with the frs
9 method Of steam propulsion on Ian
e that OF Sir Isaac Newton In 1850