The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-15
SPEED OF TRAVEL.
Il Is Being Constantly Increased
by Rail and Water.
The Compound Engine the Chief Fsceae
In the Attainment Of High Speed
One Hundred Niles an Hour
NAV Re Accomplished.

When the late John W. Garrett pre-
dicted fifteen years ago that in the
coupse Of twenty years the trip between
New York and Washington would be
made in five hours it was asserted that
the thing was impossible. Not only has
it became possible but it Il announced
that the Pennsylvania Railroad compa-
ny will in q few months put on a train
that shall mako the run in four hours
and halt, says the Baltimore Sun
From New York to Philadelphia tho
speed will be at sixty miles an hour;
from Philadelphia to Washington at
the rate of fifty miles an hour. Tho
Baltimore & Ohio Will Of course work up
to this time as soon as its tunnel under
the city is completed. An express train
on the Philadelphia & Reading railroad
made about month ago one mile in
thirty-seven seconds, which would be
equal to fraction over ninety-seven
miles an hour. This is the highest speed
ever made by q locomotive. We are en-.
teriug upon "a period when all former
records will be broken, not only on
railroads but on trsnsatlantic steamers
and by fast trotters.
The ideal limit set for railroads run
ming light express trains is one hum
dred miles an hour, Of Atlantic steam
ships five days from New York to
Queenstown, and of the trotter mile
In two minutes. In all three it is pre-
dicted that in the course Of Q short time
these several speeds will be attained.
"There are two or three directions"
says q contemporary, ''in which we
may look for the development Of the
speed of the locomotive before the one
hundred-uiles-an-hour record can be es-
tablished."
One of the chief factors in the attain
ment Of high speed is the compound en-
CINE, by which the propulsive power il
greatly enlarged. The record-breakinG
engine on the Central is of this type,
which has become very common, both
on American and European railways
No doubt the geniuses who live in the
world of mechanics and machinery will
create in time some new form OF COM
pound engine which viii greatly accel-
crate the speed of the locomotive. An
other factor, largely An experimental
one, is the driving wheels.
The tendency is now toward wheels
of very large diameter. The wheels of
the record-breaking engine were six
feet six inches IN diameter, and this
size is generally used, although expert
ments are being made with much larger
wheels, and the New York Central and
the Pennsylvania are now trying seven
foot wheels.
But every Improvement In the speed
of steamships and Of railroads implies
additional danger to the passengers.
In steamships there is tho danger of
breaking tho shaft and Of collisions
with other ships or icebergs. But SO
thoroughly are they even now protected
by their water-tight compartments that
the danger Of laundering is reduced to
a minimum. They may be disabled,
but they VIII still keep afloat so long
rs tho greater number of water-tight
compartments remain intact.
With the fast flyers by rafl" every
thing will depend on the perfection Of
the brakes and the signal system. With
these in complete order, it would be
possible to run at speed of one hun
dred miles an hour with ease and
safety, provided that the wheels and
axles arc sound and tho rails well
fastened to their ties.