Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-14
RAILROAD filters.
LITTLE PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING
SPEED OF LATE YEARS.


Obstacles That Must lie Overcome Before
Fast Time Is Made on American Roads,
While There May he Changes In Motive
Power. Curves Arc the Worst Trouble.
Tho mile minute railroad record, on
an average, has not yet been reached, and
perhaps the present generation OF renders
80 years hence may Got he witnesses to It's
accomplishment. Tho fastest train in this
country at the present time running bo-
tween New York and Chicago, attains an
average speed OF 40 miles IN hour, and
| from tho present outlook it will DO many
| years before this average Is increased. In
! 1866 an average speed Of 2S miles an hour
was recorded between tho same cities 1t
Is astonishing, all things considered, how
I little progress the railroads have made In
| spood, Tho progress Is so small compare
lively TINT ono familiar with tho facts can
not fail to be puzzled or to have suggested
to his mind tho question whether tho sys-
tom itself is not inherently ut fault
whether 1t was not begun and developed
on tho wrong lines.
Tho man who stands in the open coun-
try and sees tho limited express fit by like
an angry, painting ghost is hllod with
wonder at tho speed and thinks 1t fast
enough. Tho traveller who sits in his lux
urious parlur car and looks ont ut tho sta
lions hs they slide past his window in
long blurred streak Of black and gray finds
his eXhilarntion hcighten In proportion as
the train acuclurAtos its onward motion
No speed is too great for him, provided the
road Is straight and tho motion smooth.
'lhp switched p1IaL 10. fu1s 1 L.,
car, and he looks with tho ego Of flsoina.
tion ON the landscape, distorting itself in
all directions as though made OF india
rubber, People Ike to travel fast. They
enjoy tho feeling Of superiority which
comes with rapid sntcd Thoy want to so
quick, whether thcy arc in hurry or not.
II is an open question whether the rail,
road has reached tho limit OF speed consist.
cut with safety. Eminent engineers and
practical railroad men arc divided in their
opinions, some arguing that tho limit has
been reached othors insisting that, II tho
curves are modified or out out almost en-
urely, trains can be run from ouO.thlrd to
ono hhlt faster thnn NJ present. VIII II DO
necessary to modify tho shape Of tho wheels
ana track VIII the present typo of on
glhe or motor hayo to be changed to one
whore there Will be no power lost I'm tho
oaek stroke Of tho pistOuf Win steam
give way to electricity or some other forcof
Iheso arc the principal points which arc
IN douht and abunt which engineers draw
very different conclusions from thor ex-
porlenco. There Is now very little. II tbore
Is any, doubt as to whether steam will
give way Ia electricity or some other forcs
which produces better relative result.
with less noise and less wear and tear ON
machinery and is loss susceptible TO tho
weather u Is no uncommon thing for n
last express engine to slow down speed in
very cold weather, owing to what they
call freezing out tho steam"
There Is no theoretical doubt TINT tina
rails and wheels can DO 30 modified ma IA
make tho engine and train stick to tho
track Oottor and reduce the margin of dan.
ger There Is also no doubt, In theory.
mat an engine could travel much fastor ii
some plan OF mechanism could be doyIsed
Which would do away with or reduce To
inc absolute minimum tho effects of tho
naGN stroke OF the piston and connecting
ruus' inc shrowd railroad mannpers Of
tno country have about come to the CON.
olusioh that the motive power bns almost
reached peTio1tion, and that their road.
peus are now tho real obstacles to great
average speed With curves and tho dead.
y grade crossings eliminated, who can toll
What may be donsS Cities and towns, no
hutter now small the latter may be. haye
go $3.50 mH,oh must DO respected, and while
'"Iy are the speed OF trains must suffer.
,ri IN England everything Ia plain sailing
nNoh Vhe roads were originally construct.
o o ,I,S i1uhu thiokly populated distriots
sluVs' IN America we built rail.
, ,Uaaa Ais' ahu imported the people after
tle island" everything Is fenced in and
grade crossings arc unknown frha ,n 80
heer pulls open tho throttle. tho trnin
starts and he knows no will have 70 ~
OUT for nothing but tower s,gnoIs "a
othor trains. American engineers nro Ioot'
ma forward to the establishment ~ n H.
mar state OF things In this country
VI course the real dAnper On t,,,,...,.
Sno speed on express trains driven Inv stoa,e
uues not lie IN incidental risks II A. 80
uoIieu mat a modern loconotIve ri,h.
10 nuiit which could run up to 90 or ros'
slpiy iuO miles an hour, n tho line ,ror.
str"'Eht 10 is the curyes OF Tho evIe,tnS,
liz Mnion render any such speed irnnns.
~. un4'ss inc weight OF tho looomoilve
a III 'ia,n were also Increased far beyons
,''a', We bridges and permanent wav
100 peaf' AT the first shArp ouryo tho
M inl'o express would fly of tho roIls
INC me necessary relation Of these onrvss ~
s sP5Yp y accurately known, and II Is that
sS, r ~ ,.s,' sne want OF power or novel dan
sors from wind pressure or boIlsr oy',ia
speed. W "'ouern train
,,n AZ INC force tending to throw OFT the
III, ~ uhln running at the sneed ~ t5o
s n.ns an hour would DO about az timcs
,.N',' than that which steam expross
n,Ia MI" re- iesists curve when running az 60
lInSs on n Spur, y Is plain that tho present
arn. could not be. used for tho liabtping
express, even though tho elootsomotnss
M, Ts.o n, substituted for the steam engine
s,rs, .iHes must not only DO stronger, Int
s W. than would DO possible by any
lnO,nn s. Of their present foru. -;Tasb