The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-03-28
THE RAILROAD OF THE FUTURE.
improvements That Are Being Made
and Hoped For.

Theodore Voorhees,. a well-known engt-
neer. formerly of the New York Central
railroad. and now of the Lehigh Valley.
in a recent number of the Engineering
Magazine. not only considered some of
the improvements which have been made
on American railways within the remeIn-
brance of many now living but essays to
point out some of the lines upon which
the railroads OF the future will be devel-
oped. He points out that with all the
improvements In the permanent way. as,
for instance heavier steel rails rock bal
last and thorough drainage. the wooden
crosstie TO which the rail is spiked Is still
retained practically the same as thirty
years ago. Too much dependence. he
thinks Is placed on the weight and stiff
ness Of the rail. and insufficient attten-
tion is paid TO the fastening of the rail
to the ties. Wooden structures. such as
culverts, trestles and bridges. VIII not be
permitted in the railroad of the future,
and il is interesting TO note that recent
work on the railroads about Providence is
quite in line with his suggestions that the
floor OF all bridges, large or small,
through or deck. should be solid and so
arranged as 10 permit the deposit upon
1t Of the usual ballast and track. Grade
crossings of highways must be abolished.
and he notes that American municipali-
ties are recognizing the necessity to re-
form in this particular. Stations should
he so arranged as 10 make II unnecessary
for any passenger 10 walk upon or across
the tracks Grade crossings OF one road
with another or of branch lines connect
ing with a main stem are again elements
of risk and should be abolished, though
-fIe cost in this instance viii tan Waci.v
upon the corporations. With absolutely
reliable signaling apparatus and grace
crossings eliminated an improved track
and an alignment free from sharp curves
the present performance OF locom olive en-
Eines gives warrant for the belief that 100
miles an hour will ne made In the future
as easily as sixty miles an hour today.
Possibly the railway trains OF the future
will he planned on lines calculated for
wind resistance. very much as the lines
OF a Yacht are calculated for the resist
ance OF the sea. Electric lighting OF pas
senger trains will doubtless come into
general use as soon as a practicable and
reliable method is devised OF genera ting
the rower from the axle OF the car truck.
but the expense Of generating electricity
In quantities sufficient TO exercise a power
equal TO that of a 1rst-olass locomotive
is so great that its use is AZ present i'm
practicable. \ retrografe step has been
taken Mr. Voorhees, states, In the use Of
freight car equipment There are in ex-
isteuce - pr cent more freight cars than
the. business OF the country requires. or
than would be Sufficient to handle all the
existing ira ffic. And this equipment is 50
badly handled that each car on an aver
age Is IN motion only one hour IN each
twenty-four. and the average daily mile
age made ny each car Is probably less
than fifteen years go. The relations be-
tween employees ana the CORPORATE 1ns
will have - 30 adjusted 90 the develop
rncnt OF the railway of the future bat
Mr.. Voorhees, anticipates that the great
majority OF unions existing today among
railway cmployes via change their r. 'tE
wears