The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1895-03-14
AN AERIAL RAILROAD
Proposed by a San Francisco
Capitalist.

OdpltdllSU.
A RAPID TRANSIT PROPOSITION
Cables and Operated By Electricit,
and Will BE Run at the Wonder
\ full Rate of One Hundred Miles a,
Hour,
A railroad on WIRE
Such is the scheme which D. R. P
Thomas, San Francisco capitalist
now has on foot. He proposes to built
what he calls an aerial road from Sal
FRANCISCO to Los Angeles up the oele
brated San Joaquin valley. The carr
will be suspended on cables and operat
ed by electricity. They will run at the
rate OF 100 miles an hour. No grading
will be necessary for the construction
OF this road, no ties, and no rails, M
bridges and no fencing in of track. NJ
section gang will be required in its
maintenance.
1t will, SO its protector thinks, be the
first road in America to be absolutely
free from smashups The cars can't
collide head on because the road IS a
double track, and they can't be tele.
sooped because, by a simple little mech
an1sm, it one train comes too close to
another the electricity is shut off. No
distractions or blockades can interfere
With it's running. The cars cannot iu1np
the track. The wear and tear on it's
mechanism and rolling stock is compar-
atively slight It costs from one-third
to two-thirds less to construct and
maintain than any other kind of rail
road. 1t almost solves the question of
the right OF way. The road may be
quickly constructed and will be slightly
when finished.
This new railroad is not the invention
ct the capitalist, but of his blind broth.
or. He planned it all out in his dark
ness, says Mr.. Thomas, "and you will
see, one of these days. that it is such
perfectly feasible and admirable plan
that it will one day supersede the sur
face roads, both in the city and in the
country.
1.-The cheapness Of construction and
the high ratio of speed attainable by
such arailway are of course its main ad-
yantagea. AS far as speed is concerned,
it is now only a question of atmospheric
resistanne. And this natural factor can
pc largely overcome by constructing the
cars either cone shaped or with pointed
ends like the Prov of boat But that
OF course is an after consideration, and
no such device will be needed to attain
speed, say, Of 100 miles an hour. And
such rate can be maintained easily
and with entire comfort and safety to
the passengers in this midair railway
There can be no distractions on the
track, for there is no track, and no
SHOWS or washouts can retard the trains.
There are no dirt and dust or smoke and
SCOT to make travelling hardship, no
Jarring and rumbling and ear splitting
noises to make ono deaf. -
Concerning the motive power, Mr.,
Thomas believes that we shall eventual
~ lind force superior to electricity
that is, compressed air, the possibilities
OF which, Mr.. Thomas declares. are as
yet but little known.
MY plan, says Mr.. Thomas, "would
be to build compressed air tanks along
the road in the country where trains
could stop for moment or two and re-
'uperate the motive supply. | am salts
led that in tho end compressed air would
% cheaper and more satisfactory than
9lectricity.''
The road will be elevated from 10 to
20 feet above the ground, according to
he requirements of the grade and
whether the road be passing through the
country or the city. The cars will be
onsiderably smaller and lighter than
ne present railway cars now in use.
hey will be lighted by electricity and
eated in this way also, and, for that
natter, could easily have telegraphic
all the time with the
utside world.
The California idea does not vary in
ts essential particulars from two rapid ,,
'anslt systems which were exhibited at =
10 Worlds fair. One of these, known =
the Cook system, proposed to have !
ars suspended from a single track, =
laced at the top of series of poles. :
he idea was that the cars were to be :
the shape of a present rail
ay car cut lengthwise in twain. One !;
+ would move in one direction on one =
dc of the pole, and the other set on -
g other side in the opposite direction. :,
lis was an Invention Of L. D. Cook Of =
acoma, who constructed trial track :,
the outskirts Of Tacoma and claimed -
have run his cars successfully at the =,
to Of 100 miles an hour -, y,
The only difference between the Cook =, o
stem and the Thomas plan is that the - -
ter would suspend the cars from Sc e.
s OF cables instead Of from an iron ~ -,
ok. Electricians believe that some =,
IN elevated or suspended railway ope- ~ ~
ed by electricity will soon supplant - -
present surface roads. They believe = =,
day is not far distant when it will W; ";
nOSai h1o RI <Lo k-:.. ! -