Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02
RAILWAY SEA VOYAGE.
ElGc trfc Line i'm England Across
Three Miles of Water.

ACROSS
Three Miles of Water.
, From the New York Ecrald
A railway which gives practically a sea
voyage without the discomforts attending
sea sickness is a decided novelty. Such an
attraction is now in preparation at Brigh-
ton. The line is to be called the Brighton
and rockingham Seashore Electric Tram
road. The idea of running a self-propelling
car on a railway submerged in the sea
originated, 1t is said, with Mr.. Magnus
Volk of the electric railway, Brighton, and
is believed to be unique
Commencing at the eastern end of the
electric railway at Brighton, the line ex-
tends distance of three miles to the VII
lage of rockingham, a well-known resort.
Here small iron pier has been erected for
the cars to run alongside, the pier being
also available for steamer traffic and prom
enading. At the Brighton end of the line
an iron jetty has been erected, on which
have been built commodious waiting rooms
and offices. The rails are laid on concrete
blocks, spaced about three feet apart, and
mortised into the sound rock, the height of
the blocks varying with the irregularities
of the shore.
covers the rock in places, hut the rails have
been laid sufficiently high to prevent any
trouble from Accommodations on them. The
steepest gradient is in 300, and the radius
of curves 40 chains. The line consists of
four rails GA 10. Yard laid as two tracks
of feet S12 inches in gauge, spaced about
Is feet outer rails, thus giving an effective
gauge of is feet this being necessary to
give the required stability to the cars At
high tide the depth of water over the Fails
is 10 feet. The line is now nearly complete.
but the work, being tidal, has been greatly
delayed by bad weather.
The car is a structure on sixteen wheels,
30 inches in diameter, carrying the passen-
gers al height of "a feet above the level
nft h.
of drawn steel, II inches in diameter At
the bottom of each leg is placed a boyle
truck having four wheels the outside of
the bogie being shaped like a double-ended
boat to facilitate its passage through the
water, and also to remove any distractions
from the rails. The four bogies are firmly
held together by steel tubular struts. The
wheel base is about 2S feet, and the effect
i've gauge IS feet, giving great stability
The tops of the main legs are firmly built
into lattice girder work, carrying the deck,
and the whole structure is firmly secured
by cross ties and is of great strength, al
though offering but a small surface to the
force of the waves.
The main deck is carried out exactly as if
for steam yacht, and measures SO feet
long and % feet wide. An ample supply of
seats, with reversible backs, are provided
to enable passengers to face the direction
in which the car is going. The center
space of the deck is occupied by the saloon,
and the decorations are carried out in
simple but effective manner. The roof Of
the saloon is rallied round and forms
promenade deck, seats being placed over
the glass dome and over the center of the
saloon. On this upper deck are placed the
controlling apparatus for driving and STOP
ping the cars. The total accommoda ton is
for one hundred to one hundred and fifty
passengers.
AS the journey will be undertaken more
for the sea air than for making the trip
quickly, the speed will be kept between six
and eight miles an hour. The driving ma
chinery consists of two thirty horse power
electric motors, placed vertically imme-
diately over two of the main legs, one on
each side of the car, the shafting being
carried down inside and commune ating
with toothed gearing which actuates the
wheels.