The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-04-27
SPEED ON RAILWAYS.
The FlierS on American, German and
English Lines,

English Lines.
The writer preached the subject of fast
trains recently to one of the shrewdest civil
engineers employed on one of the roads
entering Washington. This employee has
made railroading a life study, has inspected
the railroads of Europe and speaks by the
! card. He said:
'lf our railroads could spare the money
to elevate their tracks in cities and at cross
ings, to say nothing of completing the work
of Strengthening out curves, now going on,
for one, will predict that we can make
an average of 30 miles an hour between
New York and Chicago. | say this with
the Allegheny mountains almost staring
me in the face. We might lose time going
up that range, but engineers as rule,
like to coast, and wouldn't they slide down
the other side with roadbed minus curves
and grade crossings! In the matter of cost
in making improvements, few people are
aware OF the expense attached thereto In
round numbers our road blew in fully
$4,000, 900 in the latter part of 1892 and
the beginning of 1893. That was before
the financial depression set in. We are
now resting on our oars. We cut one
curve over mile long, and the work cost
us fully $500, 600. Other roads have been
doing likewise, and with the return of a
prosperous period we will surprise the
world, and especially the English, with the
average speed our trains will attain.
"Many people will be surprised to learn
| that Germany and not this country or
England furnishes the fastest train in the
world. The United States comes second
and England third. The German train
runs from Berlin to Hamburg, distance
OF lis miles, in 2O4 minutes, an average
outside speed-that is, not counting stops,
of over - miles an hour. The Empire
State express on the New York Central
road runs from New York to Buffalo, dis
lance of 44O miles, in $40 minutes and its
outside speed average is nearly 81 miles
IN hour The fastest English train, that
ONES third on the list, is called the west
coast tlier' and runs from London to Edin-
/ burgh, a distance of 100 miles, at an aver
age outside speed of 80 miles an hour.
"The farther we 90 west the slower the
train service becomes, a thing not looked
for on account of the miles and miles Of
track traversing prairie land The Bur-
lington roads best train averages about SO
miles an hour That on the Milwaukee
l a.. .,J
age of 81 miles an hour. The Denver lin.
tied, on the Northwestern road has to
hustle to score an average gait of % miles
an hour.
every few of the fast limited trains in
this country pay for the expense of running
them, and it is an open secret that the
limited between New York and Chicago
and the Empire State express between New
York and Buffalo and the Chicago limited
on the New York Central road cost their
respective roads good deal more than they
bring in, but they are great advertisers for
their respective roads.
"The advantages of fast train service on
well built and well equipped railroads are
not confined to the carrying of passengers
swiftly from one point to another. They
are felt all though the operating depart
ment of TOAD and exercise an important
disciplinary influence. The running of
such extraordinary fast trains as the Con-
gressional limited and the Empire State
express has had wonderful effect in in
creasing the vigilance and efficiency of all
the trainhands. The schedules on which
such trains are run require the most arbi-
trary enforcement, and they consequently
keep the men all along the line traversed
constantly on the alert. Each man is made
to feel his full share of the burden of re-
sponsibility, and the never ceasng admoni-
ton to watch for the flier' reduces to a
minimum personal inclnations to be slack
or neglectful. The telegraph operators
have suspension of 80 days staring them
in the face for the slightest delay to the
limited and similar penalties are imposed
on other employees.
"Besdes this stimulus to duty the fast
trains serve as an incentive to the men to
strive for promotion Conductor, engin-
GERS, fremen and other hands on the
limited get more pay than do the men
employed on the trains of subordinate
grade. That the 'hier, in its generic sense,
is actually an improving influence in rail-
roading is evidenced by the remarkable
careers of the Congressional, the Royal Blue
and the Empire State express. These are the
fastest trains in this country and have been
running several years back, and, with one
unimportant exception, have met with no
mishap These trains pass through year
after year without single mishap, and |
believe it is all from the discipline nut
upon the employees by the fast trains b
Washington Star.