The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1895-07-05
SPEED ON RAILWAYS.
THE FLIERS ON AMERICAN, GERMAN
AND ENGLISH LINES.

Curves and Grade Crossings the Great
Drawbacks In This Country-Linnited
Trains Do Not Pay Expenses, but They
Benefit the Service In Other Ways.
The writer preached tne subject 81
fast trains recently to one of the shrewd-
est civil engineers employed on one OF
the roads entering Washington. This
employee has made railroading life
study, has inspected the railroads OF
Europe and speaks by the card. BE
said:
eff our railroads could spare the
money to elevate their tracks in cities
and at crossings, to say nothing of com.
plotting the work of Strengthening out
curves, now going on, I, for one, will
predict that we can make an average OF
30 miles an hour between New York
and Chicago. 1 say this with the Allie
ghany 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 a roadbed minus
curves and grade crossings! In the mat
ter 0f cost in making improvements,
few people are aware of the exp1nse at
tached thereto. In round numbers our
road blew in fully So, 900, 600 in the
latter part of 1892 and the beginning Of
1898. That was before the financial de-
preston set in. We are now resting on
our oars We cut one curve over mile
long, and the work cost US fully $780,
900. Other roads have been doing like
WISE and with the return of prospe,
Gus period we will surprise the world,
and especially the English, with the av
erage speed CUR trains will attain.
MANY people will be surprised to |
learn that Germany and not this coun-
try 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 179 miles, in 204 minutes, |
an average outside speed-that is, not
counting stops, Of over 90 miles an hour.
The Empire State express on the New |
York Central road runs from New York |
to Buffalo, distance of 440 miles, Ia
$50 minutes, and its outside speed aver
age is nearly 81 miles an hour. The
fastest English train, that comes third
on the list, is called the west coast flier'
and runs from London to Edinburgh,
distance of 400 miles, at an average out
side speed of so miles an hour.
The farther we go west the slower
the train service becomes, thing not
looked for on account of the miles and
miles of track traversing prairie land
The Burlington roads best train aver
ages about SO miles an hour. That on
the Milwaukee road the limited, can
only reach an average of 81 miles an
hour. The Denver limited, on the North
western road, has to hustle to score an
average gait of 80 miles an hour.
VERY 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 this city and
New York, 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 a good deal more than they bring
In, but they are great advertisers for
their respective roads
1.-THE advantages Of fast train service
IN we'll built and we'll equipped railroads
ire not confined to the carrying of pas
engers swiftly from one point to anoth-
r. They are felt all through the operat
ng department of a road and exercise
N important disciplinary influence. The
unning of such extraordinary fast trains
Is the Congressional limited and the
Empire State express has had wonder
III effect in increasing the vigilance and .
Efficiency Of all the trainhands. The
on which such trains are run
equire the most arbitrary enforcement,
nd they consequently keep the men all
long the line traversed constantly on
he alert. Each man is made to feel his
ull share Of the burden of responsibility,
nd the never ceasing admonition to
watch for the f1ier' reduces to mini.
lum personal inclinations to be slack
r neglectfuL The telegraph operators
ave suspension of 80 days staring
1em in the face for the slightest delay
} the limited, and similar penalties are
imposed on other employees.
Besides this stimulus to duty the
lst trains serve as an incentive to the
len to strive for promotion. Conduct,
IS, engineers, fremen and other hands
/ the limited get more pay than do tbs
en employed on the trains of subordi.
ate grade. That the 'flier, in its ge
srio sense, is actually an improving in
lence in railroading is evidenced by
e remarkable careers of the Congress
onal, the Royal Blue and the Empire
ate express. These are the fastest "
aims in this country and have been ~
inning several years back, and, with .r
e unimportant exception, have met TRy
it'll no mishap. These trains pass b
rough year after year without sim ~ ~
g mishap, and believe it is all from til
e discipline put upon the employees e
the fest service. The men take di
i6e u the Fast trodos, ny Aah;agtos me
Al ms
Lost the Prize. is
The late James Crossley, a noted
HE'D him one memorable i'll
y to bookstall in Shudehill market, mp aP
d spying a little volume took it NJ sh,
d glanced carelessly through IL. After p ~,
lille he asked its price from an old -
,man and was told it was two and
pence. "I'll give you sixpence for al
- said Crossley. May replied the ia
Or old dame, it cost me 2 shillings" =
hereupon our book devourer threw it -
wn in disgust and retired. A gentle
N, overhearing the alteration, step