Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-23
RAILROAD PLIERS.
LITTLE PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING
 SPEED OF LATE YEARS.

Obstacles That Must He Overcome Before
 Fast Time Is Made on American Roads.
 While There May Re Changes In Motive
 Power. Curves Are the Worst Trouble.
 The mile minute railroad record, on an average, has not yet been reached, and perhaps the present generation of readers 80 years hence may not Do witnesses to it's accomplishment Tho fastest train in this country at the present time, running be- tween New York and Chicago attains an average speed of 10 miles an hour, and from the present outlook it will be many years before this average is increased. In 1866 an average speed of 28 miles an hour was recorded between tho same cities. It is astonishing, all things considered, how little progress the railroads havo made in speed. The progress Is so small compara- lively that one familiar with tho facts can not fail to be puzzled or to have suggested to his mind the question whether tho sys- tenn itself is not inherently at fault whether it was not begun and developed on the wrong lines.
 The man who stands in tho open coun try and sees the limited express fit by like an angry, papting ghost is filled with wonder at the speed and thinks it fast enough. The traveller who sits in his lux urious parlor car and looks out at the sta tions as they slide past his window in a long blurred streak of black and gray finds his exhilaration heighten in proportion as the train acoelerates its onward motion. No speed is too great for him, provided the road is straight and tho motion smooth Tho switches click like clock ticks in his ear, and he looks with the eye of fascina- tion on the landscape, distorting itself in all directions as though made of india rubber. People like to travel fast. They enjoy tho feeling of superiority which comes with rapid speed They want to go quick, whether they are in hurry or not
 It Is an open question whether the rail road has reached tho limit of speed consist ent with safety. Eminent engineers and practical railroad men arc divided in their opinions, some arguing that the limit has been reached, others insisting that, if the curves are modified or cut out almost en- tirely, trains can be run from one-third to one-half faster than at present. Will it be necessary to modify tho shape of the wheels and track? Will the present type of en- zine or motor have to be changed to one where there will be no power lost in tho back stroke of the piston? Will steam give way to electricity or some other foroef
 These arc the principal points which are In doubt, and about which engineers draw very different conclusions from their ex- perience. There Is now very little If tbere is any, doubt as to whether steam will give way to electricity or some other force which produces better relative result, with less noise and less wear and tear on machinery and is loss susceptible to the weather. It Is no uncommon thing for fast express engine to slow down speed in very cold weather, owing to what they call freezing out the steam.''
 There Is no theoretical doubt that the rails and wheels can be so modified as to make the engine and train stick to the track better and reduce the margin of dan ger. There Is also no doubt, in theory, that an engine could travel much faster if some plan of mechanism could be devised which would do away with or reduce to the absolute minimum the effects of the back stroke of the piston and connecting rods. Tho shrewd railroad managers of tho country have about como to the con- clusion that tho motive power has almost reached perfection, and that their road beds are now tho real obstacles to great average speed. With curves and the dead ly grade crossings eliminated, who can tell what may be donep Cities and towns, no matter how small the latter may be, have rights which must Do respected, and while they are the speed of trains must suffer
 In England everything is plain sailing Whom tho roads were originally construct ed, they found thickly populated districts on all sides. In America we built rail roads first and imported the people after ward to patronize them. Over on the "lit- tle island" everything Is fenced in, and grade crossings arc unknown. The enai- neer pulls open the throttle, tho train starts. and he knows he will have to look out for nothing but tower signals and other trains. American engineers are look ing forward to the establishment of Q sim liar state of things in this country.
 Of course the real danger in increasing the speed of express trains driven by steam does not lie in incidental risks. It Is not dr-i'a t''"t modern locomotive might