Evening star., 1896-08-13
MORE ABOUT VIBRATION
The Shaking of the Compressed Air Cars
Further Discussed.
Mr.. Biddfs Found the Cars Quite
Smooth and MIR. Kane Ad.
.1nces q Theory.

The new air motors continue to excite
discussion in this city on account OF the
expectation that they will be seen before
many weeks on the lexington and Belt
roads. The matter of the vibration Of the
cars is still uppermost in the minds of those
who are inquiring into the subject. Said
Mr.. T. P. Kane of lexington, who has been
most active in this direction, to a Star re-
porter today:
''Mr. J. D. Biddis of lexington, who has
just returned from a visit to his home in
West Virginia. stopped on his way through
New York city Saturday last, and rode on
the air motors now in operation there. l
received from him this morning letter in
regard to them. His experience with re-
spect to the vibration Of the car was some
what different from mine He writes that
he rode on the Hardie car running from
Fort Lee ferry On the North river to the
East river, and adds: We made several
trips, and there was flaw perceptible to
the non-expert in the working of the motor.
The starts aid stops were made with re-
narkable smoothness, the noise was SO
and when asked by Mr.. Hardie If we had
noticed any unusual vibration my friend
and myself both replied that we had not.
Mr.: Hardie stated that a marked vibration
had been noticed at first, but he thought
he had about overcome it. The car ran q
distance of about nine miles before run
ming TO the compressor to be charged. 1
can only cay that If the lexington road
VIII adopt motor as successful and satis-
factory as was the Hardie, as I saw it,
your humble servant. a long-suffering, If
not patient. pioneer resident of lexington,
will be delighted
LAS the accuracy of NV statement os tn
the vibration Of the car was questioned
through the columns Of The Star I think it
proper to say that in conversation with
Mr.. Biddis on the subject he stated that
MIR. Hardie, the inventor of the system,
inquired of him whether he felt any vibra-
oon, ana he replied. in substance: Well,
now that you call my attention to it, do
feel slight vibration. but 1t is hardly
perceptfbie, to which Mr. Hardie respond
ed, When Mr.. Kane was here the other
day the vibration was decidedly greater,
but 1 have succeeded in reducing it to
what you see 1t now, and hope to be able
to overcome 1t entirely
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Hardie
attributed the cause of the vibra ton to
,he newness and stiffness of the springs
NOW, 1t is hardly probable that during the
short interval between Wednesday and
Saturday of last week, the days on which
Mr. B,ddis and I rode on the motors, the
sprhgs should have become so limbered
up as to almost entirely overcome the
vibration which I experienced There
fore, l account for the difference in this
way: The car on which I first rode was
= .urnlns INTO the charging station. having
made Its last trip. and it was within three
squares of the station when 1 boarded IT.
The vibration on this car was hardly no
uceable probably because the air pressure
on which I rode I boarded at the charg-
ing station just as 1t was coming out It
mad the full air pressure of 1000 pounds
TO the square inch. The vibration on
this car was quite severe. Now, INV
theory 1s. and it is only a theory, that
the reason Mr.. Biddis experienced hardly
any vibration was because of the differ
ence in the air pressure on the respactive
cars on which We rode. for 1t Is reasonable
to assume that the greater the air pres
sure the mora severe the vibration would
naturally be, and the air pressure les
sens the vibration would correspondingly
decrease. In combined LOGON otive and
passenger car l cannot see how vibration
can be avoided.
Il have also received a letter from New
York from man who has ridden on the
motors. referring to my criticisms, say
Ing: There is the vibration you mention
ard 1 mistrust the air men are a little
sensitive on the point"