The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-26
RAILWAY RIDING
In THE FUTURE
How II Will Be Possible TO TO Two
Miles 2 Minute.
one GREAT OBSTACLE IN THE WAY
Atmospheric Resistance Is the Pres.
eat tnsuperabie Brake 10 Great
Speed, hut There Are Reasons for
Relieving That This viii One Day
He Overcome.

Relieving That This viii One Day
he Overcome.
r.. 4. Adams. in the Times-Herald
When r.. r. Anderson rode u hi"ycl"
Il mile in iV2 Ia demonstrated beyond
ANY puSSibi. doubt u scientific truth
ol vast importance. ii has remained
for a biyy,l" rider tn absolutely prove
M cruiilS and antiquity nf modern
passenger train rouS,ru, lion and IL de-
n.uiiSh hy u simple experiment The fine
spuu theories at those who attempt I"
defend ihc ridiculous railroad train of
today
-Four years ago III, writer made Il
series ui original experiments and in
V.>tigatinns. upou which wrr" based
certain Inventions designed to over
come the atmospheric resistance "t
railroad trains. The purely mechah-
ical problems art. easy at solution. rue
main subject of contention is in regard
t. thu accuracy of the assertion, AT
uuSph-rir rrSisluuc" is the all pr.doin-
mating factor in tn" total al train irit"
iiunS' IT AudcrSon'S now famous
i,Ir proves anything. il proves tn"
GuIiniu-SS of that assertion and fore
casts i revolution in passenger tram
construction. The Truth ui my theory
that train speeds are limited 10y air
resistance has been affirmed toy scores
II teat engineering experts in this
country aud in Europe, but no step has
yet been taken fnr a practical demon
Ntratiou
4 .,i
Passenger ear conformation exists.
high sTrAdS are impossible, except al
ruinmlS waste If bower und money.
aud even the present slow speeds can
h. maintained only al an rnornons
sacrifice of fuel, power and economy Of
operation.
Any object which attempts la attain
:! high rui,. uf speed Oh this earth finds
is greatest resistance. from the atinos-
h!I"rr. This is true Of Il bullet. of an
arrow. of Il bird, of Il bicycle rider, "f
- locomotive or Il passenger train. II
"a law of ,I,turc as we'll as of COM
uun sense that those bodies so shaped
~ to offer the least resistance can he
propelled the more swiftly and -col-
u,nru)ly. That is why an Indian
points his arrow, that is why Krupp
points his projectiles: that is why the
sharp proved ocean steamship is fast
"r than II Hat headed scow: that is why
fast passenger trains are generally late
ana il is because this law has been
itnpled chat average train speeds have
nvt\mclcased in the last twenty years
CYCLISTS ADVANTAGE.
Anderson rode a bicycle at the rate
nt nearly mile II minute. Why? He
cause he did not have To overcome but
u small amount OF atmospheric resist
:uce. II is not claimed that Anderson
f. the greatest bicycle rider in the
world. In his st. Louis ride. the factor
which rctards the rider under ordinary
circumstance was eliminated. He was
riding in Il partial vacuum. The waves
ur air did not beat against and retard
lir. The ali-important resistance t"
h!"h Suoed was absent. Ii was simply
n question of revolving a high -geared
wheel at certain speed and of keep
ing on the narrow track. 1t was fact
ol skill and not of strength.
Ii the proper kind of a track is built
and locomotive with a square front
and rear can be built with sufficient
rrrer to overcome the enormous air
II sistlnce incident TO the speed re-
uuired. Anderson or some other rider,
on high geared bicycle can make
milo in a. seconds or less.
fuw fast can Anderson or any other
man ride without being paced? Walter
Sanger holds this record, and II is
lnil, in 2:OOas. There is a vast differ
,.nc,. between mile in 1.O3 and one in
two minutes and over. 1t partially
represents the influence of the air as a
Iclarding factor in high speeds.
The analogy between the bicycle and
the locomotive is almost perfect. The
bicycle wheels correspond to the loco
m0tive drivers: the bicycle rider Is the
power and takes the place of the
tim. The speeds Of both bicycle rider
"nd locomtive are retarded and limited
~ the Same influences. Here are the
1rirtions of bicycle and locomotive on
straight and level track:
First. Axle friction. which depends
CA the weight of the rider or of the
locomotive. and is reduced by ball
E-a.ings Oh other devices.
.'rcond. Internal friction. ON a
locomotive this is the friction of its
W"ri;ins parts: ON a bicycle it Is main
iy the friction of the chain.
Third. Wheel friction. This is due
In both bicycle and locomotive To in
perfectiunS i'm the roadway or track.
Fourth. Atmospheric resistance This
amounts to little at speeds below iiv.
miles an hour. but increases in pre-
portion with the square Of the velocity
hulStS b. .,r b.,
motive or bicycle rider.
This last friction is the only one
which increases with speed Eliminate
tins rrsisience ana You remove Tia"
theoretical sueed limit Of both bicycle.
und locomotive. II simply becomes II
question Of the agility Of the riders
legs Or the capacity Of II steam cylinder
Il receive or discharge steam. \ mod
eih locomotive, not in motion. can re-
volve its wheels 30 miles an hour
Why can il not attain Il speed ap-
pioximating 2hD miles an hour? Re.
cause the greater part of It's power is
exhausted in overcoming atmospheric
Resistance. bicycle rider can pedal
:. nigh seared wheel al the rate of iOu
miles an hour. But he can attain II
speed. when not paced. Of hut thirty
miles an hour. and this only for Il Sh0il
distance. Why" Because the muscular
power of the rider is exhausted in
overcoming the air resistance due to
saced.
WIND GIVES TROUBLE.
There is no theory about this. Ev
cry man, woman and child. who eyer
rode bicycle knows in a general way,
thGt the air is the great force to ia
overcome. II requires no effort to ride