Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-03-20
WONDERFUL RAILROADS.
Curious Patents Relating to Rail.
roadtng. Aerial Railways and
High Speed Trains. The Problem
Solved of Making Two Trains
Pass Upon n Single Track.
From Our Special Correspondent.

Pass pom a single Track.
From Our Special Correspondent.
In these days when English and
American railroads are vieing with
each other in trying to make the best
record for speed, it may be of interest
to learn of plan proposed and
patented in 1888, in the very infancy
OF steam railroads, which could (if it
would work) give higher speed than
that attained by the famous No. 500
OF one mile in 81 seconds, or at the
rate of LOG 1-5 miles per hour.
The plan was to construct a very
long train Of platform cars having a
track its whole length. Upon this was
mounted second train similarly con-
structed, but somewhat shorter, upon
this third, and so on until the trains
were five or more deep. Each train
was to have its own locomotive, and
all were to be started together, say at
a speed of % miles per hour. 1t is
obvious that each train would have a
speed of its own locomotive in addition
to the speed OF all below it. Thus,
the train running upon the ground
would have speed OF 25 miles per
hour, and the others of so, Is, 100 and
l25, respectively. The speed OF the
uppermost train would be far ahead OF
anything achieved since this plan was
patented. The patent bears the mum.
Der $50, and was granted April 13,
1888. The numbers OF this and all
other patents referred to in this article
are given in order that skeptical readers
may, if they choose, verify the state.
ments made. Copies may be obtained
from the Patent Office upon ordering
by number at the established price of
ten cents each.
Another device for attaining high
degree OF speed was patented in 1885,
by a citizen OF Buffalo, N. Y. 1t was
an elevated cable railway system in
which the car was suspended beneath
a cable held far above the earth by
enormous balloons. The road was a
gravity road altogether, and it was
operated upon principle which every
boy who is fond OF coasting has often
wished could be applied to the hill
down which he has just sped with
such exhilarating swiftness and which
must be toiled up again before the ex-
perience can be repeated. The track
is always q down-hill one, for as soon
as you have been hoisted up towards
the clouds, and shot with breathless
speed down the inclined cable to the
second balloon, a mile or two away,
that balloon rises you up again, and
the balloon you have just left, or the
one on ahead, is drawn down by a
stationary engine, so that you can
slide back to the starting point or con-
tinue on in your journey to the next
station. The patent is No. 325, ,S99.
1 A problem in railroading that ha.
received considerable attention from a
certain class of inventors has been to
devise a scheme whereby two trains
may pass each other, going in the
same or opposite direction, upon a
single track, and thus save half the ex.
pense now necessary to lay double
track. The solution of this problem
has not been left to the abstract
theorist alone, for numerous actual
experiments have been made, both in
this country and abroad, but chiefly
on this side OF the water, to accomplish
this feat. The press has announced
the results in flaming extras" which
have been eagerly scanned by horror
stricken public. Less than year ago,
patent No. $4,000 was granted tc
cover a way OF accomplishing thi.
result without the usual heart rending
and sanguinary attendant circum.
stances, and now that the plan is made
known, we are all wondering why we
never thought OF 1t ourselves-it seems
80 simple. At each end OF one OF the
trains is long inclined.plane car, an d
upon these inclined cars, and along
the roofs OF the other cars, is laid an
ordinary track of standard guage
When a second train desires to pass
this, all it has to do is to crowd on
steam and climb over it. This it can
do with equal facility headed in either
direction, and whether the FIRST train
Is stationary or moving at high speed
In the line OF appliances for soaring
cattle from the track, the proverbial
Yankee ingenuity has had full swing.
Patent No. 3l4 800 shows an engine
equipped with long lazy tongs prod,
operated by lever extending into the
cab. If the whistling does not scare
the invading cow away, the engineer
can stop the train and punch the
"critter" without leaving his post OF
duty, thereby saving considerable
valuable time.
Another patent for the same object,
No. 54 1888, shows an engine having a
steam gun TO throw shower of stones
or gravel, and still others shoot round
balls or throw streams OF water or
steam.
MAYOR ELECT Frank Black, OF Sc