The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-04
FAST TRAINS.
Recent PerfOrmaDces-COn itiOns
Required For High speed.


Required For High Speed.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
The fast time recently made on the
Reading Railroad company 5 Atlantic City
tracks recalls the efforts made during the
last few years to break speed records SO
many conditions enter into the problem of
fast running that no just comparison can
be made between any two of the reported
runs. There must be combination of To-
connective, track, weather, weight Of train
and skill to secure the best results. Some
of the fastest runs have been made with
Lighter trains than are used In everyday
trafflce. To institute a proper comparison
the principal or controlling conditions
should be nearly alike.
The Readings new Commute train is
made up OF Van Claim compound engine
with 7-feet drivers, one combination car,
three ordinary coaches and one Pullman
It's schedule time from Kaighn's Point to
Atlantic City, 551l miles, Is 81 minutes, or
81 miles an hour. on its maiden trip, July
2, the run was made in 4S minutes, or at
the rate of 70 miles an hour. On July IA
the same train made the run in 461s min
utes, or an average speed of 7l.6s miles
an hour.
A little faster time, but with smaller
train was made on April q, 1895, on the
Camden and Atlantic railroad by an en-
CINE and one Pullman car filed with news
paper correspondents. The distance, 5S1
miles, was covered In AK minutes, or at
the rate OF 76J5 miles an hour. The time
between Liberty Park and Absecon, 4Os
miles, was 37ik minutes, or 1871 miles an
hour. From Berlin to Absecon, 1866 miles,
i'm Z5A minutes or 1913 miles an hour. The
fastest mile was run In Al seconds, or al
-the rate Of S7S miles an hour. This run
was made with a simple engine with driv-
ers Glz feet in diameter.
Ten years earlier, on Aug. 3, 1880, train
on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal
timore railroad from Louden Park to the
navy yard, thirty-hve and one-half miles,
In 1872 minutes, or 63.6 miles an hour. The
distance, 81 miles, between Landover and
Anacosta, was run In three minutes, or
at the rate OF 1O2 miles an hour. These
figures are taken from the dispatcher's
train sheets. A single mile, timed on the
train, was run IN thirty-nine seconds. or
al the rate Of 92IA miles an hour. The To-
connective had the old style five-feet drv-
crs.
A phenomenal run was made on Oct.
80, 1882, on the Pennsylvania railroad, be-
tween Paoli and Bryn Mawr, with reg
ular train OF ten cars, consisting Of two
express one postal. one baggage, three
coaches and three sleepers. The engine
was Of the class T. type, with five-feet
drivers. The distance, 81 miles, was made
In eight minutes, or at the rate Of 72M
miles an hour. The engineer was very
promptly called 10 the captains Office
20 settle" as soon as he brought his train
into Broad street station
A few years ago, as the result OF a lit
tie friendly chatting" between Mr.. Nc
Leod. late president OF the Reading, ana
prominent newspaper publisher, a speed
test was made on the Bound Brook line 10
New York. special train. made up Of "A
Wooten engine, two coaches and Presi-
dent McieOd's private car, was run be-
hind one OF the fast express trains, The
fastest single mile was run la 80 4-5 sec
onds fastest Eve miles in 3 minutes 70 AS
seconds. and fastest ten miles IN min
utos and Y seconds. or az the rates OF
sOla, "a and S3ia miles an hour.
Such records ana their dates show the
truth Of what has been claimed by mo-
tive power officials Of the railroads for
years. that the locomotives arc. and have
been equal 20 higher rates OF speed than
have been demanded OF them but that
the governing condition Is the charas r.
OF the track. A heavy rail solidly laid on
we'll ballasted road bed is essential for
the safety Of hign-spced trains. The track
must be- 10 clear Of trains that the engi-
neer feels perfectly confident and the fire.
man must be the best ObtainAble. In
fact. some say the fireman has the most
20 DO with success or failure.
The capacity OF a road for general bust
ness however. IL lcssened by putting on
hlRh-Epced trains a. the slower trains
must keep out OF their way n would re-
qure. also. that the signals be- placed a.
"a greater distance apart for the fast
trains, and this again would act diaad-
FantageOuHly on the slow trains. There
Dre not many Of the great roads with
stretches OF track whore the greatest