The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-10
FAST RAILWAY TRAVEL
THE ROADS CROSSING INDIANA AND
ILLINOIS IN THE LEAD.
PennsyIvania Is Perfccting It's Block
Attracting Attention. ags

A transportation official who has investi-
gated the matter states that there are more
fast trains run on Indiana roads than on
the roads of any State in the Union, or at
least west of New Jersey. where possibly,
in proportion to the number of trains run,
the exhibit would favor New Jersey, as that
State has the same advantages of level
country and numerous long stretches of
straight track that Indiana roads have. One
thing is noticeable on Indiana and Illinois
roads-the lines that labor under the disad-
vantage of being longer than a competitor
increase speed to meet the time of the
shorter lines. This is the case with Trains
20, q and 2 on the Vandalia and the South
western limited and the Knickerbocker on
the st. Louis division of the Big Four, the
latter having twenty-five miles to overcome.
One Indianapolis line-the Big Four-has
nine fast scheduled trains; the Pennsylva-
MIA lines, Panhandle division, six, including
the fast mail trains, and on the j., NJ & l.
there are two very fast trains. The Knick-
erbocker and White Special, over the Big
Four, as now scheduled between Indianap-
oils and Cincinnati, are the fastest trains
The Monon has four fast trains between In
dianapolis and Chicago. two about the same
number of miles per hour as the White
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton has three trains
each way between indianapolis and Cincin-
natl, which, when distance is considered
are very fast. The Knickerbocker. between
ST. Louis and Cleveland is the fastest
scheduled train in the country for so great
a distance, and without doubt the transport
tation official is correct in his statement
that train schedules on Indiana and Illi-
nois roads are from three to seven miles per
hour faster than trains in most other parts
OF the country. the level topography of
Indiana, unless it be in the southern part,
permits easy grades, and the streams are SO
located as to admit of building level roads,
comparatively free from curves, and as a
consequence a locomotive can make fast
time. In the days when John Brough was
president of the Bee-line as fast time was
often made between Indianapolis and Gallon
as at present, and as years advanced the
Madison q Indianapolis road caused con-
siderable commotion in the country by some
very fast runs for those days, and when the
Terre Haute e. Indianapolis was built the
time schedules of all roads were shortened,
such fast time did that road make even in
its early days. Trains that make fifty-fiVe
to sixty miles an hour, stops taken out, are
not uncommon in Indiana or Illinois. On
the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern in the
southern part of the State, the Lake Shore
and the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne q Chicago
roads, in the northern part some trains are
scheduled for long distances to make over
fifty miles an hour. The Wabash, as well
as the Indianapolis through lines, is making
an enViabe speed record. In fact, there is
hardly a trunk line connection which crosses
Indiana that has not two or more fast
scheduled trains.