The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-30

on track conditions, suggestions as to roll
ing stock, or settles disputes which can
not be settled without him. He is enabled
to do this by means of the machinery
which he has invented and which is al
ways at work within the car. The ma
chinery is really the most wonderful part
of the outfit. PART of it looks Ike CYL
Under printing press Cams, cog wheels,
chain belts and indicators reach down I'M
der the car and connect with the axles,
the wheels, and even the track itself.
When the car moves these contrivances
indicate and telegraph the condition Of
the roadbed up through the floor of the
car to the printing cylinder, where little
glass fountain pen write an exact ac-
count of IL all on long rolls of paper. AS
the car moves, MIR. Dudley can sit and
watch his fountain pens write down the
undulation or rolling of each track, how
much the car sways from side to side, how
much grade up or down there is, how
much space there Is between the ends of
two rails, whether one rail Is higher or
lower than the next even by hundredth
of an inch). the number of revolutions Of
the wheels, the speed of the train every
ten seconds, the distance travelled In case
there is any discrepancy In the roadbed,
the apparatus not only records II on pa
per, but ii also drops a large spot of yell
ty spot, so that the track hands may find
and repair the fault without difficulty. At
every mile-post a bell rings within the car.
In fact, every marked singularity, dis
crepancy, or positive fault Is noted by the
fountain pens on the roll of paper. II
the general manager Of a system wishes
to learn the exact condition of roadbed
he has merely 10 ask Mr.. Dudley for a
record. The Dudley home is attached to
a train and dragged over the road. The
machinery in the car operates itself. Mr..
Dudley writes, or draws, or otherwise oc-
cupes his time at his work bench; for he
is an inventor. Mrs Dudley cooks, or
plays the piano, or sketches in water col
or: for she Is an artist. At the end Of the
trip a long roll of manila paper is handed
to the general manager. 1t Is an absolute
" correct record of the condition of the
roadbed.
MIR. Dudley is not a mere reporter Of
track and general roadbed conditions. He
Is a cilivl engineer whose years of ex-
Derience have made him an authority on
mechanical rallroading and whose scien-
tffc researches have resulted In quick
ening the general speed of trains more
than fifty per cent during the last TWEEN
ty-years. In the early seventies he was
employed by railroads In important
branches of construction. His business
occupied all OF his time, and night and
day he was constantly on the move in
quest Of outlying work. It was a most
uncomfortable existence and not at all
compatible with married life. Then he was
struck with the idea Of purchasing a car
and living In it. People, lived in boats
the year round, why not In cars?
Being a man Of means the experiment
was easily tried He bought a wide, sub
etantiai car OF the first class and fitted
il up az a travelling home. The forward
half he furnished as a combined Office
and workshop. Then he installed his desk:
his bookcases and his Instruments The
other half he ltted up 81 a suite Of iiv-