Cañon City record., 1898-02-24
THE SMALLEST RAILROAD
Built by q Denver Business Man
as a Pastime
A Lilliputian Engine and Train Com
plete in Every Detail and
Capable of Carrying Sew
eral People.

Begun in an idle moment il order to
amuse myself, the Lilliputian train that
has caused so much curious comment
throughout the country grew TO be
practical working model that is good
deal more than toy. 1t took long time
TO grow, for had not been lcng anus
ing myself in the bailding Of the train
before the occupation palied upon me
and / threw il aside. half finished.
4 year later came across the locomo-
tive pining itself TO pieces in a corner
Of my workshop, and 1 decided to con
tiEue my first incomplete effort at en-
gine making and see what would come
or it. / made the patterns carefully and
had them cast. Then put them togeth-
er. built a miniature track. filled the
boiler with water, lighted The fire in the
furnace. and away went my little en-
gine under full headway of steam,
putting ard blowing and screcchiug.
like n real live fuli-grown locomotive.
If Stephenson felt half as happy over
his clumsy locomotives as did over my
neat little miniature one, then he must
have been considerably elated
But an engine without cars is use
less piece of machinery. and began to
have a glimmer OF hope that my toy
was destined 10 be Of some va.ue. So
set abuGs constructing a II guar train
of cars. When ! had them nished
= lErd that my locomotive was capable
u drawing eight care, ard .ui. .-efu u,cr.-.
SaI Z c=Ts could se ga, s5 N.sh ia-
-,-g :, I'D my Iiit!g Lzi,=c 5aid So
ull ihSm along at q good sFetd. ThrA
extended my track. giving the engine
md cars run Of 400 feei in 4 circle.
Zach OF my ears could carry three Chi
dren or TWO adults, SO you will see that
the locomotive built in my spare time
was no sIouch whcu it came TO drawing
power. | have carried as many rs j,
Z lsseugers in one load. and the ioeomo-
tive has shown no signs of being over
burdened.
The weight of the engine is $50
pounds, the size of tbs. cylinder l1sN2i1s
.aches. The size of the drive wheel is
) inches. and the length of the engine
and tender feet IA inches. Eight cars
make full train.
The cars are II inches wide and -
inches long. The sides are four inches
bigh. with a seat at each end Two of
lhe cars are 81 inches long and are pro-
yided with three seats The total
weight of the train, including the cars.
about 900 pounds. The gauge Of the
aek is 81 iaches, The tank Of the
connective holds six gallons Of water.
ad the boiler is capzbie OF standing q
iessure Of from $50 10 rs pounds.
am manager. engineer. ticket agent
.ad conductor Of the train. and have
ct TO kEuw the peeuiiarities Of the
iitle locomotive so well that the crea-
-1a Of my own hands seems 10 me 10 be
- best friend have in the world |
ften WiSh thar / could reduce n;yss.lf
. SO small a compass as 10 be able TO
afer The diniuutive cabocse aud run
Sc engine. as does The engineer OF an
.tC;baIE sized train. II is an e5d fan
-. but it seems 10 tne that Shouts be
me 50 much mere closely acquainted
sh my baby locomotive. and the clos
: / heconae acqualpted with /, the bet
s-r like D. But this being az impos-
billy get as ciose rs car b. occu-
ing the car nsSt to the tender
.aaeIing here start ard stop the
rain aud gu,afe her speed.
There was never railroad more pop
ar than mine. Judgine frem the
-oWds that fork aIoued use every time
- uui 70 nay ;lttle raliroad track. ii
.oks as tough ihegc were more fuu
be EoieE cur OF my 80 fee, Of rails
- 800 peGHCs Of train ttaR f.cn suy
.ylr OF travel yet invented /, might
supposed tha, only children woulf
!. amused b. the Lill'Tuf:aa train. Int
the contrary admits seem 10 find
ore amusement in ride on one Of
Iittle rars than 90 the children.
m never short Of passengers The diff
,ulty is TO accommodate the enormous
number Of people that come e'amoriug
Tor a ride from nowhere to nowhere and
back again on 4 train that ism, any
earthly use, exeep, 20 furnish amuse-
ment to women and children.
As we can't have too much of good
thing. have decided TO build seeord
Liiliputian train which win be an exact
duplicate of the first. with the exception
of the cylinder which intend TO i'm
prove by making it three-siNteenths
larger in the bore, Theu I will make
a fresh train OF cars and hire another
engineer. elect myself president and
board of directors Of the enlarged rail-
road. and at the end Of six months, II
business keeps up as 1t has done in the
past. shall be able to declare a hand
some dividend aud add further 70 the
rolling stock OF the Lllilput.an Train
enmpany,--I. Fl, schriver, in y. Y, Hsr-
aid,