The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-02-17
A LILL:PUTIAN RAILROAD.
The Smallest Complete Train of Cars
in the World.


Begun in an idle moment in 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 a good
deal more than toy. 1t took long time
to grow, for had not been long anus
ing myself in the building of the train
before the occupation palled upon me
and | threw it aside, half finished.
A year later came across the locomo-
tive pining itself to pieces in corner
of my workshop, and decided to con-
tinue my first incomplete effort at en-
CINE making and see what would come
of it. l made the patterns carefully and
had them cast. Then l 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-
CINE under a full Roadway of steam,
putting and blowing and screeching,
like a real live full-grown locomotive.
If Stephenson felt half as happy over
his clumsy locomotives as l did over my
neat little miniature one, then he must
have been considerably elated.
But an engine without cars is a use
less piece of machinery, and began to
have a glimmer of hope that my toy
was destined to be of some value. So |
set about constructing regular train
of cars. When l had them finished |
found that my locomotive was capable
Il nd Ga, u
that the cars could be loaded with pas
sengerS, and my little engine could still
pull them along at good speed. Then
l extended my track, giving the engine
and cars a run of 400 feet in circle.
Each of my cars could carry three chill
dren or two adults, so you will see that
the locomotive built in my spare time
was no SLOUGH when it came to drawing
power. l have carried as many as Is
passengers in one load, and the locomo-
tive has shown no signs of being over.
burdened.
The weight of the engine is 45C
pounds, the size of the cylinder 11aX2H
inches. The size of the drive wheel is
8 inches, and the length of the engine
and tender feet ~ inches. Eight cars
make a full train.
The cars are IA inches wide and AZ
inches long. The sides are four inches
high, with a seat at each end. Two OF
the cars are 81 inches long and are pro-
| vided with three seats. The tota
weight of the train, including the cars
is about 900 pounds. The gauge of the
| track is SA inches. The tank of the
locomotive holds six gallons of water
| and the boiler is capable of standing q
pressure of from $50 to IT'S pounds.
| am manager, engineer, ticket agent
| and conductor of the train, and have
got to know the peculiarities of the
little locomotive so well that the crea
| ton of my own hands seems to me to bt
the best friend l have in the world.
often wish that l could reduce myself
| to so small a compass as to be able t
| enter the diminutive caboose and ruI
the engine, as does the engineer of al
ordinary sized train. 1t is an odd fan
| cy, but it seems to me that l should be
| come so much more closely acquainted
| with my baby locomotive, and the clos
er become acquainted with it the bet
ter like it. But this being an impos
sibility, l get as close as l can by occu
| plying the car next to the tender
Kneeling here l start and stop tn,
train and regulate her speed.
There was never railroad more pop
ular than mine. Judging from tn
| crowds that flock around me every tim
I go out to my little railroad track, i
| looks as though there were more fui
to be gotten out of my 400 feet of rail
and 900 pounds of train than from an,
| style of travel yet invented. 1t nigh
be supposed that only children woult
be amused by the Lilliputian train, Blu
on the contrary adults seem to fint
more amusement in a ride on one O
my little cars than do the children.
am never short of passengers. The diff
| Guilty is to accommodate the enormou
number of people that come clamorin.
| for ride from nowhere to nowhere an,
| back again on a train that isn't an,
| earthly use, except to furnish amuse
ment to women and children.
AS we can't have too much of a goo
thing, l have decided to build a secon,
Lilliputian train which will be an exac
duplicate of the first, with the exception
of the cylinder, which 1 intend to i'm
prove by making it three-sixteenth
larger in the bore. Then will max
fresh train of cars and hire anothe
engineer, elect myself president an
board of directors of the enlarged raj
road, and at the end of six months,
business keeps up as it has done in III
| past, l shall be able to declare hand
some dividend and add further to tn
rolling stock of the Lilliputian Trai
company.-I. H. Schriver, in N. Y. Hal
| aid.
New Trick by an Old Hand.
The ruling passion of the cabman TO