The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-12

distances which seperate the various
centres make rapid transit very desir-
able, If not imperative, and the author
tiles have for number of years given
much attention to improvements in the
freight service. Commissions have been
sent out to various countries to study
the methods of more experienced
nations. The methods followed in the
United States We're followed with spe-
cial attention, more particularly in re-
gard to the use of continuous air-brakes
on good trains.
70 the outsider it has always appeared
illogical that in Europe passenger trains
should invariably be SO equipped, while
freight trains with their enormous
weight and momentum are unprovided
with proper brake appliances to stop
them quickly in case of need. The in
PRODUCTION of continuous brakes on pas
senger trains has, no doubt, been bene-
fetal and reduced the number of ac-
cidents, but any one who studies the
question will notice that almost every
week there are serious accidents due to
freight trains being unable to stop in
time, or to parts breaking away on in
clines The Russian government, which
has, for number of years, used air.
brakes on its passenger trains, has de-
cided to provide its freight and military
trains with the same appliance, thus
enabling them to increase speed and
safety simultaneously. A few months
ago mention was made in these columns
that a beginning had been made in that
direction by giving the Westinghouse
Brake Company a contract for several
million rubles for freight brakes, but
the matter has been carried an import
ant step further The official journal
of the Ministry of Ways and Communi-
cations now contains a ministerial order
to all Russian railway companies (pri-
vate railways as well as the state rail-
ways) to equip their freight rolling stock
which runs in direct traffic with the
Westinghouse quick-acting brake in
four years from January, 1899. Russia
will thus be the first country in Eu-
rope which will use continuous air.
brakes for it's freight and military
trains. The Russian Westinghouse COM
pany which works under the general
management of Mr.. A. kapteyn of
London, has erected a fine factory in
st. Petersburg, equipped with all the
best tools and appliances. A large foun-
dry is now being added to this factory
in order to insure the quality of the
castings and malleable iron fittings
The Westinghouse brake, which has
been adopted in so many countries and
which is well-nigh universal on the Eu
ropean, American and Australian con-
tinents, seems to be so far the only sys-
tenn which is practicable on long freight
trains And, although the expense of
installing it is considerable, still, i'm
portant advantages are secured by Its
use, in the way of increased speed and
security, while it realizes a notable
economy in the cost of maintenance of
rolling stock, the number of brakemen
on the train Commercially, therefore,
as American experience has long since
shown, the expense of equipping freight
trains with air-brakes should not stand
in the way of this valuable improve
ment in railway practice Most elabo-
rate technical instructions have been
published in the official messenger of
the Ministry of Ways and Communi-
cations, according to which it is calcu-
lated that $4,000 engines and 300, 900
freight cars are to be fitted with the
new brake 20 per cent of the latter are
to be equipped with complete Westing
house apparatus and the rest with con-
Meeting pipes. London Times.