The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-11
RAILWAY AMID ETERNAL SNOW.
1t Runs to the Peak Of the Jung
frau In Switzerland.

1t Runs to the Peak OF tine jung
fran In Switzerland.
The view from the top Of the Jungfrau,
the most famous peak Of the Bernese
Overland almost exactly 1900 feet above
sea level, Is considered unique. The as
cent is no longer regarded as a great feat
But 1t Is tedious and impracticable for nom
climbers. Hence the desire to build rail-
way up the Jungfrau, which, with its fell
lows, the Monch and the Eiger. and its
beautiful satellites, the Silberhorn and the
Schneehorn, close to the ridge Of the
Jungfrau, offers a most magnificent, awe
inspiring spectacle.
The Scheidegg rack railway allows us to
admire this grand panorama. The Jung
frau railway takes us right up to the
Eiger glacier, penetrates by tunnels into
the Eiser and is to proceed round the back
OF the Eiger to the Monch and the jung
fraujoch and finally into the Jungfrau.
The last 240 feet up to the top of tho Jung
frau are to be accomplished with the aid
Of an elevator.
III the project be carried out, 1t cannot
be completed within the period Of six
years first specified. An observatory Is to
be built on the top of the Jungfrau, on
which the Jungfrau Railway Company Is
to expend q minimum Of $4,000, and the
company is further to contribute 1900 an
nually toward the research. Already one
and three-eighths Of mile have been
built, to height Of $3.50 feet above the
sea level. and in laying out the remainder
attention had to be paid to Eiger. to the
Monch and the Jungfraujoch and has been
met with at an inconveniently low level,
so that there will be an incline on this
section. The total length of the line will
be IT miles.
Fourteen trains run at present daily on
the paxt Of the line already opened. and
l. 49, fAA1 L.. ~~-t
neering, Is to be further extended for the
new length of the line up through the
eternal SHOWS. The current comes from
the central station at Lauterbrunnen,
which now gives 1000 horsepower. The
addition of two Escher-Wyss turbines. now
being erected. will place 1900 horsepower
at the disposal Of the railway company.
The water is that Of the White Lutschine.
The intake is close to the famous but
somewhat too misty staubbach fall. Each
electric generator driven by the water tur-
bine yields currents of 500 amperes and
1000 volts. The two new dynamos Of the
Oerlikon company are for the same speed,
but of higher power, 800 against 500 horse
power.
Lightning has several times visited the
station, without even blowing any fuses.
little damage was done. however, In one
case, where lightning must have struck
the pressure conduit somewhere and, pass
ing along it, got into the turbine. 1t
pierced one Of the Ruffard rings and es-
capped through the asbestos insulation Of
the generator without doing further harm.
1t must not be forgotten, in reading so
much about lightning conductors in such
installations, that even moderate-sized
houses in Switzerland often bear two or
three lightning rods. The first electric
car was fitted with two motors. each of
125 horsepower. The second has two
motors cf 100 horsepower. They run at
760 revolutions. The question of brakes is
naturally very important. Ample provis-
ion seems to have been made.-Engineer-
ing.