Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-21
NEW MATERIAL FOR WAR
Traction Trains Made
From Armored Trains.
MOE coNF1HED TO RAILWAY LINES.

ArmOred Engine and Four Bullet
proof Cnrs-BoIIer, Engine and
Gears Are Well Protected-CarefuI-
~ Studied by Military Nations.
1t has been found in the war in
South Africa that the armored trains
run ON the permanent railroad tracks
have not proved so efficient as was eX-
pected. This is due mainly TO the fact
that the Beers were able TO locate them
so readily, since they were of course
confined to the railroads. After de-
stroying the roadway at any point
they could at once locate their guns to
cover the points where the armored
train would be stopped and prepare to
destroy it on its arrival, for armored
trains are protected only against small
arm fire, it having been found imprac
ticable as yet to protect them against
artillery fire.
But train protected against rifle fire
is still of great service in war, there
fore England decided last fall to have
a number of armored traction trains
constructed for service, says the New
York Sun. AS they go across country
they are not confined to the railroad
lines, and so they cannot be so easily
awaited or taken when seen.
Unprotected traction engines We're
used for transport purposes in 1870.
the Germans moving their siege guns
around Metz by their aid. In the war
in South Africa they have had more
extended application, but when unpro-
tected by armOr they are SO easily sub
ject to capture, even by the enemy's
raiding parties, that they require n con-
voy of troops to protect them. If, how
ever, they were armored, the gun de-
tachments of the guns transported, or,
in case other material is transported, Of
guns specially mounted, could protect
themselves, and artillery would be re-
quired for their capture.
For these reasons England had six
such traction trains constructed, each
consisting of one armored engine and
four bullet proof cars, two of which
were recently completed and tested. In
the test the cars were loaded with pig
iron to represent the load to be carried
on service, and two 6 inch howitzers
were hooked on at the end of the train, |
making the load behind the engine IS |
tons. With this load the engine found |
no difficulty in ascending hill as steep |
as 1 in ID. The engineer has only two |
narrow Sits on each side of the firebox |
as peepholes for observation in steer |
ing. Nevertheless he took part of the |
train zone car and hOwitZer dragging |
behind it, over a newly plowed field |
and through a gate only ten inches /
wider than the engine.
The wheels for ordinary roads have |
riveted to them strips of tees, about |
five inches across and two inches high, |
regular teeth, giving an excel
lent bite on the ground. For very soft |
ground special spuds are provided, |
which are sections of I iron about five
inches deep, Hanged to hook over the
edge of the wheel rim and so arranged /
as to be put on or taken off quickly and |
readily. For still softer ground q rope
Is provided, by means of which when
fastened to any fixed object ahead the
engine can pull itself along. The boil
pr, engine and gears are inclosed in one
quarter inch nickel steel plates capable
Of resisting the small arm bullet at 20
feet, stopping shrapnel or shell frag-
ments.
The cars are designed to take a 6
inch breechloading howitzer and it's
timber inside or Il Al inch gun. If the
guns are dragged along behind, the
rars are used to carry ammunition 600
rounds for howitzer or 125 for Al inch
gun each). The cars are protected by
quarter inch vertical armor and three |
sixteenths inch side armor inclined at
30 degrees. For loading and unloading !
zach car is provided with two inclined
lamps OF heavy steel. The rear of
Zach car can be opened. and by means
If the traction rope the engine can
laul up the load.
This new war material is carefully !
studied by all military nations. since it
will undoubtedly find even greater APP
)lication in n future war and because
" the immense Importance of trans
in general for an army in the
ield. Draft animals everywhere are
,eing displaced by other forms OF pow
IT, and the domain of war is no excep-
ion. 1t is all the more important to
study this new material under the
present circumstances because il is be-
ng tested under war conditions, and
he results will furnish the best availa-
DE data for any future application OF