Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-12-07

France Holds First Piae. for Long Fast
Runs.

great care, has compiled several ta-
bles, showing the fastest trains, the
distances they run, and their speeds,
on the leading railroads of the world.
The tables will, observes the Scien-
tific American, be in some respects
particularly gratifying to American
readers, although it must be confessed
that in respect to the total number
of fast long-distance trains, France,
which of late years has made wonder
fld strides in the development Of her
railroads, easily holds the premier po-
sition. Under the table of the fastest
booked speeds, from start to stop, this
country heads the list with four nota-
BILE trains which are run on the Phila-
delphia & Reading and Pennsylvania
railroads, from Camden to Atlantic
CITY. The two Philadelphia & Read
ing trains cover the distance of 559
miles at the rate of 66.6 miles an hour,
while the two Pennsylvania railroad
trains run between the same points
a distance of 80 miles at the rate OF
64.3 miles an hour. Following these
is French train which runs the dis
tance from Morceux to Bordeaux, 67S
miles, at the rate of GIG miles per
hour, and next to this are four
trains on the Camden-Atlantic City
lines, with speeds of 81 and COS
miles an hour Then follows train
on the Paris Amiens route, which
covers 818 miles at speed of 6O.5
miles an hour. The next two fast
runs are short ones of ] ) miles from
Dorchester to Wareham in England,
which are booked to be made at a
speed of 60.1 miles an hour 1t is a
significant fact that out of 43 express
es, with a speed of over 55.5 miles an
hour, these Dorchester-W Wareham
trains and three trains on the Gale
donian railroad, two of which cover
325 miles at 59.1 miles an hour and
56.5 miles an hour, and the third 500
miles at 55.6 miles an hour, are the
only ones that represent the English
railroads; although it is but a few
years ago that English roads were SUI
preme in the matter of speed among
the railroads of the world. Out of a
total of 81 trains given in this table,
there are only three other English
trains which have a speed of So miles
an hour or over. Summing up, we
find that America heads the list in
point of speed, with 23 trains while
France has 26 trains and England
eight in the table referred to.
The credit for running the fastest
long distance train in the world is due
to the Orleans & Midi railroad, whose
train from Paris to Bayonne, a dis
tance Of 1861 miles, is run at a speed,
including six stops, Of j413 miles an
hour. This is better than the Empire
State express, which runs from New
York to Buffalo, 40 miles. at a rate.
including four stops, Of 1888 miles
an hour, The best work Of the Eng
lish railroads is that done on the
Great Northern from Kings Cross to
Edinburgh, a distance of 3935 miles,
which is covered at an average speed.
including three stops, of 5O.1 miles
per hour.
We have said that by virtue Of the
high average speed and great number
of its long-distance express trains,
France holds the premier position to-
day, q statement which is borne out
by the fact that there are 13 expresses
which are booked to run at average
speeds, including stops, of from 51.3
to 57.7 miles per hour, over distances
of from 1873 to 1864 miles. The fast
est of these, which runs from Bay
onne to Bordeaux, covers a distance
of 1873 miles at 51.7 miles per hour,
with two stops, while the most credit
ablerunis one from Paris to Bayohne,
of 1861 miles, at 51,4 miles an hour,
above referred to.
Commenting upon this very inter
esting and impartial communication,
the Engineer and Engineering have
taken very different and very charac-
,teristic points of view Engineering
accepts the situation with the remark
that it is "mortifying to observe what
an extremely poor show is made by
Great Britain in field in which she
was long preeminent," and adds that
"if we take into account the special
conditions in each case, the American
performances are made to appear even
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