The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-27
Atmospheric Resistance to Railroad
Trains.

we illustrated and commented at con-
siderable length upon the remarkable
speed of over sixty-two miles made by
bicyclist paced by locomotive over
mile of measured track. In speak
ing Of the lessons in air-resistance
taught by this performance. we re-
ferred to the proposal Of Mr.. F. U.
Adams to sheathe railroad train, and
give it cross section similar to the
shield used in this bicycle trial-this
with view to proving the correctness
of his theory that atmospheric resist
ance could be greatly reduced, and the
speed proportionately increased, by
building train with something Of the
wcdge.shaped ends and smooth aud
continuous lines that characterize the
models Of steamships.
Thanks to the enterprise Of the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad. full-sized
train has been equipped on the lines
suggested, and series Of trials is now
being made under working conditions,
and under system Of chronometcr
timings which should preclude all pos
sibility of error. On another page
will be found an illustration Of the
train and an account Of the trial run
of forty miles between Baltimore and
Washington. We are free to confess
that. unless there has been some error
in the timing or the distances, the re-
suits are without parallel, and may
be taken as establishing record in
high-speed railroad travel
While it is true that forty miles has,
on other occasions, been run at a
higher average speed than sixty-four
miles an hour the record has
never been made under such un-
favorable circumstances. The pre-
sent run was made from tart to
stop with one showdown to
twenty miles-an hour, aud the line, on
account of it's grades and curvature, is
not to be compared with the straight
and level stretches of track over which
phenomenal speeds have been hitherto
attained.
The most surprising records on this
trial (Which are such as may well
strain the credulity Of railroad men)
were obtained over the 20'1 miles from
Annapolis junction to Trinidad, which
were covered at the rate Of 1876 miles
an hour. THE would be remarkable
performance for 57-ton engine if it
were hauling train Of ITO tons over a
level road; but when we bear in amind
that the first z miles was on an up
grade of from 26t0 55 feet to the mile,
and that to maintain the high average
the last miles Of downgrade yes run
at the rate Of 1923 miles per hour, it
is evident that some abnormal ccndi-
tions must have been present to, rem
der such feat possible. There. is no
authentic record of such a speed hsv-
ing been attained, even Cor one mile;
for although speed Of 112 miles an
hour was claimed to have been made
by the Empire State Express, the
officials Of the New York Central Road
have rejected the record as being
doubtful.
It has been pointed out by Mr..
Rous-Martin, who spends most Of his
time npon the ,footplate Of express en-
gines, and is the accepted authority
on the subject, that liberal percent
age must be deducted from most Of
the so.oalled record speeds Of trains
(particularly where the distances are q
mile or less than mile in lengthy, be-
cause an error Of very small fraction
in the timing will make very large
error in the estimated speed per hour.
We are informed by Mr. Adams that
error was guarded against in the case
Of the Baltimore and Ohio train, by
providing five timekeepers and taking
the average Of the times recorded by
the stop watches as each station was
passed. There was close agreement
between the watches as to the time
occupied in running from Alexander
junction to Trinidad, and if tho dis
tance is, as stated, exactly FIVE miles,
the record Of over 1O0miles an hour
must be taken ss established. :.
The results Of this most interesting
experiment are not so surprising, if we
bear in mind what the Windshield has
done for the bicyclist. The fastest
riders can barely cover mile, un-
p1ced, in two minutes; but with mo-
to.cycle to pace him rider has made
tho distance in one minute and nine.
teen seconds, and behind the more