The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-06-18
AS to $50 Miles an Hour.

L 81 Il 81
speed Of 1s0 miles an hour? That is
theiauestion that was asked to num-
berpf enginemen ON different roade.
They all agreed that the soienoe Of
engine building might in time develop
80 that an engine could be built to:
make the speed. but said that they
were engine runners, not engine build.
ers. 10 MS " IS Ss ]
"Can man stand it todrive sns en-
gine at that speed?" was asked OF
Pennsylvania engineman.
Il suppose" said he. "that q man
could stand it for little while. The
general public has no idea Of the strain
on the engineman, and the f>ster' the
speed the greater the strain. When
ya0get up to 50 miles an hour you
are going the pace that makes young
mold. When an engineman on one
Of the fast trains that run into this
cityleaves his seat he ia eften. ner-:
vous and worn out. He is sometimes
in the condition that in woman
would be called bysterical.
There are men on this road, in fact.
on all roads, who will not take fast
passenger run. They are splendid
freight runners, but when they get on
a passenger train they cannot make
the time, and, no matter how much
they dislike to do SO, they have to go.
back TO freight train. The engine
man has to keep his eyes riveted on
the rails ahead Of him. He must be
prepared to see any danger that may
suddenly present itself, and he must
be watching for signals at stations and
in blocks.
"This is terrible strain on the
nerves Of his eyes, and it is bound to
tell on man before long, especially
If he has great deal Of night run
ming. At night the shadows bother
hinsa great deal, and many an engine
manhae been badly scared by them.
In fact, everything about running an
engine tends to rack the brain and
disturb the nerves. Il the engines
get SO running $50 miles an hour q
new set Of men with new kinds OF
contributions must be secured to run
them"
r. L. Ettinger, mechanical engi-
neer Of the Big Four and o recognized
authority in his line, was asked if an
engine could be driven $50 miles an
hour.
''Not as thsy arc constructed at
present" replied Mr.. Ettinger. Call
the power in an engine of the ordinary
size is exhausted in running it at a
speed of 85 miles an hour, although
it could not haul train at that speed.
The highest speed attained by an en-
gine is 100 miles an hour, and that
under the most favorable circum.
stances and for short distance.
Before a greater speed could be
obtained there must be radical
change in the construction Of locomo.
tives. If wheel large enough for
the speed was made, the internal fric-
tion Of the engine would use up al!
the power. Then there would have to
be radical change in track building
for an engine to make 150 miles an
hour. At the present time the track
curves are elevated for speed averz
| aging 50 miles an hour and the more
speed the more elevation needed"
DO you think ii is possible for an
engineman to drive locomotive $50
miles an hour?''
"That is question chat is hard to
answer. Men &c things eva1y day
that at first seem impossible, and
would not want to say that it
would be impossible, for an engine
man to drive, 9 locomotive at
that speed. But If he did he would
have to be protected great deal more
,. that he is now. For instance, he
! coa'd not put his head QUE IF the cab
window as he does now, for the force
would be 90 great that he could not
breathe. And there are q good many
things that would have to be changed.
l. s.ore q locomotive could haul train
15O miles an hour. This is prob
lem that up to this time no one 20 my
knowledge has tried to solve-the
speed problem along the lines you