The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-10-05

suits Of the experiments in high-speed
electrical traction made last autumn
on the specially prepared military rail
way line between Berlin and Zossen.
the fact was noted that as more or
less direct crollary to those tests the
German Society of Mechanical Engi-
neers had offered 4 series Of prizes for
the best design and specifications for
steam locomotive and group of cars
which would collectively form an O.
press train capable of carrying lC9
passengers and their baggage with per-
sonai comfort aid at q speed of sew
enty-fye miles an hour The purpose
Of this competition as was then stated,
is to provide a unit Of the equipment
for the attainment of greatly acceler-
ated speed in railway travel, which
can be adapted to the present State
railways of Prussia without the tear
ing up and relaying Of tracks with
heavier ties ard rails that would be
required for rapid electrical service.
An interesting forecast OF the pend
ing competition has been given by Mr..
Arthur Kirchhoff, editor Of technical
publication in Berlin devoted to engi-
neering and machinery, in which 4 de-
scription is given of certain features
of the new locomotives. which are TO
,be tested over the Berlin-Zossen line
next year The specifications require
that this express engine and train of
the future shah be able to maintain
for three consecutive hours a speed OF
12o kilometers GAO niles m hour,
without stopping for water or fuel and
at a minimum expenditure of motive
power Mr.. Kircbhof's outline of how
this is to be done will have a definite
interest TO American engineers.
During the experiments of last au
tumn an attempt was made to deter
mine as accurately as possible the
waste of power entaIled by the friction
and resistance of air to railway trains
at different rates of speed. 1t was
found that while at speed OF eighty
kilometers Cifty niles per hour this
resistance on stll day was about
thirty-two Kilograms G72 pounds) per
square meter OF the surface of the
front end of the car. the rate increased
very rapidly with the augmentation of
speed, so that n pace Of $50 kilome-
tiers (93.T niles the resistance rose to
seyenty-five Kilograms G57.5 pounds
per square meter of impinging sur
face Every projecting part, every
window, door or other indentation
which could form pocket TO catch the
wind created by such high velocities,
increased the resistance to be over
come. so that in all future experiments
the economy of rapid transit will re-
quire that the factor of air resistance
shall be taken into carefnl account
to be done by enveloping the engine
and train, from pilot to rear platform.
in shell of sheet steel. iointed so as
to secure tlexbility in passing curves.
and so constructed as to inclose the To-
connective and ears in a continuous
tube, uniform throughout in size and
presenting no projecting irregularity
which shall catch the resisting air.
The front of the engine will he pointed
or wedgeshaped. the sheath will in
close as far as possible the running
gear Of the cars, and even the wheels
of both engine and cars viii be closed
disks of metal instead Of, rs now.
spoked wheels with openings to catch
the air.
1t will be remembered that in the re-
cent~cNperiments on the Zossen lire
The electric motors. conductors and
transformers worked to the entire sat.
isfaction of the experts in charge. and
that the maximum practicable speed
and the consequent success of the
trials were limited only by the track.
which gave way rapidly when a speed
exceeding seventy miles an hour was
attained. This was indeed the unex-
pected and most important fact
brought out by the trials. viz, that an
electric motor. as at present construct
ed. exerts at high speed greater strain
upon the roadbed than n steam loco
motive. 1t had previously been
claimed, with apparent reason, that
being a rotary motor. without the re,
ciprocating motion OF pistons and con-
meeting rods. the electric locomotive
would avoid the pounding of the track
caused by the unbalanced parts and
oscillating strain OF the steam locomQ-
tive. 1t was therefore a surprise 10
find that above 4 certain speed the
strain exerted on the rails by the elec-
trio engines was even greater and
more fatal. This is now explained by
the fact that the centre of gravity in
the electric engine hangs much lower
than in the steam machine, and, what
is still more important, the whole
weight of the steam boilers. cylinders.
pilot, etc, is carried on springs, while in
the electric engines used at the tasals
the motors and all the heavier work
ing parts were hung directly upon the
axles. thus adding crushing weight
to the blow delivered by the wheels
upon the end of each rail. Attempts
have since been made to devise q sys-
tenn Of springs to avoid or tighten this
defect, but, so far as can be learned.
with only very limited success.