Evening star., 1902-08-12
TO ATTAIN HIGH SPEED.
Forecast Of Experiments to Be Tried in
GERMANY,

In a consular report written IN April last,
summing up concisely the practical results
Of the experiments in htgh-speed electrical
traction made last autumn on the specially
prepared military railway line between Ber-
lin and Zossen, the fact was noted that as
a more or less direct corollary 10 those
tests the German Society of Mechanical
Engineers had offered a series Of prizes for
the best design and specifications for
steam locomotive and group of cars, which
would collectively form an express train
capable of carrying 100 passengers and their
baggage with personal comfort and at
speed of seventy-fve miles an hour. The
purpose of this competition, was then
stated, is to provide a unit Of the equipment
for the attainment of greatly accelerated
speed in railway travel which can be adapt
ed to the present state railways of Prussia
without the tearing up and relaying of
tracks with heavier ties and rails that
would be required for rapid electrical serv-
ice.
According to Consul General Mason at
Berlin, an interesting forecast Of the pend
ing competition has been given by MIR.
Arthur Kirchhoff, editor Of technical
publication in Berlin devoted to engineering
and ma chinery, in which a description Is
given of certain features of the new loco
motives, which are to be tested over the
Berlin-Zossen line next year. The speci-
fications require that this express engine
and train Of the future shall be able to
maintain for three consecutive hours a
speed Of 100 kilometers CAS- miles) an hour.
without stopping for water or fuel, and at
a minimum expenditure of motive power.
Mr. Kirchhoffs outline of how this Is to be
done will have definite interest to Ameri-
can engineers.
During the experiments Of last autumn
an attempt was made to determine as ac-
curately as possible the waste OF power en-
tailed by the friction and resistance Of air
to railway trains at different rates of speed.
1t was found that while at speed of so
kilometers go miles) per hour this resist
ance on a still day was about 80 Kilograms
(672 pounds) per square meter of the sur
face Of the front end Of the car, the rate
increased very rapidly with the augmenta-
ton of speed. so that at pace Of 150 kilo-
meters (93.7 miles) the resistance rose to IS
Kilograms Q575 pouuds) per square meter
of impinging surface.
Every projecting part, every window. door
or other indentation which could form a
pocket to catch the wind created by such
high velocities increased the resistance to
be overcome, SO that In all future expert
ments the economy of rapid transit will re-
quire that the factor OF air resistance shall
be taken into careful account. This, ac-
cording to Mr. Kirchhoff Is to be done by
enveIoping the engine and train, from the
pilot to the rear platform, in a shell of
sheet steel tointed so as to secure hexfbility
In passing curves. and SO constructed as to
inciose the locomotive and cars in a oontin-
uous tube, uniform throughout in size and
presenting no projecting irregularfty which
shall catch the resisting air. The front of
the engine will be pointed or wedge
shaped, the sheath will inclose as far as
possible the running gear of the cars and
even the wheels of both engine and cars
Will be closed disks Of metal instead Of as
now. spoked wheels with openings to catch
the air.