The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-08-06
Vanderbilt ENGINE
ON SOUTHERN ROADS
Invention of Cornelius Civ
ing Him a Fortune.
SPEEDY AND ECONOMICAL
Secret Of Its Superiority Lies in Large
and Better Arranged Fire-Box.
Young Millionaire's Love Story.

southern railroads have taken up the
locomotive invented by Cornelius Van
uerblIt. the younger of that name. who
has Just effected a reconciliation with
his family, after an estrangement of sew
eral years, brought about by his mar
rlage with Grace Wilson. in spite OF his
fathers opposition, and the invention
has proved to be such a success that
dozens of big locomotives have been or
dered.
Several OF them are already in opera
! ton Oh the mountainous sections of the
Southern systems. and they have shown
themselves to be the superior in strength
and speed to all of the older types.
The secret of the value Of the inven-
tion lies in the fire-box of the lOcomo-
tive, which is forward Of the driving
wheels and close to the tracks
It is an old rule in locomotive build
ing that for heavy work, requiring great
strength the fire-box must be as close
to the drivers as possible, placing the
weight where it is going to lie upon
the drivers. thus preventing them from
slipping when an attempt is made 10
start the train.
In getting up speed the drivers must
have none of this weight upon them,
lightness then being the requisite.
Strong and Fast.
Naturally, in the older types of en-
gines this was impossible. so two types
were used. one for heavy work and the
other for speed.
In the Vanderbilt locomotive the fire
box and driving wheel are almost in
the center of the engine and two small
wheels which are technically known as
"trailers" are located where the drivers
are in the older types.
By this means the engine possesses
both strength and speed. The fre-box
itself is much larger than the older
| types, thus having larger CRATE space
! and being capable of developing more
steam in less time than any other
| known locomotive.
The machines do not cost any more
than the ordinary ones, while the saw
ing is about 80 per cent. The engines are
constructed by the American LOcOmo-
tive Company which has plants in
Schenectady. y. Y. Memphis. Tenn, and
in several other States
Saves One Engine.
The roads which have adopted the To-
comotives, are the Chesapeake and Ohio,
the Norfolk and Western and the Sea
board Air Line. The largest engine IL.
the world Of this type, which is known as
I 10 Il In m
the mountain lines of the Chesapeake
and Ohio. Before the road adopted the
Atlantic type OF engine it was the Gus
tom 10 double head" CT use two engines
to each train going over the mountains.
| Now only one Atlantic is used. 1t is said
! that there are no less than fifty OF the
| Vanderbilt engines now at work in the
South and that thi-ty-fve more have
been ordered
Experts say the invention is one of the
NEST valuable OF the age, and had Van
derbilt been born poor instead OF being
a millionaire, he would have soon Joined
the latter ranks anyway. According to
the reports he receives a cash payment
for every engine constructed. which
means that from now on he is sure Of an
income of about $500 Geo year
Vanderbilt is the Oldest OF the name
Of the younger generation and he was
trained by his father. the late Cornelius
/ Vanderbilt, who was then the head OF
the family, to take charge Of the gigan-
tic interests Of the Vanderbilts. Young
Cornelius. however, fell in love with his
present wife. and his marriage was VIC
lently opposed by his father. It was at
| the end OF a scene over the matter that
the elder Vanderbilt pitched forward on
the floor unconscious, having been
stricken with apoplexIy He recovered
/ consciousness fingered several months
and then died
Young Vanderbilt married the woman
Of his choice. anyway. and when his
fathers will was read Il was found that
his brother Alfred had been made the
head OF the family. and that to him had
been beQueathed nearly all OF the family
fortune.
Threatened Suit.
Cornelius had been at work in the
shops of the family railroad. and he
produced the now famous locomotive a
few weeks after his marriage. Then he
threatened to sue for his share of the
fortune and Alfred compromised by di-
viding. paying over 10 Cornelius ST.
OOO 600.
In the meantime Cornelius suffered an
| attack OF typhoid fever which nearly
| caused his death. Then his mother and
sisters called, and truce in the family
| war was declared.
4 While all of this was going on the
railroads were experimenting with the
| engines, and they were discovered TO DC
4 the best. Finally two days ago dis
patches announced that the reconcilia-
ton had taken place. and about the
same time the roads sent in the order
Tor the thirty-hve new machines, the
news of both reaching Vanderbilt. Ii is
/ said, on the same day.