Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-23
Suspect Apprehended.
MoNoRAI1 LINE TO WASHINGTON
Projected Railway Enterprise That
Will Exploit q New System

A dispatch from Baltimore last night
says: If the statements recently made nv
MT George Upshur of New York city ma
terialize. Baltimore may soon see a mono
rail- line In active operation between WASH
ington and this city. The model of the
line Is the one recently patented by Mr. E..
L. Tunfs Of Windsor Hills, who has for
several years been experimenting on the
monorail system.
Mr.. Upshur, who was in Baltimore last
week ana stopped at Mount Holly Inn, I'M
folded to a reporter for the American an
outline Of the plan of the recently incorpo.
rated monorail company, which, he says,
hopes to purchase Tunis' invention and
put it into practical operation
Mr.. E. L. Tunts' monorail, which was in
vented about four years ago. has been one
or the most curious sights to be seen IN
Windsor Hills for several years.
AS the word "monorair' implies, the car
runs upon but one track, and as the vehicle
Is balanced to nicely the statement that
marvellous speed can be made is not to be
disputed. In order to test the feasibility
OF his invention Mr.. Tunis constructed a
circular one-ratl track, about half a mile
in length.
The car, which Is about twenty-five feet
long. rests upon two wheels. one in front,
the other in the rear. The wheels are both
equipped with double fianges, to prevent
them slipping from the rail- Upon the top
wheels, which are attached to a springlike
contrivance. allowing the wheels to give
readily. The wheels are arranged so that
they At directly on two trolleys, heavy
strips of wood, which run parallel with the
track and even with the top Of the car.
These trolleys, while not Of sufficient
strength for practical usage, were yet suf-
ficient for the experiment, which proved a
great success With the two wheels be-
meath the car securely on the rail, and sup
ported by the four wheels on the top rest
ing on the trolleyS, the car was balanced tn
a nicely, and moved along easily and rap.
idly.
The means Of locomotion consist Of a
ten-horse power steam engine, located in
the front part of the car. The direct
means Of locomotion are a system of chain
and cogs attached to the engine and the
axle Of the wheels beneath the car The
entire dimensions Of Mr.. Tunis' memorial
about twenty-five feet; width, three and a
half feet; height, six and a half feet
According to Mr.. Upshur, 1t is the inten-
ton of the company which intends buyfnR
the Tunis monorail to construct cigar
shaped cars for use between Baltimore and
structed OF wood at present, will necessa-
rily be changed. It Is said that thew will
be made of steel and charged with electric
ity. The idea of having them Of steel is ia
lessen the probability Of rust, and also to
insure an open circuit for the electric cur.
rents
From the trolleys electricity will be in
troduced through the wheels on the top of
the car to a motor, which will, 1t is said,
compose the future means of the monorail
locomotfon. The cars will probably be
made about sixty feet long, and cigar
shaped. as stated above, in order to offer
the least resistance possible to the ele-
meQtS