The Topeka state journal., 1905-06-07
Trial Train Makes 468 Miles in
40 Minutes.
Pennsylvania Establishes Is
Hour Schedule Chicago to n. Y.
FIRST TRIP SUNDAY.
Average Speed of About so Miles
Per Hour Necessary.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Chlcago, June From Pittsbrrs
to Chicago, 46S miles in 49O minutes
was the result of a test run made bv
special train of six cars over the
pennsylvania railroad 1t demon
strated to the satisfaction of the
pennsylvania officials on the train that
SO far as the lines west of Pittsburp
are concerned there will be no trouble
IN maintaining a schedule of eighteen
hours from Chicago to New York for
the new Pennsylvania special which
VIII start on its initial trip next Sunday
WIN the distinction of being by long
odds the fastest long distance train in
Exactly at 8 o'clock the test train
started from the Pennsylvania depot in
Plttsburg, being made up of five ordi-
nary coaches and the official car of
General Manager Peck. With him on
the train were A. M. Schoyer, general
superintendent; S. C. Scott, assistant to
the hrst vice president; Thomas Rod
ney, chief engineer and J. B. McKim
superintendent of the western division
Alliance Reached in IS Minutes.
The first stop of the test train was
made at Alliance, Ohio, SO miles from
PfttSburg. The run was made in 85
minutes. Four minutes more were
spent in taking water for the engine
and inspecting the train. The train
then started on a run of 106 miles to
Crestline, Ohio, and the distance was
covered in 105 minutes. Three more
minutes were spent in changing en-
gines at Crestline. making the time of
the train 1874 minutes for the 1891
miles from Pittsburg
With the second engine the train
ran from Crestline to Fort Wayne,
Ind, 131 miles, in 125 minutes. Dur
ing the run a speed of over ninety
miles an hour was maintained for
over twenty miles. At Fort Wayne
another change of engines and careful
inspection of the train consumed five
minutes more. Then the train started
run from Fort Wayne to Englewood,
142 miles, was made in 146 minutes.
Twenty minutes we're required to
make the run of six miles to the union
depot, where the train arrived at 4:10
o'clock. exactly eight hours and ten
minutes after leaving Pittsburg.
Average Speed 57.94 Miles an Hour.
Including all stops for water, chang
ing engines. train inspection, slowing
down in cities en- route, etc, the train
maintained an average speed of 57.94
miles per hour.
The pennsylvania special. which
goes into service next Sunday, must
maintain an average speed of 1888
miles an hour to run from Chicago to
New York in eighteen hours. The
test trip made yesterday, therefore,
was made at an average speed OF over
eight miles an hour faster than the
average which the pennsylvania spe-
ciaI' must maintain between here and
New York. All the Pennsylvania offi-
ciaIs declared that the run could have
been made yesterday in much less
time, but that they only desired to
make such a run as they can count on
the pennsylvania speciaP' making
every day if necessary
Make Fastest Time to Pittsburg.
The mileage of the Pennsylvania
>system from here to New York, over
the route of the 'sPennsylvania spe-
cial," using the Trenton cutoff and not
stopping at Philadelphia, is S97 miles.
The fastest time will be made between
here and Pittsburg, because OF the
mountains which must be crossed east
of there. If the PENNSYLVANIA spe-
cial7 duplicates the schedule of the
test train yesterday and makes the
run of 468 miles from here to Pitts
burg in eight hours and ten minutes
it will have nine hours and fifty min
utes in which to make the 429 miles
between Pittsburg and New York, or
an average of 1926 miles an hour
New York Central May Compete.
At a conference held in New York
between the operating and traffic Off
cials of the New York Central and
Lake Shore railroads it will be decid-
ed whether to make the schedule of