The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-08
AMERICAS 5 FAST TRAINS
Hold the Record Against Those
of Any Other Country.
NO CHAMPION IN FRANCE
Great Weight Of Cars and Engines
Facilitate High Speed-Fastest
Trains in America Run Between
Camden and Atlantic City-Time
Lost by Grade CROSSINGS,

Sdfnuen ana Atlantic city lme
Lost by Grade Crossings.
Shortening the time of running on
the Zossen Road in Germany so that
the regular schedule makes it neces-
sary for the trains to maintain speed
of sixty-two miles an hour, or twelve
miles an hour more than the previous
speed, has again raised the question
as to what countries have the fastest
service. For years the railroad men
of Germany, France, England, and the
United States have laid claim to the
champion speed transit the contro-
versy narrowing down to the Amer
ican and German fiers. w. A.
Schulze, in compilation of statistics,
would make it appear that the fast
service in Germany is considerably
superior to that of the roads in the
United States, while George G.. Tunell,
the champion of the American trains,
asserts that Mr.. Schulze arrived with.
out warrant at the astonishing con-
clusion that the trains of Germany
average better in point of speed than
those of any other country.
There is no champion for France,
which for some time held the record
breaking train of the world and even
Great Britain is not represented by
any one to uphold her claims, as was
done some years ago.
"One thing, and very important
factor not generally recognized in dis.
puteS about the fastest trains, is that
the Americans are seriously hampered
by the necessary slowing up at grade
crossings and that our people do not
observe or have laws saving them
from danger and giving the trains the
right of the road. Abroad if man
walks on the railroad track he is ar
rested and heavily punished. Here if
he walks on the tracks the railroads
have to pay for his supposed value.
Even with these handicaps we still
beat them.
The Empire State Express of the
New York Central and Hudson River
Railroad has been in service since
Oct. 26, 1891. 1t makes the run from
New York to Buffalo, 440 miles, in
hours and Is minutes. The average
speed, including four stops, two OF
them being made with a change of en-
gines and with twenty-eight slow
downs for crossings, is 49.303 miles
an hour. In certain places the speed
is terrific.
"One reason why these remarkable
speeds can be made with safety is
because of the great weight of the
engines and the cars. 1t is interesting
to note the difference with the fiers
on the other side. On our train the
weight Of the cars is 227 tons, loco
motive $50 tons, the total being 427
tons. The average number of passen-
gers carried each day is 400.
"Of the fast ones abroad the South
ern Express leaving Paris by way of
the Orleans Railway for Bayonne
makes the distance of 4SS.01 miles
in the running time of 8 hours and 54
minutes, the average speed being
49303 miles an hour. The weight of
the cars is but 10 tons This is the
principal train between France and
Spain, and on an ordinary trip does
not carry over forty passengers This
Southern express was for a while the
fastest train in the world. At that
time it completed it's run in a little
less than s hours, the average speed,
involving stops, being 54 miles an
hour. About two years ago, this ex.
press, owing to the lightness of the
cars, met with fearful accident and
the time was reduced for safety to
the figures | have given. Similar ac-
cidents on English roads caused slow
er time.
THE East Coast Express of the
Great Northern and Northwestern
Railways running from London to
Edinburg, distance of 393h miles,
makes the journey in 7 hours and As
minutes, the average speed per hour
being SOFT miles.
"The West Coast Express, via the
London and Northwestern and the
Caledonian Railways, runs from Lon
don to Glasgow, distance Of 401h
miles in eight hours, at an average
speed of 5018 miles an hour.
"In England one of the fastest en-.
gines is known as La France. She
was built in France for the Great
Western and has a record of 84.S
miles an hour on the dead level, with
out any aid from gravitation, while
drawing a 120-ton train, but her long
distance pulls do not equal some OF
the special speed trains. Yes, Sir
the fastest trains in the world are
run over the American roads.
Let us see how the service be
tween Chicago and Milwaukee, which
Mr.. Schulze deems unworthy of no
tice, compares with the service ir
Germany, in point both of speed ant
of distance. OF all the German trains
that find a place in Mr. Schulze's
comparisons of German and American
| trains, only one, that from Witten
berge to Hamburg, shows speed
greater than 79.1 kilometers per hour
the speed of the fastest train be
tween Chicago and Milwaukee. New
York Times.