Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-13
THROUGH THE SYMPTOM
JOURNEY IN LONGEST TUNNEL
Gss IN WORLD.
Traveller Who Passed Through the
Mammoth Box-New Inter-
national Highway.
From the London Mail.

From the London Mail.
AS the tourist season now beginning Is
certain to witness an enormous flow of traf-
fic through the Simplon tunnel, on the part
OF travellers bound either for the Milan ex-
hibtion or for the exquisite region of Lake
Magiore. which the new Italia napproacn
line from Aroma to Domo D'Ossola opens
up, and again. on the part Of those desir-
Gus merely of experiencing trip through
the longest tunnel in the world some notes
about the journey and the rail service in
|, augurated on June / may prove of inter-
est.
Strictly speaking, the traveller does not
! begin to realize that he is traversing a
new international thoroughfare until he has
left Lausanne. Formerly even the charms
of tho scenery could not wholly compen-
safe for the glare. heat and tedium OF the
journey up the Rhone valley. But with
half an hour knocked off the old schedule
between Lausanne and Brig. and with only
four halts in the ninety-mile run, things
are very different. This. the Swiss ap-
proach to the mammoth bore, has already
been furnished with double line for half
of the distance. and relaid with steel sleep
ers The gradients and curves are severe
but magnificent siX-wheel-coupled locomo-
tive makes light of both, and the train
may be relied upon to wipe off whatever
time has been lost between Paris and Lau-
same.
Powerful Electric Traction.
1t is not generally realized that electric
traction is already installed between Brig
and the station of Iselle at the Italian
portal. But only the direct trains, In
contradstinction to the through expresses.
are electrically operated. The latter make
no stop between Brig and Domo D'Ossola-
| whereas the formerscall at Iselle, and there
change the type of locomotive power. The
electric locomotives somewhat resemble
those formerly used on the "Twopenny
Tube save that they are much larger
(weighing siXty-two tons) and more power
full. being capable. in fact, of hauling q
maximum load OF 465 tons at a speed OF
twenty miles per hour, while the current
is taken from an overhead construction by.
means of a bow collector, instead Of by
shoe making contact with live" rail.
The passage of the tunnel is far more
pleasantly accomplished in an electrically
hauled train owing to the absence of smoke
and fumes. Moreover. in an electric train
one can peer ont of window to observe the
entrance to the tunnel and to realize bet
ter the immensely of the superintendent
mountain. But care must be taken in look
ing out of window. for the poles from which
the feed wires are suspended are placed
very close to the track. Inside the tunnel
the wires are anchored to the roof. The
sparkling of the bow collector gives the idea
of the train being piloted into the tunnel
by a guiding star, while in the tunnel 1t
creates ghostly blue haze ahead.
The architecture of the Swiss portal is
unpretentious, and the entrance to the par
allel shaft-which, should 1t be found nee
essary, could be completed in the course of
four years, and then be used as second
tunnels hidden from view. On the Italian
side, however, the twin portals are side by
side, and contained in an imposing orna-
mental granite facade, inscribed with the
da ties 1S9S-19O5.
Directly a train enters the tunnel a can
vas screen mysteriously descends and seals
the entrance. 1t is Just as though the por-
tai were proscenium and the screen
drop scene The curtain being down (and
1t remains down until each train has cleared
the tunnel, the leviathan fans at each ex-
tremity are so delivering fresh air into the
parallel shaft and, at the same time, ex-
hausting the foul from the tunnel itself
that every train is always running against
a purifying draught. which almost attains
the velocity of a head wind.
Through Mountain in 10 Minutes. I
The time occupied by passenger trains in
negotiating the great tunnel, whose exact
length is twelve miles 45S yards, varies ac-
cording to the direction in which they are
travelling and the kind of motive power en-
ployed. The quickest journey Is made by
the southbound electric trains-viz. eight
cen minuteS-and the longest by the steam
hauled, north-bound, through expresses
viz, twenty-five to twenty eight minutes.
The northern half of the tunnels 10000
yards in length, has an incline of but one
in 500, in order to drain off the water,
whereas the southern half, 1000 yards
long. has an incline of one in 143. Owing
to the steepnesS of the latter, the north
bound journey in a steam train is the more
exciting. There is stop at Iselle to detach
the pilot engine which has assisted the
train up the heavy grades on the magnifi-
Gently engineered approach line from Domo
D'Ossola.
Presumably in order TO catch pasSen-
gers who are merely journeying through
the tunnel, luncheon or dinner Is served on
leaving Domo d Ossola or Brig. The prac-
tice is annoying as 1t hinders travellers
from drinking in the grandeur of the
scenery on the twelve-mile run through the
wild romantic gorges of Condo, while it is
impossible to eat in comfort when the train
is climbing up the southern half Of the tun-
pel.
Every window must be closed, and in the
dining car the temperature soon reaches
an appalling heat-indeed, it often attains
% degrees Fahrenheit. The heavy train
tolls UP the ascent with sound like the
rhythmical beating of muf1ed drums. The
windows are enveloped in an Opaque mist.
One experiences a pressure on the ears.
The electric light burns dimly. Now one
realizes that the train Is in a tiny drain
hole, with the massif Of Monte Leone 1900
feet above the roof and that during con-
struction the awful weight of the mountain
was such that it threatened to crush gall
leries and workmen alike, and did actually
crumple up the most solid iron construc-
tions which were used as supports. One
remembers the stories of the hot and cold
torrents which poured out of the Utmost
recesses of the mountain. and annihiIated
everything which came in their way. Is
science sure of its triumph, or are the
genii of the Alps about to inflict some ter
rible revenge upon the mortals who dare
thus to journey through their vitals?
In the suffocating, Turkish bath-like at
mosphere in the subdued light perspfring
walters dump food before diners whose
appetites have left them.
Into the Sunshine Again.
A reverberating roar and the flashing Of
green signal lamps notifies that the train
has at last reached the level stretch, util-
lied as a crossing place, on the summit.
Windows are hastily opened and a great
sigh of relief goes up refreshing
draughts, antainted by smoke, circulate
through the car.