The sun., 1910-05-08
SAEU SPEED LIMIT pEACHTD
nv CRY RAPID TRANSIT LINES,
u, ssYs ANGUS s!AEE.SER.

An Average Uf - Mhea IN Mour ~ ~nns
Nay ana Elevated Exuresses-More
Waulh ne IDaRgerous FASTER time m
RaIFoads Net 10 ne Expected.
Anrus Sinclair. editor Of Railway cad
Loeomohrs EaOiascTiaa and author Of
-focOmotlve Engineering and Of Develop
menl of the Locomotive Engine, both
standard works. expressed the opinion
recently that tho limit Of safety had been
reached IN the speed Of rapid transit trains
IN this cay Being asked 10 ampllfy his
views on the subject Of tho speed Of FNpid
transit trains and Of railway trains EeneF-
ally. hs pFoparsd the following article;
Tha posts Of old had 20 much 10 say
about flying upon the wings Of the wind
and other expressions In admiration OF
great npaud that Ne naturally conclude
that lhs desire Cor moving from placo
10 plaue az great velocity had early besn
implanted among human aspirations.
To moeg ths too ponderOus body with
the s,e4d Of thought was the conception
of vieionaries for ages. but it took the
lAhOrs ol many lonG centuries 10 make
artificial means of transportation exceed
tho aoalon of the appliances that nature
had givun 20 man and beast.
Invontlons Designed 20 promote trans
portAtioA facilities have been developed
90 rapisEly IN che last century that the
slow psngroan mAdp in that line Of human
sndeavor Cor many centuries seems sur
prising.
That the expansion Of steam might BE-
employed 10 perform work was known
10 philosophers several centuries before
tho CAristian era. but it took 200
years af Investigation and experiments
90 produce a very elementary form OF
harness foP transferring the power OF
steam into useful operations. Another
century Of development was occupied
In producing an engine suitable for NOV
ing a vehicle on Wheols. but progress
toward high speed was very apld after
that and within twenty-five years train
speeds equal 10 anything ever achieved
were attained.
A. early as isSO Isaac Newton. the
famc1s scientist. made a sketch Of
an impracticable steam engine which he
believed would attain a speed Of fifty miles
an hour. soft will 10 seen that high trans
portatiun speed was hoped for before
anything had been invented that would
leave Aset hOrse behind.
The experimental stage OF locomotive
developmsnt was carried on mostly in
connsction with coal tramways and led
10 the production OF some very curious
machines The men who supervised the
building OF the early tTamway engines
made steady progress in tho cOnstruc-
tion og thelr nAchinea making them
Increasingly efficient. but aEnateuFs ocoa-
nionaAy undertook 90 mako locomotives
20 rsprossne their own idaas and their
productions we're frOqusntly indlCrOus.
MostUf the locomotive inventors sought
propulsion by devising means Tor driving
one or more pairs OF Wheels. One ANA
tear protested that tho invantors Who
followed thai method Were all WrQhR He
insisted that natWfS provided the proper
propulsion In the horse. He devised q
machine with legs and applied steam 10
their manip,iatisn y that proarsaa WAa
achieved ~ q ntrion 0f kicks. Tha
country Vaopls were mtsnssly intsrastsd
and ahOuted suocsas 20 the hOrsg lOoomO-
tive
After much sxpsrimsntinE the boras
engine WA got ready for business.
the test belng widely advertised. A
great concOarss Of people assembled 20
witness the steam steed perform. Steam
was applisd, the apparAtus moved away
cheered by the shouts of the multitude.
IA. 90 r. - - ek, a.. - ~ ..,-.l 4
cade was rushing along az a speed Of three
miles an hour when the boiler exploded.
scattering fragments Of iron. boiling
water and CONSERVATION around. The
horse locomotive had made ito FIRST and
Iast trip.
About the time the first railway for
general trafic was opened in England
q noted inventor got out a patented loco
motive which he struggled 20 work into
popularity. Napier. a oslebrated Scotch
engineer. was invited TO witness test Of
this engine and afterward was invited 20
meet capitalists. who were expected 90
provide money 20 push the engine upon
che market. When Napier Was Questioned
about the engine nothing was forth
coming but a succession Of gnInts
Losing patience. the inventor exclaimed:
M Napier. YOU must admit that You
saw the engine running
You may call that running was the
reply -All saw was you fellows showing
her
The application ~ the steam en- ngins 20
the hauling % coal cars was Of great
service in developing that type of engine,
but their presence In the English land
scApes did not influence British public
opinion In favor Of railways a. sub.
atitutes for stage coaches. A early a.
1890 Richard Edgeworth. father Of Maria
EdRewoFth, the novelist. publicly Ad-
vOcatsd the uss Of trAmways for carry
ing passengers. but HIS proposal wAs
laughed to scOrn.
Nearly thirty years aftsrward. when
the promoters Of the Liverpool and Man
chester Railway wers trying 10 have a
ball passed through Parliament authoriR-
ing the construction % tho railway. a
celebrated engineer under examination
By a COMMITTEES of the House Of Com
mons vas asked the question: How
fast 10 you think your looomotioss could
haul trains carrying paasengersi'
"AbOut twelve miles an hour" was the
reply
AZ that cEe Of the honorable memberu
exclaimed: That is ridiculous People
would as readily consent 10 be- shot
through the AIR on a Congreve rookie,
AZ travel over a railway az such a paoe
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