The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-07
ON FIRST TRIP.
Start MOtor Car Service on
Onaga Branch.
Without Dust, Smoke or Dirt
Nuisance.
PEOPLE ARE PLEASED.
Meet Trains in Crowds and
Cheer.
Train May Garry Pouch Mail in
Future.

A smOkeless, dustless and dirtIess
railroad trip is now possible between
Topeka and MarysviIIe over the Onaga
branch of the Union Pacific. On this
line the new motor car No. II made
its first regular trip Thursday after
noon AS the engine. uses gasoline for
fuel, the smoke and dust and dirt
nuisance of the Ordinary railroad
journey is nearly eliminated.
The car carried about thirty passen-
gers both ways on an average. Its
seating capacity is ffty-six. 1t left
Topeka at 4 p m. and arrived at
Marysville at $3.50 p m. about half
hour late. The car left MarysvilIe at
7:45 o'clock this morning, about half
hour behind schedule and arrived in
Topek at 11:30 O'Clock, or just 5 min
utes late. The delay on both trips was
caused by some trouble with the mo-
J tor. However, the engineer is of the
opinion that this is due to the new
ness Of the engine which is still a
little stiff in the joints, so to speak
The distance between Topeka and
Marysville being seventy-five miles,
! this makes the speed of the train
average about twenty miles an hour
on bofa trips. 1t has a maximum
speed of sixty miles. The chief diff
Guilty of the trip seemed to be the
steep grade just south Of Onaga.
1t appeared that the 200 horsepower
/ engine of the motor car was taxed to
! pull the passenger car and the bag
gage trailer which make up the train.
In the future pouch mail may be
carried in the mail department of the
trailer. The passenger coach is fifty
six feet long. 1t weighs over thirty
tons. The length and weight of the
trailer Is little less.
In appearance, the coaches resem-
BILE an inverted steam yacht with a
t-1-.
twelve to a side. The front is wedge
shaped, built to cut the wind. It is
covered with sheet iron These cars
are made by the McKecr Motor Car
company at Omaha W. R McKeen,
superintendent of the plant, was for
merly superintendent of machinery for
/ the Union Pacific, but is now making
cars OF this kind fort company The
car of the type Of No. / z and its trailer
cost about $4,000.
When its speed reached 50 miles an
| hour it bounced and rocked consider
| ably, but this was offset by the alb
sence of smoke or dust and besides I'M
less making up time it will not exceed
much over 20 miles an hour. At any
rate as far as the Topeka -Marysvllle
service is concerned, it is a great i'm
provement over the old accommodation
mixed trains, both in speed ana COM
fort. The fare, one way over tho cut
off between Topeka and Marysville is
$1.65 against $2.14 from Topeka %
MarysviHe via Manhattan over the
Blue Valley branch, to say nothing OF
several hours difference in time
On the first trip Conductor c. E.
Foster, of Kansas City, was in charge.
R. L Davis, assistant superintendent
of the Kansas division of the Union
Pacific, was on board.
The start from Topeka was made as
smoothly as the beginning of a woman $
letter written to work the recipient.
The car run as easily as a political ora
tors tongue and it was like taking a
trip in q baby buggy-if any one can
remember that far back.
The trip was made without accident
but with some interesting incidents. AT
Grove a slender girl and her little fat
sister got on the train. The S. G.
was both dignified and careful. Not
so L. F. S. The latter insisted on pol-
| ing about half of her body through
the window much to the alarm Of her
sister, who kept reproving her in The
name of safety and kept asking her
! in a stage whisper what she believed
folks would think of her" The COM
edy continued until the two girls left
the train at Emmett. Here a Gelega-
tion of girls met the train and seemed
much interested in the events.
A little way out of Emmett the pas