GERMAN TRAINS

Evening Star, Issue 23093, 20 October 1938, Page 7

GERMAN TRAINS

THEY GO IN FOR SPEED STREAMLINED AND SIIEHT THE NEWEST MODELS While aeroplanes roar through the air at ever-increasing speed, railway engineers on land seek desperately _to meet not' only the aerial competition for passengers but also the ever-grow-ing highway competition for freight, writes Sigrid Schultz from Berlin to the Chicago ‘ Tribune.’ In Germany this latter competition becomes increasingly acute with the extension of the network of automobile roads along which heavy lorries can travel safely and comfortably at more than a mile a minute.

The speed which some of the new German trains now attain is in reality no surprise to experts. It is 32 years since the famous Hensehel firm constructed a locomotive which, drawing a load of i6O tons, could attain a speed of 90 miles an hour. But the time for such speeds had not yet arrived; - not only had better road beds to be. built, but also the whole signalling system had to be reorganised. Thus for more than a generation the railway authorities were content for their trains to amble along at the old pace. Without competition there was no stimulus. THE FIRST ENDEAVOURS. That stimulus, however, was provided in the post-war years when they saw their traffic steadily dwindling owing to the competition both of aeroplanes and automobiles. Facing the situation, German railway experts got busy, and with hard work and large expenditures they have now succeeded in reaching a position fj'om which they can regard the efforts of their rivals with greater equanimity. The first attempts to achieve high speeds economically _ were with a streamlined coach driven by an air propeller. This was tested out successfully some ]0 years ago, but was quickly dropped, a coach driven by Diesel motors being considered to offer greater advantages. The first of these coaches was noisy and there was considerable vibration, to a certain discomfort of the passengers. Now these discomforts have been reduced, and even at thfe highest speed it is difficult to realise the rate at which the train is moving through the countryside. The smooth running is due in particular to the angle of inclination of the wheel treads to the rail surface. Ten of the most important stretches in Germany now are covered daily by these streamlined motor-driven trains, Berlin is linked with the leading pro vincial centres, and some of these are also linked with each other. The Filing Hamburger and the Flying Koelner are two of the most popular trains, and seats must always be reserved in advance. A L.ONG NON-STOP RUN. The train connecting Berlin with Breslau covers the 207 i miles at 77 J miles an hour—this, it may be mentioned, is the longest non-stop run on the European continent. The timetables in all cases are so worked out as to permit the traveller to complete the out and home journey in one clay and leave him some hours at his destination. The majority of these high-power motor coaches at have three compartments, and are driven by 600h.p. motors. In trials they Jiave exceeded two ihiles a 'minute, and they can maintain a steady speed of 100 miles an hour. Accommodation is provided for 30 second class passengers and for 109 third class passengers—first class compartments are to be found in Germany only on the international trains. They are equipped with a kitchen and contain adequate space for luggage and postal matter. Broad windows allow a much better view than in the old-fashioned trains. All windows are double, insuring more warmth in winter and preventing the obstruction of the view through the clouding of the glass. _ To maintain required stability the side walls had td he of pspecially strong construction. The car is heated by a hot-water coil, and the lighting in the ne\yer ears has been much improved. THE S\TEAM LOCOMOTIVE. Parallel with the development of the motor-driven trains German engineers have been busy—and equally successful —with the development of the steam locomotive. When only one motordriven coach was available for the service bn the first stretch—Berlin-Ham-hurg—it had to be withdrawn frequently for overhauling, and at such times it was necessary to replace it by an ordinary steam locomotive. A light express engine was picked out, tuned np, and lo! it was found that it could traverse the distance at 90 miles an hour. This decided the building of an aerodynamic steam engine which, with a load of 250 tons, could maintain around 95 miles an hour, increasing to close on 100 miles an hour if necessary to pick up time lost. It was, of course, streamlined, for tests 'have proved that streamlining means a saving of 500 horse-power when travelling at 90 miles an h«ur.

Even until recent years the picture of an express racing at high speed was always associated with a black, coaldevouring, smoke-belching monster. The newest immense locomotive of the German railways presents a pleasant contrast. Entirely encased' in its streamlined covering, it is painted a dull silver, and a broad violet stripe running from end to end brings out the well-rounded curves. ' DRIVES BOTH WAYS. The locomotive has an empty weight of 127 tons; the tender, empty, weighs 38.2 tons and carries 37 tons of water and 10 tons of coal, giving a total weight at st,art of 85.2 tons. The heating surface is 305 square yards, and the boiler delivers 15 tons of steam hourly, the locomotive developing 2,800 ■ nrse-power. A speed of more than ;n8 miles an hour has been attained. To facilitate reversing, the controls re duplicated on the rear wall of the ngineer’s cab, and both driver and reman are provided with revolving cats. This feature of being able to rive with ease in either direction is 'aimed as an advance on the aerodynamic locomotives built in foreign ountries. The door of the firebox is opened iud closed by a foot pedal operated with compressed air. Even travelling at 108 miles an hour, the train has been brought to. a halt within I,looyds—the distance of the farthest lying signal from the signal box. Brakes operate automatically when a stop signal is given. A rear observation platform with foul upholstered benches gives passengers the best possible view of the German landscape through which they are so swiftly passing. Other trains running through famed beauty centres in south and west Ger-

THE DAYS OF EUROPEAN TENSION: SPECIAL AIR MAIL PICTURES OF THE CZECH CRISIS.

many specially cater to the pleasure of their passengers. Most popular of ail is the electric “ glass train." whose win-dow-studded roof permits the traveller to enjoy the high vistas of the mountains. Where the scenery is particularly attractive it slows down, to speed up again to 75 miles an hour along more monotonous stretcjies. Thus from the comfort of their compartmentGerman travellers are now beginning to discover the full beauty of their homeland.