STREAM-LINED TRAIN

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 August 1933, Page 12

STREAM-LINED TRAIN

REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN COMFORT AT HIGH SPEED. MAXIMUM 110 j\nLES AN HOUR. America is making history in railway transportation, probably at the urge of motor competition. For example, the Union-Pacific (San Francisco tc. Chicago via Salt Lake City) line if now completing a high-speed light weight, stream-line passenger train which will be capable of travelling ai 110 miles an hour and averaging 9i miles an hour. It will be on the tracks in October. The train will consist of three cars, articulated, i.e., one truck between each two cars, and the cars liingec together. The purpose of such articulation is to save weight and. friction, and to give an easier riding quality. The first car will contain a 6GO li.p internal combustion engine, burning distillate, which is a non-explosive fuel. An electric generator is directly connected with the engine, which develops current to operate motors or. the wheels of the forward truck, anc. also contains a 30ft postal compart nient and baggage room. The second car will seat 60 passengers, and tin rear one 56 passengers, and a buffet at the rear for light refreshments. The design of the new train ha: been based largely on automobile am aircraft developments, where speed anc light weight with strength have beet such a vital necessity.

To obtain lightness with strength tlie train will be constructed of aluminium alloys, which have the strength of ordinary steel with one-third the weight. In place of the conventional under-frame now used on passengei cars, which takes all the shock and in addition carries the superstructure anc 1 the load, each car in the new train is tubular in shape and the entire carbody forms a deep stiff beam, thereby requiring a minimum amount of material for a given strength The equipment is designed for a maximum speed of 110 miles an hour, with a sustained speed on a straight level track of 90 miles an hour. The train and three ears will weigh nof over 30 tens, which is the present weight of one Pullman ear. The train will be stream-lined. The windows will be of shatter-proof glass, the vestibules between ears are covered to continue the smooth sides of a ear, and all mechanism is recessed Specially-designed mechanism opens doors and lets down steps. The air will bo conditioned —cool in summer and warm in winter—and fil tration will exclude all dust and dirt The liberal use of rubber in the trucks, and the probable use of resilient wheels will materially reduce noise Indirect lighting will he used, and i-lniits giving the’ greatest comfort are being dy-Igued