NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12343, 7 August 1903, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

AN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC RAILWAY. ~ I A train that will travel 300 miles an hour! [ That will be the next great advance in. IcJcSmotion—always provided thai the magnetic devices of Dr. Albert C. Albsrtson wdrk" as well hi practice* as they do on paper and in models. Dr. Albertsoh, - though how a naturalised American, is a Dane by birth, arid ah electrician of the' Royal University of Denmark. He proposes to attain this" tremendous speed by means of magnetism. Already he has perfected his system and Obtained international patent®. Many electrical and mechanical engineers who have examined the invention have been impressed with the sttnenes's of the proposition and the practicability of the application of a :■■ piihciple as old as electricity iteeli. Dr. Albertson's* invention aims simply to overcome .the weight of the present railway train by ineatis of powerful magnets. These are attached to the bottom of the cars in such a way as to lift the wheels and render a ponderous coach as light as a toy. The attraction tot gravity being thus overcome, . the heaviest train becomes as light as air, and can lie rushed along the tracks with only atmospheric resistance to contend with. ,■ The magnets Clamp the rail above and below, so that it is impossible for the train to, leave the line. At present 60 miles an hour—a mile a ; minute-— practically the maximum speed, and to accomplish ink the weight and drawing power of the locomotive have been increased , until a 3000, horse-power engine must be attached to the front of a flyer. The limit of weight, power, and speed has been reached, and the railways acknowledge thfenijelves unable to. do much better* Two things defeated : the attainment; of greater speed—i dead weight of the train told atmospheric resistance. Now comes, the announcement that there hal been discovered a method of abolishing the dead height of the train, leaving only atmospheric! resistance to be contended with. If this can' be done, as Dr. Albertsori asserts, half the battle is won, and the public may yet be able to travel on the earth's surface at "the j speed of hundreds of miles an hour.