THE FASTEST RAILROAD RUN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVI, Issue XIII, 28 March 1896, Page 348

THE FASTEST RAILROAD RUN.

McClure's Magazine for February contains a graphic account of ‘ The Fastest Railroad Run Ever Made,’ written by Harry Perry Robinson, one of the official time keepers on the occasion when the train made its great record over the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern from Chicago to Buffalo, and from Buffalo to New York over the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The ambition on that occasion was to beat the English record just made on the West Coast Railroad by a train which ran 540 miles at an average speed of 63’93 miles an hour. The attempt to lower this record in America was coupled with the disadvantages which came from carrying extra weight ; for the total weight of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern cars was 304,500 pounds, as against 147,400 pounds in the English train. Moreover, the American run was to be interrupted by four stops, and although the actual time of rest was, of course, allowed for, still there is a great deal of time lost just before and after the stop, owing to the lower average rate of speed in slowing up and starting off. As a matter of fact there were five stops in the American run, one of which was unanticipated. A NEW TYPE OF LOCOMOTIVE. Each of the several divisions of the thousand-mile course, the machinery of the various engines, and all the arrangements for recording the trip are described by Mr Robinson in the story of this wonderful railroad run. The last engine was' of a different type from the rest, and made the most magnificent showing of speed. It was a ten-wheeler, with driving wheels of only 68 inches in diameter, and very unlike the machines specially devised for fast speeds. This driving wheel is, indeed, ten inches less in diameter than the Caledonian locomotive which did the best work in the English races. • For those who had misgivings as to the possibilities of this type of engine, there was a surprise as soon as she picked up the train. She must have reached a speed of a mile a minute within the five miles from the first movement of the wheels. The first eight miles were finished in eight minutes and forty-nine seconds ; from there on there was never an instant of slackening speed.