WIND AND RAILWAY PUNCTUALITY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 15

WIND AND RAILWAY PUNCTUALITY.

Tlte ‘‘man in the,street” knows little of the tremendous deteyyent effect gale .of- wind, blowing, sideways, lias upon the; progress of, a train,. a modern bogie .r oach of aywpge. size as being 50 feet.-long, and about 10 feet, high; consequently we had a superficial area of 500 square feet per carriage opposed to the wind, which multiplied by 81b. representing the pressure <-f wind friction on each square foot, when the wind is travelling at just over 50 miles on hour, a total force of 4000 lbs. is bearing simultaneously throughout the train, which, if containing 10 vehicles, would equal 40,000 lbs., independent of engine and tender. The above pressure would lie grinding the flanges of all the wheels against the, rail, and if the cone of flange was at all worn, there would be a greater tendency for the wheel to grip, and thus act as a break. With this information before them, readers will understand why many heavily-loaded trains arrive, some 10 or 15 minutes late, when a strong wind is blowing.