On August 18,1888, the Northwestern train covered the distance of 400 miles in 427 min., or at:a rate of 565 miles per hour, and on August 31st the Great Northern train made the run of 393 miles in 412 min., or at the rate of 57-i miles per hour. These individual runs were both remarkable, but the daily running of the trains on their published schedules were regarded by railroad men as still more extraordinary, and at that time there were no schedule trains in this country that approached them in point of speed. It must be remembered, however, that these English roads are possessed of many advantages not enjoyed by railroads in the United States, as. for instance, the long and numerous tangents, the entire absence of grade crossings, and, inure especially, the light weight of the cars, SO tons being the maximum weight of the trains used in the " race to Edinburgh." With equipment of the character required and used in this country, provided as it is with all luxuries, conveniences, and comforts, and a rate of two eents per mile, a train limited to the above weight could not carry a sufficient number of passengers to enable it to earn its running expenses.
Three years previous to these English records, a special train weighing 64 tons made a run on the West Shore Road from Buffalo to Weehawken in 9 hours and 28 min. In the published accounts different allowances for stops were made, making the average rate per mile vary from 51 to 54 miles per hour ; either rate, however, making it the best long-distance run on record in the United States, until the run from New York to Buffalo over the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, before noted. In this famous run a careful schedule of the running-time of each mile was kept, an analysis of which shows the following: 436 miles were run in 420 mill.; 130 miles were run at a rate of less than 60 miles per hour ; 118 miles were run at a rate varying from 60 to 65 miles per hour ; 151 miles were run at a rate varying from 65 to 70 miles per hour ; 37 miles were run at a rate varying from 70 to 78 miles per Minn The problem presented to Mr. Buchanan, in designing the new type of passenger-engine now in use on the New York Central road for high-speed trains, was to obtain greater boiler capacity, greater adhesion, and greater tractive power. To obtain the desired increased boiler capacity and heating-surface, Mr. Buchanan located the fire-box, which formerly was between the sides or frames of the engine and between the axles of the driving-wheels on top of these frames and axles, and by so doing obtained an increase in the width of the fire-box of 5i in., and an increase in its length of 25 in., being an equivalent of 9f sq. ft. of additional grate area. The boiler-flues, which in the former engine numbered 238, he increased to 268, and by
the change in the fire-box he was enabled to lengthen them 4k in., thus obtaining an increased heating surface of 2214 sq. ft., the diameter of the boiler being increased from 51 to 58 in. With this increase in the grate-area and heating-surface the desired increase in boiler capacity was obtained. To secure the adhesion, the weight on the four drivers, which formerly was limited to 20 tons. was increased to over 40, or over 10 tons' weight on each driving-wheel. Time old and lighter form of rail had already been removed, and replaced with the standard 80 pound section. To increase the tractive power of the engine the cylinders were enlarged 1 in. in diameter : being formerly 18 X 24, they were now made 19 X 24. All these changes had vastly increased the height and weight of the engine, and the criticism was freely made that its use would be destructive of roadway tracks and bridges. These objections, however, were more than met by original methods of suspending the engine on its springs. Formerly he springs were placed ou top of the driving-boxes; in this case they were located beneath them, and connected with equalizing bars, thus allowing the use of a longer and more elastic spring than was formerly used ; and it has been demonstrated that these engines are less de structive to road-bed and rail, are freer from the swaying motion usually found in engines hung from above the driving-boxes, and ride smoother and more comfortably than any in the service.
Of course, to obtain the speed that was it was desirable to increase the diameter of the ; but this was not done at first, nor until it was ascertained how successful had been the efforts to increase the boiler capacity of the When it was found that this increase was ample, and even more successful than had been hoped for, the wheels were and the new ones of 6 ft. 6 in. in diameter, or S in. than the old ones. were attached. The in speed is most apparent, and can well be appreciated when it is remembered that the driver makes 20.51 less revolutions in a mile than the small ones. On a trip from New York to .:1Ibany the decrease in the number of revolutions by the 6 ft. 6 in. wheel would be 4.219.98, an of 86,154.09 ft.. or a of nearly 16* miles. From New York to Buffalo the would be nearly miles.
With a locomotive such as this for motive power, it is not a difficult matter to run profit over distances at a rate of over a Mile a minute ; this, of course, we have proper character of road-bed and rails, and approved appliances to insure safety and rapid speed.