- Email: [email protected]
Comparative economy of locomotive service on English and American railways
388
Notes and Comments.
[J. F. I.,
achievements of h u m a n industry. To consult a dozen volumes of PatentOffice reports, or even to see half a h u n d r e d industrial publications is an experience to h i m who passes t h r o u g h it for t h e first time. E v e r y winter for m a n y years t h e F r a n k l i n I n s t i t u t e h a s b e e n scattering t h e seeds of applied science t h r o u g h t h e c o m m u n i t y . F e w indeed are t h e subjects t h a t h a v e n o t b e e n treated in some of its courses. Some of the papers read w i t h i n its walls h a v e dealt w i t h matters so abstruse as to be b e y o n d t h e grasp of all b u t t h e i n n e r circle of specialists. Some h a v e b e e n of general interest. Quite a n u m b e r have been w i t h i n t h e comprehension of boys w i t h i n t h e i r teens, a n d even small children h a v e not b e e n neglected. Writers for t h e t e c h n i c a l press, a n d editors of t h e scientific columns in t h e dailies have been, directly or indirectly, i n d e b t e d to this energetic, t h o u g h unostentatious body for m a n y facts a n d suggestions. I t would be absurd to l i m i t t h e influence of a university to a roll of its alumni, or t h e influence of a library to those on its list of m e m b e r s h i p . W i t h equal justice it m a y be said t h a t t h e F r a n k l i n I n s t i t u t e has b e e n a m e n t a l force to m a n y who hav~ n e v e r connected themselves w i t h it, or in a n y way acknowledged t h e i r obligations. Continuous effort tells, a n d t h e I n s t i t u t e ' s u n b r o k e n record of t h o r o u g h - g o i n g scientific work is on~ of t h e proudest traditions of a proud old city. W i t h o u t any desire to w i t h h o l d t h e m e e d of praise from any of t h e w o r t h y institutions which, on b o t h sides of t h e Atlantic, have h e l d up t h e t o r c h of science, we have spoken in particular of t h a t body w h i c h so m a n y manufacturers, engineers and i n v e n t o r s regard as t h e i r A l m a Mater. I t is not too m u c h to claim t h a t scientific bodies, of w h i c h t h e I n s t i t u t e is a type, h a v e prepared t h e way for t h e text-books and apparatus of the m o d e r n public school. ROLAND RINGWALT.
NOTES COMPARATIVE
AND C O M M E N T S .
ECONOMY OF LOCOMOTIVE SERVICE ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN RAILWAYS.
T h e r e h a s b e e n a n almost endless a m o u n t of controversy in t h e E n g l i s h a n d American e n g i n e e r i n g j o u r n a l s respecting t h e relative merits of t h e very distinct types of locomotive engines w h i c h characterize t h e railway practice of t h e two countries. T h e A m e r i c a n engine is a n evolution along m e c h a n i c a l lines dictated by t h e conditions of American service, w h i c h over a great portion of t h e U n i t e d States are to-day even radically different from those prev a i l i n g in E n g l a n d a n d in Europe generally, a n d it is particularly significant t h a t in t h e only country of Europe where t h e conditions approximate to those of A m e r i c a - - n a m e l y , in R u s s i a - - t h e American type of locomotive is very generally in use. O n t h e score of performance as measured b y fuel consumption, there it m u s t be a d m i t t e d t h a t E n g l i s h locomotive practice is a l o n g way a h e a d of t h e American. T h e inference m i g h t seem justified t h a t this fact furn i s h e d conclusive evidence of t h e mechanical superiority of t h e British loco-
NOV., 1898. ]
Notes a n d Comments.
389
motive. As a m a t t e r of fact it is due to t h e laxity a n d general inefficiency of American methods of superintendence. Not t h a t t h e needful knowledge a n d e n g i n e e r i n g skill is w a n t i n g a m o n g t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s of Motive Power cf o u r leading railroads a n d t h e i r assistants, b u t r a t h e r because this great comparative inferiority in our locomotive practice is only just now getting to be generally k n o w n a n d admitted, a n d a reform w h i c h must involve a general c h a n g e in t h e m e t h o d s of t h e m e n in the locomotive c a b - - t h e engine drivers a n d t h e i r f i r e m e n - - i s difficult to inaugurate. It is there, however, t h a t t h e source of t h e comparative inefficiency of American locomotive practice has b e e n definitely located. T h e fault lies in the careless, inefficient and wasteful m e t h o d of firing almost universally in vogue in t h e locomotive engines of t h e United States. T h e E n g l i s h railway superintendents, a generation ago b e g a n investigating to find t h e cause of t h e wide variations in the coal c o n s u m p t i o n of t h e i r e n g i n e s p e r f o r m i n g the same service. T h e y found t h a t economy of coal d e p e n d e d on the m e t h o d of firing. T h e wasteful way was t h e easy one of d u m p i n g t h e coal into t h e furnace without regard to where it was needed; t h e economical way was to distribute it evenly over t h e grate, selecting the four corners and t h e sides in preference a n d covering t h e centre of t h e fire-beds s o m e w h a t t h i n n e r t h a n t h e o t h e r parts. T h e English s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s were quick to see t h e importance of h a v i n g t h e i r engines properly fired, a n d by the. general adoption of s t r i n g e n t rules to g o v e r n t h e e n g i n e drivers by m a k i n g t h e m responsible for t h e quality of t h e work of t h e i r firemen, and of the policy of giving p r e m i u m s to t h e e n g i n e drivers whose engines showed t h e most economical coal consumption, the evil of wastefulness was speedily checked a n d m u c h greater efficiency was obtained. T h e editor of Cassier's iWagazine has endeavored to ascertain approxim a t e l y how great t h e s a v i n g of fuel has been on the E n g l i s h locomotives since t h e practice of hollow firing--as t h e reformed m e t h o d is c a l l e d - - h a s become finally established. H e quotes from Clark's great work on " Locomotive E n g i n e e r i n g " first issued in I86O, wherein t h e rule is laid down t h a t " t h e coal c o n s u m p t i o n of an ordinary passenger t r a i n m i g h t be reckoned at 14 pounds of coal per mile for t h e e n g i n e and tender, and 7 pounds per mile for each passenger coach." The average weight of a passenger train in those days m a y be t a k e n as ioo tons, w h i c h with t h e above figures would m e a n a c o n s u m p t i o n of 49 pounds of coal p e r mile W r i t i n g in I885, twenty-five years later, t h e same careful author revises his figures substantially. T h e y m a k e a n instructive comparison with those given above, for t h e reason t h a t t h e m a r k e d difference between t h e m m a y be a t t r i b u t e d in a large measure to t h e substantial reform inaugurated, d u r i n g t h a t interval, in t h e m e t h o d s of firing t h e locomotives on t h e British railways. T h u s : A typical E n g l i s h passenger train, t h e express between Manchester a n d Derby, weighing, engine, t e n d e r and coaches, 225 tons, was hauled at 5o miles per hour, w i t h t h e e x p e n d i t u r e of 28 pounds of coal per mile. On t h e Great N o r t h e r n , a fast express h a u l e d a a24 ton train (a t a speed of 5o to 53 miles per hour) w i t h 2 5 ~ pounds of coal per hour. A L o n d o n a n d Northwestern train hauled a gross load of 293 tons at 45 miles per hour, with 26I~
39 °
N o t e s a n d Comments.
[J. F. I.,
pounds of coal to the mile. As compared with those of 186o, these figures represent an actual saviT~g of one-half the t'oal consumption per t r a l n - m i l e - certainly an impressive lesson upon the importance of looking after the m e n who run the engines. The value of this chapter from English railway history lies, as Captain Bunsby says, " i n the application of it," and if it be applied to American practice, a discrepancy appears that is too great to be accounted for on any other supposition save that the great and crying evil on our railways is wastefulness of the g r o s s e s t kind in the use of coal and in the firing of locomotives. Just how great this wastefulness is, and how u r g e n t the need of a radical reform, will appear from the following quotation from Cassier's bearing on American practice : " Now, while t h e engines and trains described by Clark are r u n n i n g to-day, it is safe to say that no engine in the United States, doing similar work, approach t h e m in economy of coal consumption. I n deed, t h e r e is positive knowledge of one well-known fast passenger train on one of the routes between New York and Chicago, with a gross weight not exceeding 275 long tons, where the coal consumption averages 75 pounds per mile. The fact, however, that such a comparatively large coal consumption excites no special comment, and that no extraordinary effort is made to reduce it, justifies the inference that it is n o t considered r e m a r k a b l e . " It is simply inconceivable t h a t this striking difference between t h e economic performance of the English and American locomotive is due to mechanical superiority in design and construction in the former, for t h e American locomotive is sold all over the world in competition with those o f English and European builders. Nor can it be accounted for by the general inferiority of American coals as compared with tho Welsh stone coal, since, on the most liberal allowance, this should not affect comparative results by more than IO or 15 per cent., while the difference to be bridged over is about 300 per cent. Perhaps, as Cassier's editor somewhat sarcastically remarks, " the unfortunate fireman who has to shovel in 75 pounds of coal to the mile has no time to do more than dump it in at the fire-box door." Railroad engineering m a n a g e m e n t in this country of late years has undergone a great change for the better, and especially in the ease of the great t r u n k lines, will compare favorably with the best of other countries ; but it is evident, from what has been said, t h a t there is room for more intelligent supervision in this one important point. W.
LIQUID H Y D R O G E N . The advances that have lately been made in the i m p r o v e m e n t of the mechanical details of apparatus, have been so substantial t h a t the liquefaction of a i r - - u n t i l lately a most difficult and costly o p e r a t i o n - - h a s become so common t h a t it has ceased to be a novelty. The E n g l i s h chemist, Dewar, in 1893, first drew attention to t h e subject by his remarkable experiments with t h e material at the Royal Institution in London. In these demonstrations he was enabled to produce only minute quantities of liquefied air with infinite difficulty, and at a cost which is said to have been at the rate of $2,5oo for a quantity not exceeding a quart.
Notes and Comments.
[J. F. I.,
achievements of h u m a n industry. To consult a dozen volumes of PatentOffice reports, or even to see half a h u n d r e d industrial publications is an experience to h i m who passes t h r o u g h it for t h e first time. E v e r y winter for m a n y years t h e F r a n k l i n I n s t i t u t e h a s b e e n scattering t h e seeds of applied science t h r o u g h t h e c o m m u n i t y . F e w indeed are t h e subjects t h a t h a v e n o t b e e n treated in some of its courses. Some of the papers read w i t h i n its walls h a v e dealt w i t h matters so abstruse as to be b e y o n d t h e grasp of all b u t t h e i n n e r circle of specialists. Some h a v e b e e n of general interest. Quite a n u m b e r have been w i t h i n t h e comprehension of boys w i t h i n t h e i r teens, a n d even small children h a v e not b e e n neglected. Writers for t h e t e c h n i c a l press, a n d editors of t h e scientific columns in t h e dailies have been, directly or indirectly, i n d e b t e d to this energetic, t h o u g h unostentatious body for m a n y facts a n d suggestions. I t would be absurd to l i m i t t h e influence of a university to a roll of its alumni, or t h e influence of a library to those on its list of m e m b e r s h i p . W i t h equal justice it m a y be said t h a t t h e F r a n k l i n I n s t i t u t e has b e e n a m e n t a l force to m a n y who hav~ n e v e r connected themselves w i t h it, or in a n y way acknowledged t h e i r obligations. Continuous effort tells, a n d t h e I n s t i t u t e ' s u n b r o k e n record of t h o r o u g h - g o i n g scientific work is on~ of t h e proudest traditions of a proud old city. W i t h o u t any desire to w i t h h o l d t h e m e e d of praise from any of t h e w o r t h y institutions which, on b o t h sides of t h e Atlantic, have h e l d up t h e t o r c h of science, we have spoken in particular of t h a t body w h i c h so m a n y manufacturers, engineers and i n v e n t o r s regard as t h e i r A l m a Mater. I t is not too m u c h to claim t h a t scientific bodies, of w h i c h t h e I n s t i t u t e is a type, h a v e prepared t h e way for t h e text-books and apparatus of the m o d e r n public school. ROLAND RINGWALT.
NOTES COMPARATIVE
AND C O M M E N T S .
ECONOMY OF LOCOMOTIVE SERVICE ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN RAILWAYS.
T h e r e h a s b e e n a n almost endless a m o u n t of controversy in t h e E n g l i s h a n d American e n g i n e e r i n g j o u r n a l s respecting t h e relative merits of t h e very distinct types of locomotive engines w h i c h characterize t h e railway practice of t h e two countries. T h e A m e r i c a n engine is a n evolution along m e c h a n i c a l lines dictated by t h e conditions of American service, w h i c h over a great portion of t h e U n i t e d States are to-day even radically different from those prev a i l i n g in E n g l a n d a n d in Europe generally, a n d it is particularly significant t h a t in t h e only country of Europe where t h e conditions approximate to those of A m e r i c a - - n a m e l y , in R u s s i a - - t h e American type of locomotive is very generally in use. O n t h e score of performance as measured b y fuel consumption, there it m u s t be a d m i t t e d t h a t E n g l i s h locomotive practice is a l o n g way a h e a d of t h e American. T h e inference m i g h t seem justified t h a t this fact furn i s h e d conclusive evidence of t h e mechanical superiority of t h e British loco-
NOV., 1898. ]
Notes a n d Comments.
389
motive. As a m a t t e r of fact it is due to t h e laxity a n d general inefficiency of American methods of superintendence. Not t h a t t h e needful knowledge a n d e n g i n e e r i n g skill is w a n t i n g a m o n g t h e S u p e r i n t e n d e n t s of Motive Power cf o u r leading railroads a n d t h e i r assistants, b u t r a t h e r because this great comparative inferiority in our locomotive practice is only just now getting to be generally k n o w n a n d admitted, a n d a reform w h i c h must involve a general c h a n g e in t h e m e t h o d s of t h e m e n in the locomotive c a b - - t h e engine drivers a n d t h e i r f i r e m e n - - i s difficult to inaugurate. It is there, however, t h a t t h e source of t h e comparative inefficiency of American locomotive practice has b e e n definitely located. T h e fault lies in the careless, inefficient and wasteful m e t h o d of firing almost universally in vogue in t h e locomotive engines of t h e United States. T h e E n g l i s h railway superintendents, a generation ago b e g a n investigating to find t h e cause of t h e wide variations in the coal c o n s u m p t i o n of t h e i r e n g i n e s p e r f o r m i n g the same service. T h e y found t h a t economy of coal d e p e n d e d on the m e t h o d of firing. T h e wasteful way was t h e easy one of d u m p i n g t h e coal into t h e furnace without regard to where it was needed; t h e economical way was to distribute it evenly over t h e grate, selecting the four corners and t h e sides in preference a n d covering t h e centre of t h e fire-beds s o m e w h a t t h i n n e r t h a n t h e o t h e r parts. T h e English s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s were quick to see t h e importance of h a v i n g t h e i r engines properly fired, a n d by the. general adoption of s t r i n g e n t rules to g o v e r n t h e e n g i n e drivers by m a k i n g t h e m responsible for t h e quality of t h e work of t h e i r firemen, and of the policy of giving p r e m i u m s to t h e e n g i n e drivers whose engines showed t h e most economical coal consumption, the evil of wastefulness was speedily checked a n d m u c h greater efficiency was obtained. T h e editor of Cassier's iWagazine has endeavored to ascertain approxim a t e l y how great t h e s a v i n g of fuel has been on the E n g l i s h locomotives since t h e practice of hollow firing--as t h e reformed m e t h o d is c a l l e d - - h a s become finally established. H e quotes from Clark's great work on " Locomotive E n g i n e e r i n g " first issued in I86O, wherein t h e rule is laid down t h a t " t h e coal c o n s u m p t i o n of an ordinary passenger t r a i n m i g h t be reckoned at 14 pounds of coal per mile for t h e e n g i n e and tender, and 7 pounds per mile for each passenger coach." The average weight of a passenger train in those days m a y be t a k e n as ioo tons, w h i c h with t h e above figures would m e a n a c o n s u m p t i o n of 49 pounds of coal p e r mile W r i t i n g in I885, twenty-five years later, t h e same careful author revises his figures substantially. T h e y m a k e a n instructive comparison with those given above, for t h e reason t h a t t h e m a r k e d difference between t h e m m a y be a t t r i b u t e d in a large measure to t h e substantial reform inaugurated, d u r i n g t h a t interval, in t h e m e t h o d s of firing t h e locomotives on t h e British railways. T h u s : A typical E n g l i s h passenger train, t h e express between Manchester a n d Derby, weighing, engine, t e n d e r and coaches, 225 tons, was hauled at 5o miles per hour, w i t h t h e e x p e n d i t u r e of 28 pounds of coal per mile. On t h e Great N o r t h e r n , a fast express h a u l e d a a24 ton train (a t a speed of 5o to 53 miles per hour) w i t h 2 5 ~ pounds of coal per hour. A L o n d o n a n d Northwestern train hauled a gross load of 293 tons at 45 miles per hour, with 26I~
39 °
N o t e s a n d Comments.
[J. F. I.,
pounds of coal to the mile. As compared with those of 186o, these figures represent an actual saviT~g of one-half the t'oal consumption per t r a l n - m i l e - certainly an impressive lesson upon the importance of looking after the m e n who run the engines. The value of this chapter from English railway history lies, as Captain Bunsby says, " i n the application of it," and if it be applied to American practice, a discrepancy appears that is too great to be accounted for on any other supposition save that the great and crying evil on our railways is wastefulness of the g r o s s e s t kind in the use of coal and in the firing of locomotives. Just how great this wastefulness is, and how u r g e n t the need of a radical reform, will appear from the following quotation from Cassier's bearing on American practice : " Now, while t h e engines and trains described by Clark are r u n n i n g to-day, it is safe to say that no engine in the United States, doing similar work, approach t h e m in economy of coal consumption. I n deed, t h e r e is positive knowledge of one well-known fast passenger train on one of the routes between New York and Chicago, with a gross weight not exceeding 275 long tons, where the coal consumption averages 75 pounds per mile. The fact, however, that such a comparatively large coal consumption excites no special comment, and that no extraordinary effort is made to reduce it, justifies the inference that it is n o t considered r e m a r k a b l e . " It is simply inconceivable t h a t this striking difference between t h e economic performance of the English and American locomotive is due to mechanical superiority in design and construction in the former, for t h e American locomotive is sold all over the world in competition with those o f English and European builders. Nor can it be accounted for by the general inferiority of American coals as compared with tho Welsh stone coal, since, on the most liberal allowance, this should not affect comparative results by more than IO or 15 per cent., while the difference to be bridged over is about 300 per cent. Perhaps, as Cassier's editor somewhat sarcastically remarks, " the unfortunate fireman who has to shovel in 75 pounds of coal to the mile has no time to do more than dump it in at the fire-box door." Railroad engineering m a n a g e m e n t in this country of late years has undergone a great change for the better, and especially in the ease of the great t r u n k lines, will compare favorably with the best of other countries ; but it is evident, from what has been said, t h a t there is room for more intelligent supervision in this one important point. W.
LIQUID H Y D R O G E N . The advances that have lately been made in the i m p r o v e m e n t of the mechanical details of apparatus, have been so substantial t h a t the liquefaction of a i r - - u n t i l lately a most difficult and costly o p e r a t i o n - - h a s become so common t h a t it has ceased to be a novelty. The E n g l i s h chemist, Dewar, in 1893, first drew attention to t h e subject by his remarkable experiments with t h e material at the Royal Institution in London. In these demonstrations he was enabled to produce only minute quantities of liquefied air with infinite difficulty, and at a cost which is said to have been at the rate of $2,5oo for a quantity not exceeding a quart.