42 ANNUAL OP SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



ANTHRACITE COAL FOR LOCOMOTIVES. 



The following article is from the Journal of the Franklin Institute. 

 Its author is A. Pardee, Chief Engineer of the North Pennsylvania Rail- 

 road. The subject la one of increasing importance to our railroad com- 

 panies, and we wish to give it that extent of circulation which it deserves. 



" The use of anthracite coal as fuel, was commenced on the Beaver 

 Meadow Railroad, in 1838, in engines built by Eastwick & Harrison, and 

 has been continued, to the present time, in a portion of their engines. 



" On the Hazleton road, we commenced its use in 1838, in the ' Lehigh.' 

 engine, built by Eastwick & Harrison, and in 1839, in the Hercules,' by 

 same makers. Both engines have been in constant use during the season, 

 of navigation, say eight months per year, up to and including 1852, when 

 the ' Lehigh ' was taken into the shop to be rebuilt. The ' Hercules ' is 

 still in use. 



" Both engines had, originally, copper flues, which were replaced by 

 iron ones after about two years' use, the copper having been worn out at 

 the end next to the fire-box, by the particles of coal drawn in by the draft. 



" Both engines have now the same fire-boxes with which they were 

 turned out of the maker's shop, excepting aboiit one foot of the lower 

 part, which has been once renewed. The iron flues now in use, are those 

 put in to replace the copper never having been renewed, either in whole 

 or in part. Altogether, we have in use eight locomotive engines, three 

 built by Eastwick & Harrison, one by M. W. Baldwin, and four in our 

 own shops at Hazleton. 



" We have never used other fuel than anthracite coal, excepting for the 

 purpose of kindling fires. The engines have been in use, during the sea- 

 son of navigation, from two years ago, (when the last were built,) up to 

 the time of the oldest engines named above, and we have never renewed a 

 fire-box or set of flues, except the repairs to the two engines named. As 

 far, therefore, as our experience goes, anthracite coal for fuel is not so 

 destructive to fire-boxes and flues as has been generally argued and sup- 

 posed. "We wear out two sets of grate bars in the same season's use of 

 an engine. 



As to the Character of the Road, In starting from the Lehigh at Penn 

 Haven, we had, while using a part of the Beaver Meadow road, an ascend- 

 ing grade, averaging 80 feet per mile, for five miles ; then 140 feet per 

 mile for one and three-fourths miles ; then 60 feet for three and one-half 

 miles, and then a grade of 12 feet per mile, for three and one-half miles, 

 to the intersection of the various branches to the mines. In descending, 

 as you will perceive, mostly by gravity, the coal fire remained entirely 

 inactive, having no artificial draft, by fans or otherwise, except that caused 

 by the exhaust steam ; while in the ascending with a load of empty cars, 

 equal to the whole power of the engine, the tire to generate the necessary 

 steam, must be stimulated to the most intense activity ; thus making, 



