214 



HORSE AND MAN. 



sides, and the third-class carriages being mere wooden 

 trays without seats, the system of coupling was in 

 an equally primitive state. There were no elastic 

 buffers, the only substitute being square wooden 

 blocks. 



The consequence was, that when the train started, 

 a continuous series of jerks took place, each car- 

 riage jerking forward the one immediately behind it. 



Fig.3. 



VERTEBR2E AND RAILWAY BUFFERS. 



When the engine slackened speed before stopping, 

 a corresponding series of bangs ran through the 

 train, each carriage being banged several times before 

 it stopped. 



This arrangement is now confined to goods 

 trains, and is not likely to last, as even with them 

 the wear and tear caused by this jerking and banging 

 are very expensive. 



