3(>(5 RAILWAY SPEED. CHAP. XVU. 



rolling stock may be run upon it with safety. But if 

 you increase the speed by say ten miles, then everything 

 must be greatly strengthened. You must have heavier 

 engines, heavier and better-fastened rails, and all your 

 working expenses will be immensely increased. I think 

 I know enough of mechanics to know where to stop. 

 I know that a pound will weigh a pound, arid that more 

 should not be put upon an iron rail than it will bear. 

 If you could ensure perfect iron, perfect rails, and perfect 

 locomotives, I grant fifty miles an hour or more might 

 be run with safety on a level railway. But then you 

 must not forget that iron, even the best, will 'tire/ 

 and with constant use will become more and more liable 

 to break at the weakest point perhaps where there is 

 a secret flaw that the eye cannot detect. Then look at 

 the rubbishy rails now manufactured on the contract 

 system some of them little better than cast metal : 

 indeed, I have seen rails break merely on being thrown 

 from the truck on to the ground. How is it possible 

 for such rails to stand a twenty or thirty ton engine 

 dashing over them at the speed of fifty miles an hour ? 

 No, no," he would conclude, " I am in favour of low 

 speeds because they are safe, and because they are 

 economical ; and you may rely upon it that, beyond a 

 certain point, with every increase of speed there is an 

 increase in the element of danger." 



When railways became the subject of popular dis- 

 cussion, many new and unsound theories were started 

 with reference to them, which Stephenson opposed as cal- 

 culated, in his opinion, to bring discredit on the locomo- 

 tive system. One of these was with reference to what 

 were called " undulating lines." Among others, Dr. 

 Lardner, who had originally been somewhat sceptical 

 about the powers of the locomotive, now promulgated 

 the idea that a railway constructed with rising and falling- 

 gradients would be practically as easy to work as a line 

 perfectly level. Mr. Badriell went even beyond him, for 



