330 MARIENFELDE-ZOSSEN ELECTRIC-RAILWAY TRIALS, 



continuation of the experiments on the consumption of energy, etc., 

 for speeds up to 130 kilometers. The results of the improvements 

 made last year were shown, in connection with the recent trials, to ))e 

 most satisfactory and even surprising. The track not only stood easily 

 the strain to which it was put by trials at ever increasing speeds, but 

 the cars would now run with such safety and steadiness as to make the 

 shocks of the rails nearl}^ unnoticeable. 



The Siemens car was first given a (,;hance to show its possi))ilities; 

 after reaching speeds as high as 181) kilometers per hour at the end 

 of September last, it was anticipated that resuming the experiments 

 at the begiiniing of Octo])er would lead to the maximum speed of 200 

 kilometei's being finally reached. This was actually the case on Octo- 

 ber (), the event being watched by a great number of lookers-on. 

 The distance l)etween Marienfelde and Zossen was repeatedly trav- 

 ersed in not more than eight minutes each way, including starting 

 and ])raking, the maximum speed of 201 kilometers (126 miles) being 

 actually reached on the section Mahlow-Dahlwitz-Rangsdortf, traversed 

 in one and one-half minutes, throughout about 5 kilometers. The 

 mean speed of 175 kilometers per hour would enable the journey 

 between Berlin and Cologne (577 kilometers) to be completed in about 

 three and one-fourth hours, whereas the fastest present trains require 

 fully nine hours. 



This result, which aroused such sensation in the engineering' world, 

 was exceeded on October 23, when 207 kilometers were reached with- 

 out an\^ disturbing factors being noted. 



The Allgemeine Elektrizitats Gesellschaft car had meanwhile in 

 turn resumed the experiments, both cars being alternately used in the 

 course of October. In order to ascertain first the working conditions 

 of the car, moderate speeds were used at the beginning, which, how- 

 ever, could rapidly be increased, so that the high-speed car of the All- 

 gemeine Elektrizitats Gesellschaft on October 28 even slightly exceeded 

 the record made by the Siemens car, reaching the enormous speed of 

 210 kilometers per hour. Both cars ran so steadily that all those 

 present were highly satisfied. 



From a car running at such exceedingly high speeds neigh])oring 

 objects, of course, will disappear from view. Though the motorman 

 would be able to distinguish obstacles on the track, this would be of 

 little use, the braking distance, i. e., the distance from the beginning 

 of braking to the stopping of the train, being 2 kilometers, and 1,(300 

 horsepower having been necessary to obtain the desired speed. 

 Lookers-on could just distinguish the presence of men in the car; 

 before, however, they were able to fix their figure the car had disap- 

 peared from view. Though the track is very straight there elapsed 

 at most one-half minute between the first appearing of the train and 

 its passage and thence to the instant of its disappearance on the 

 horizon. 



