HIGH SPEED RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING. XLIII. 



which are part of the electrical equipment, are estimated 

 to cost £13,500 per mile. 



Two alternative sizes of cars are proposed, one 35 tons 

 loaded, taking 35 passengers, and one of 50 tons taking 50. 

 They are designed to be on two bogies of three tandem 

 wheels each, the leading wheel of one and the trailing 

 wheels of the other being flangeless drivers, whose axles 

 are geared, by case-hardened sprocket chains, to four 3 ton 

 motors, hung at a lower level, horizontally between the 

 guide wheels. The maximum speed of the chains will be 

 as much as 1,960 feet per minute, transmitting 375 HP. 

 The guide wheels of the car are eight in number, two pairs 

 at each side of each bogie, the upper one 19 inches and the 

 lower one 35 inches below surface of the bearing rail. They 

 and the 30 lb rails they work on, are horizontal and not 

 normal to the sloped side of the trestle, to which the latter 

 are attached. Each guide wheel has its own axle, so that 

 the differential revolution in curves is provided for, that 

 cause of derailment and friction on bi-rail lines being 

 entirely eliminated. These wheels are provided with f in. 

 flanges at lower side to resist overturning tendency. Springs 

 are to be used to maintain contact between guide wheels 

 and rail, but unless these springs are so perfectly adjusted 

 as to take up fully any rolling motion set up in the car by 

 any of the numerous causes of it, intermittent contact will 

 ensue, which at such speed would soon destroy both rail 

 and wheel. 



The underframes of the car are of steel, and the frame- 

 work of the upper portions is of a special alloy of aluminum 

 of about 2*50 specific gravity, so as to keep the centre of 

 gravity of the car 12 inches below bearing rail, a condition 

 laid upon the promoters by the Lords Committee. The 50 

 ton car is 41 feet long, for 25 feet of which it has parallel 

 sides, the remainder forming pointed ends, to diminish air 



