Even in this age of wonders no one would have expected to experience
a railway collision without the usual horrors of a smash-up, yet that
is the feature of one of the latest wonders of inventive genius. An
electrical engineer of New York, Mr. P. K. Stern, has just come forward
with such a contrivance.
His system is remarkable chiefly for the daring conception which it
expresses and for the exceptional skill shown in devising mechanism
absolutely safe in its operation.
[Illustration: A CAR PASSING OVER ANOTHER ON THE ANTI-COLLISION RAILWAY.
_From a Photo._]
A single track is used, on which railway-cars are caused to travel.
Two cars are rushing towards each other at a speed of twenty-five
miles an hour, so that a collision would, under ordinary conditions,
be inevitable, when suddenly one of the cars runs, not into, but over
the top of the other and lands on the track on the other side, where it
continues in perfect safety to its destination. The underneath car has
proceeded as if nothing had happened.
The cars, although they run upon wheels, are really travelling bridges,
with overhanging compartments for the accommodation of passengers.
Over the framed structure of the cars thus constituted an arched track
is carried, securely fastened to the car and serving the purpose of
providing a road-bed for the colliding car. This superimposed track
is built in accordance with well-understood principles of bridge
construction.
The passengers find accommodation in the cars arranged along each side
of the travelling structure. The cars run at a speed of about ten
to fifteen miles an hour, and are caused to collide at about eight
miles an hour, which is quite sufficient for amusement purposes. The
principle upon which these cars are constructed renders it impossible
for one to crush the other while going over it.
In this device the speed of the cars is immaterial. One car may
be moving very slowly--such as is the case sometimes in crowded
streets--and the overtaking car, when meeting with obstructions, though
it may be in close proximity, can go straight ahead just as though
nothing had happened. In fact, automobiles and carts can go over the
cars just as though they were mounting a gradual incline or small hill.
In cases of street locomotion there is a fender effect for the safety
of people crossing the streets, which picks the person up and lands him
down on the other side unhurt.
A great deal might be done with a system of this character, and Mr.
Stern's next work will be a careful study on the lines of carrying
freight, as he believes that a single line of railway may be duplexed
in this manner, and thus enable more business to be carried on than by
the ordinary railroad having two tracks.
[Illustration: A GENERAL VIEW OF LHASSA FROM THE EAST.
_From a Photo._]
_The Forbidden City of Lhassa._