A. D. 2000

Cobb persisted in calling it, their arrangements had been co

re were no horses attached to the vehicle, which was very low in build, and with wheels of fair size. The driv

ere many passers-by at the time, but, thanks to Rawolle's care, none knew who we

ed the current, and the carriage rol

this for a carriage, M

in old days," the other returned, looking admiringl

ges in the city, except those which are used for hill travel. These

and how long will t

umulators, is about fifteen pounds, and the energy is the equivalent of two horses for six hours, or a greater number of horses for a less time. The accumulator

a good round gait, but the

not remember ever having seen a single building then standing as being there during his time. T

e street; the trucks were all underneath the roadbed, while the cars were held aloft by thin b

awakened to the fact that it was not only cruel, but costly, to cause horses to run upon cobble-stones, and pavements of similar construction. He d

seat, Rawolle assis

are, Mr

ised at the grandeur of the building. It far exceeded anything he had ever seen for similar purp

ccupied by the old station, at the c

ground was paved with marble slabs, and divided by iron fencing into five large compartments; the first running from side to side of the building, while the others were set at right angles to i

gh the gates into the main hall, or, as

t was so different from anything in the railway line that he had eve

te close to the ground. The end of each car was a huge circular disc of a diameter a little greater than that of the car, and having an elliptica

hey looked plain iron cylinders of vast

the guard cry for the gates to be closed. Almost immediately the gate of that compartmen

d been watching him with a cur

that I have just seen? It is something that beats my

en pointing toward the third opening, and looking at his watch, he co

pear through the left-hand slot, rise from below. It came up gradually, and at last stood, as its mate had stood, flush

as dropped from the top of the gate, bearin

lowing the eyes of the other to the sign. "L

wolle showed the tickets, and the three men passed in and proceeded along the train to the second carriage. C

windows. It was lighted by electric lamps, which made it as bright as day. The seats were somewhat differ

and after seeing their ticket

is grip and coa

minutes before the train le

I am at yo

n those used in your day," remarked Lyman. "Of course it is old to us, but

e a man who has just awakened in a land of fairies. I am not going to be too curious, but await developm

" continued Lyman, motioning

better to explain all this to Mr. Cobb in detail. Let him first see w

d here he found a hundred little inventions which had been made with a

ess," said Rawolle, "excepting the baggage-cars; th

nd Rawolle said they must hurry back, as that was the sign

he opening far above them. The train rested upon a sort of hydraulic lift which came to rest as soon as it had reached a level some twenty-five feet

n every direction, with

, or what he took to be such, move up and couple to hi

ard of a great railroad center. Men were in every directi

nnel. A peculiar sighing sound, like that of a great storm a long distance off, n

g air," was

Cobb returned, piqued at

few minutes more. I will explain it after we are

ed chamber containing what appeared to be very powerful machinery. Cobb saw the motor disconnect from the train at this point, but he was not permi

ted their cigars and settled themse

ending up a cloud of smoke,

I have seen," Cobb impatiently ask

e train carries a shield, or end-piece, which almost fills the cross-section of the tunnel; in fact, there is but the hundredth part of an inch between the edge of the shield and the interior side of the tunnel. The engines, as I said, are constantly pumping out the air, but this is carried to such a degree that the external pressure on the tubing of the tunnel is always under one pound per square inch. A series of valves at the end of the tunnel farthest away from the engines, permits ingress to the air which acts against the rear end of the train to move it forward. The train is first placed in a movable section of this tunnel, and, everything being ready, this section is moved upon rollers into connection with the main tunnel-a sort of valve action. The instant this is done, the air is permitted to enter in front of the train, and then gradually shut off until, the train having acquired its normal speed, the valves are closed altogether, and the air permitted to enter the tunnel behind the train only. It is very simple, and works to perfection. There are inlets through the rear shield of the train, to which are connected tubes running to each car. These are the air-tubes of the train. As the pressure of the air against the rear shield is one pound per square inch, a like pressure is exerted at the orifice of each tube; but, as there is no resistance to its ingress, it passes through into the cars, causing an internal pressure of the atmosphere of

take to gain this full

now traveling at the rate of two hundred and

believe he was in earnest, for he felt no shock of starting, nor did he experie

make the wheels

m, while Rawolle b

o laugh at," the other r

ause, "centrifugal force would tear them into pieces in no time. Take the case of a wheel four feet in diameter: the circumference of such a wheel is a little over twelve feet. At the rate of four miles per minute, it would have to revolve 1,760 times. No wheel that can be made would stand such a test. It would fly into fragments inside of the first mile.

over the figures in his mind. "Wheels

d the runners are flanged to exactly fit the rail. There is, in addition, on either side of the tunnel, another rail of similar shape, while upon the upper part are two more. The car has runners for all of these rails, a

s to exhaust the air from suc

es in length, rate of speed being the same. The reason for stations at intervals of about 500 miles, is because more trains can be kept in motion on medium short lines tha

or a single railroad, I would say

these engines are worked by electricity, and not by steam, and that the electricity

the statistics, p

unds, for the matter of friction is not taken into consideration, being, by our arrangements, reduced to the minimum. Thus the pressure in the tunnel is always sufficient to move eight trains. If a train moves four miles in a minute, then the volume of air in the tunnel to be displaced is equivalent to the area multiplied by the length, which gives 2,600,000 cubic feet; but, under a pressure of o

practically no limit to the speed which can

that they begin to disintegrate. At three hundred miles per hour they become very hot. As it is, we have to use a very peculi

not this oil congeal upon

he congealed oil to the merest fraction of an inch from the rail. These cutters must, by the train ru

on for its action or cause. It was, indeed, a most marvelous invention. Here he was tra

for these powerful engin

the Shoshone Falls, in Idaho. These falls furnish an immense water-power, estimated at over 300,000 horse-p

ch a rate of speed, an accident would be fraug

smiled a

dent yet upon any of our lines. There have been, of course, breaks and delays; but as each train is in communication with each other, and with e

match, he

lways be a cushion of air between them; and further, were any ordinary number

ation. "But I am at a loss to understand why the people of my

rinciple, but had not the means to

his system been

," he replied, afte

Cobb; "has the pneumatic railr

which have been made, and also the one other most important fact, that all engines are run by electricity. The pneumatic lines are through lines

t centers, are connected by electric

y to the rest of the roads-a means only

ered good speed for

our for passenger trains,

ferently constructed from th

ough for the present," looking at his watch. "It is 18 dial, and we had bette