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Re: John Kneiling !!
Author: Jeff A.
Date: 08-21-2009 - 07:35
This idea wasn't exactly original to Mr. Kneiling. I seemed to recall reading of something similar; located this item in Hilton's "American Narrow Gauge Railroads":
As usual in the history of technology, proposed but untried devices included some outlandish schemes. R. A. Wilder in 1872 proposed a four-rail system which was essentially a double-track meter-gauge railroad with the inside rails precisely 4'-8.5" apart. Wilder proposed operating standard gauge trains for main lines, narrow for branch lines, plus broad gauge equipment with four wheels abreast for transcontinental service, or for the railway proposed to carry ships across the Isthmus of Darien. He estimated that the system would have four times the capacity of an ordinary double track railroad at 50 to 60 percent additional cost. There was no practical way curves could be super-elevated in the system, and one cannot conceive of keeping four rails in an absolutely fixed relation under all circumstances, but Wilder reported that the Hon. J. Wl Killinger had introduced into the House of Representatives a bill for a uniform national system of this character.
Like a lot of ideas it sounds great in theory, but was completely unworkable in practice in 1872 and probably was equally unworkable when Kneiling proposed it.
J
As usual in the history of technology, proposed but untried devices included some outlandish schemes. R. A. Wilder in 1872 proposed a four-rail system which was essentially a double-track meter-gauge railroad with the inside rails precisely 4'-8.5" apart. Wilder proposed operating standard gauge trains for main lines, narrow for branch lines, plus broad gauge equipment with four wheels abreast for transcontinental service, or for the railway proposed to carry ships across the Isthmus of Darien. He estimated that the system would have four times the capacity of an ordinary double track railroad at 50 to 60 percent additional cost. There was no practical way curves could be super-elevated in the system, and one cannot conceive of keeping four rails in an absolutely fixed relation under all circumstances, but Wilder reported that the Hon. J. Wl Killinger had introduced into the House of Representatives a bill for a uniform national system of this character.
Like a lot of ideas it sounds great in theory, but was completely unworkable in practice in 1872 and probably was equally unworkable when Kneiling proposed it.
J
| Subject | Written By | Date/Time (PST) |
|---|---|---|
 John Kneiling !!
|
OldPoleBurner | 08-20-2009 - 10:57 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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espee99 | 08-20-2009 - 13:16 |
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Re: John Kneiling !! |
Jeff A. | 08-21-2009 - 07:35 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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Nate Beal | 08-20-2009 - 13:42 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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Drew Jacksich | 08-20-2009 - 15:47 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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Mike T. | 08-20-2009 - 18:34 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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Dave Smith | 08-20-2009 - 19:43 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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david vartanoff | 08-20-2009 - 19:45 |
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Re: John Kneiling !!
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George Andrews | 08-20-2009 - 20:27 |
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Re: John Kneiling
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The Montezuma Yardmaster | 08-21-2009 - 08:39 |
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Re: John Kneiling
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Overcredit | 08-21-2009 - 19:18 |
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Re: John Kneiling
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OldPoleBurner | 08-22-2009 - 10:22 |
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Re: John Kneiling
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mook | 08-22-2009 - 18:09 |