Part 3

The foregoing are some of the many advantages which directly result from the use of the Bicycle System, but there are others which result indirectly, and are perhaps fully as important.

[Illustration: _Sectional View of Bicycle Motor Car, showing Safety Shoe at Bottom of Car. Also Method of Suspending Car from Springs at top of Motor Frame._]

The difficulty with the present car motor is, that the power necessary to round sharp curves must be so much greater at these curves than on a straight line, due to the width of gauge, and consequent grinding and wedging, as well as the large rolling friction, that the motor must be constructed heavy and powerful enough to answer the purpose in either case. The advantages of the Bicycle System in rounding curves, and reduced rolling friction, have been described in former pages, and it should be very evident that a much lighter motor can be constructed, and with light Bicycle Needle cars, will give a speed greater than anything yet attained. Another disadvantage of the present heavy cars and motors, is the necessity of gearing the motor down to get power enough to start the car without burning the armature out. The motor of our new electric locomotive contains but a single stationary shaft, with the armature and wheel revolving on same, and in addition revolvable about a vertical axis enabling it to round curves. This supersedes the intermediate shafts of the present gear motors, whose friction and liability to breakdowns render high speed impossible. The Bicycle cars running so much easier, permit the coupling of the armature directly with the driving-shaft without the necessity of intermediate gearing and all the evils connected with it. As the motor is in the car itself, it is entirely free from all the dust and dirt to which those now used are exposed, and every part is constantly in full view, and within easy reach of the engineer. Anyone conversant with the difficulties of supervising the present car motor and keeping them clean and well regulated, will fully appreciate the benefits derived from this alone. It is obvious that the outgoing and incoming currents could be sent through separate conductors in the overhead guide-beams, or if preferable, the return current can be sent through the supporting rail.

Each car has its own motor, and is therefore entirely independent, thus facilitating switching or changing from one track to another; it will also be possible to have the trains of almost any length, as each car furnishes its own traction and as a greater number of passengers increases its traction, no adding of dead weight is necessary. With one locomotive pulling a long train it is entirely different, as the adding of a number of cars is counteracting the traction of the former, and must be equalized by a corresponding weight of the locomotive, thus furnishing a dead load of no benefit, and besides, necessitating an increased motive force. In making up a train of these independent car motors, flexible electric connections will enable the engineer in the front car to control all the motors, and thus operate the whole train.

Illustration on page 45 describes the Bicycle electric car and the structure for an electric elevated road. The weight of car and motor combined will only be about six tons. With this combination it is possible to maintain a very high rate of speed. Certainly, without exceeding the number of revolutions already attained by electric motors, one hundred and fifty miles an hour would be feasible. Experts have expressed the opinion that electricity is the coming motive power. If this be a fact, as some of the recent electrical experiments seem to indicate, some system should be used which in all cases would be entirely safe, as the public will certainly not patronize any which would imperil their lives or property.

The cars are furnished with a grooved metal keel at each end, inside of which the wheels are revolving, so that, if from any possible cause one of the latter should break, the car would only drop far enough to allow this groove to slide on the rail, but would not allow the guide-wheels to leave the overhead guide-beam.

Now, in regard to collisions, which are apt to occur from many causes, even where a separate line is furnished for outgoing and incoming trains, unless some means are furnished to make such a contingency impossible. There is an electric system at present in practical operation in Austria, where in case trains approach one another too near for safety, a bell is set ringing in the engineer’s cab of the train following, which warns him of danger, and continues to ring until a safe distance between the trains is established. A dial may also be arranged in the engineer’s cab, which will show the position of every train and their relative distance from one another. Either one of these plans would remove all possibility of collision.

[Illustration: _Side View of Bicycle Motor Wheel, with Motor Enclosed, Armature Being a Part of the Wheel. Also Detail of Trolley Shoes, Showing Method of Taking Current from the Conductor._]

[Illustration: _Single Post, Double Track, Steel Elevated Bicycle Structure, for Use in Streets in Villages and Cities. Cost, per mile, $65,000._]

[Illustration: _Front View of Motor Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I., Showing Power Station and Structure of Railroad._]

WHAT IS SAID OF IT BY ELECTRICAL AND ENGINEERING EXPERTS.

KINGS COUNTY ELEVATED RAILWAY CO., } 346 FULTON STREET, BROOKLYN, N. Y. }

_Hon. E. M. Boynton, Prest. Boynton Bicycle Railway Co., 32 Nassau Street, N. Y._

DEAR SIR:—I have taken great pleasure in visiting and riding on your Electric Railway at Bellport, L. I. I was more than satisfied in regard to its feasibility and adaptability to quick transportation. By your single rail and narrow cars you have lightened many-fold the weight of trains, and enlarged proportionally the carrying capacity over steam roads, as at present existing, as you make a double-track road out of a single-standard gauge track.

I am fully satisfied as to its economical construction and working, its quick and rapid means of transit, and its absolute safety in transporting passengers and freight.

I see no reason why it should not be universally adopted, as the tests of both the steam and electric methods have proved its practical success. Very respectfully yours, O. F. BALSTON, _Chief Engr. K. C. El. Ry._

(_Special despatch to the Associated Press._)

NEW YORK, April 4, 1895.—A committee composed of members of the Senate and House of the Massachusetts Legislature to-day inspected the Boynton Bicycle Electric Road from Patchogue to Bellport, Long Island. The party entered a train at Patchogue at about noon, and shortly afterward were traveling around sharp curves and up steep grades at the rate of nearly a mile a minute, almost totally unconscious of the rapid rate at which they were going.

The results of to-day’s examination are thus summarized by a member of the committee: First, they are satisfied the system saves half the weight per passenger carried; second, makes one rail do more work than two now do; third, gives double the speed possible by any other system; fourth, is about one-quarter the expense to build, as compared with elevated railroads; fifth, is perfectly safe, silent, dustless and doing double the work at half the usual cost.

The committee seemed especially delighted with the capability of the road in giving a double track on a single post, thus solving the question of rapid transit in the narrow streets of Boston and its suburbs, where several charters are pending. The visitors agreed that the Bicycle System was safe and less injurious to property than the trolley system.

MANHATTAN RAILWAY COMPANY, CHIEF ENGINEER’S OFFICE, } 71 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. }

DEAR SIR:—In regard to your request for an expression of opinion in relation to the practicability of the Boynton Bicycle Railway, I have to say, that I think the system is thoroughly practicable; that the rolling stock can be economically constructed, and much lighter per live load carried than the ordinary rolling stock of equal strength.

By reason of the center of gravity coming directly over the single supporting rail, there will not be that disagreeable oscillation which takes place on the double-rail system, and which is so destructive to the rolling stock; and for this reason a high rate of speed can be maintained with greater safety than on the present system. Yours truly, J. WATERHOUSE, _Chief Engineer_.

_Hon. E. Moody Boynton, President Boynton Bicycle Railway Company_:

In the difficult road at Coney Island, and with its sharp grades and curves, where you have for two seasons passed one Bicycle steam train by another, thus making a double track of the standard gauge road, and wherein the running of ten thousand trains and the safe carriage of passengers, without accident, at high speed, with great smoothness and economy, have been accomplished, you have demonstrated your system to be perfectly feasible.

I have no interest in your Company other than as an engineer, but am pleased to give my impression concerning your road at Coney Island, as your success there has been very remarkable. Yours truly, F. S. PEARSON, _Consulting Engineer, 81 Milk Street, Boston_.

Mr. F. S. Pearson was Chief and Electrical Engineer of the West End Street Railway, Boston; of the Brooklyn City Railway; New York City, Jersey City, and many other roads.

PHILADELPHIA, PA., May 4th, 1895.

_Hon. E. M. Boynton, Prest. Boynton Bicycle Railway Co., New York, N. Y._

DEAR SIR:—In reply to your letter of the 3d inst., requesting our opinion as to the merits of the Boynton Bicycle Railroad System, we beg leave to say that we believe the system possesses marked features of merit on the following grounds:

_First_; that a Bicycle railroad car, loaded with passengers, is much lighter than a loaded car of the same passenger accommodation of the present type, and consequently possesses corresponding economy in the power required to drive it at a given rate of speed.

_Second_; that owing to the lightness of construction, electric motive power, sufficient for the attainment of high speeds, can be applied to each car as an independent unit, instead of requiring a special electric or steam locomotive to haul one or more cars, thus obtaining for high speed railroads all the flexibility and advantages of the trolley system, as now employed in street passenger railroads.

_Third_; cheapness in the construction of the car, the roadbed and track, particularly when electric locomotion is employed, requiring an overhead structure.

_Fourth_; the advantage possessed by your system, in changing over from the present steam road to the Bicycle road, arising from the width of your car, which permits two cars to pass each other, on the ordinary 4′-8½″ track, thus providing a double track road in the space now occupied for a single track. Yours respectfully, EDWIN J. HOUSTON. A. E. KENNELLY.

HEADQUARTERS DEPT. OF THE EAST, } GOVERNOR’S ISLAND, N. Y. }

My attention was first called to the Bicycle Railroad System, as developed by E. Moody Boynton, some two or three years ago, and I have since, from a careful examination of its workings, satisfied myself of its superiority in several respects to other methods of transportation. Its simplicity of construction and cheapness of operation have commended it to my favorable consideration, and the running of the experimental trains at Coney Island, and Bellport, L. I., the former by steam and the latter by electricity, have convinced me that its advantages are many fold.

The liability of accident appears to be at a minimum, and the questions connected with the cheapness of construction, the economy in operation, the great speed of trains, and the comfort and safety of travel, appear to be entirely solved by the employment of the Bicycle system.

O. O. HOWARD, _Major-General U.S. Army_.

ADDENDUM.

The Boynton Bicycle Railway Company is incorporated to license the use of its patents to all steam and electric railway companies, in the United States and other countries, on the payment of a small royalty.

All stock of the Company is fully paid by patents and property, is non-assessable, and it is not intended to incur any bonded indebtedness.

Any company organized for the purpose of using this system will pay a royalty of one-twentieth of the stock, or, if bonds are issued, one-twentieth of the bonds, as a full and final payment for the use of all patents issued or to be issued.

The running of over 17,000 miles by steam on the Coney Island road, and of over 8,000 miles by electricity on the Bellport road has demonstrated the complete mechanical and practical success of this system.

A saving of from six to twenty-fold is made in train weight for conveying passengers, and four-fold saving in conveying freight.

The Company will furnish on application any further information that may be necessary, to such railroad companies, or others, who desire to investigate this system, with a view to its adoption.

To those who may decide to use this system we will send full working drawings, which will enable them to construct cars, locomotives and structures.

THE BOYNTON BICYCLE RAILWAY COMPANY, ROOM 615, 32 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK CITY, N. Y.

DIRECTORS OF THE BOYNTON BICYCLE RAILWAY COMPANY FOR 1896.

Dr. JAMES B. BELL, Boston, Mass. Maj.-Gen. O. O. HOWARD, New York. GEO. HASELTINE, “ “ GEO. H. GALE, “ “ EBEN M. BOYNTON, “ “ WILLIAM A. STEVENS, “ “ DAVID WALLACE, “ “ WILLIAM H. BOYNTON, “ “ FRANCIS W. BREED, Lynn, Mass. D. C. REUSCH, New York. GEO. A. BRUCE, Summerville, Mass. H. H. MAWHINNEY, Boston, Mass. E. L. SANBORN, “ “ WM. H. H. HART, San Francisco, Cal. WILLIAM H. THURBER, Providence, R. I. W. E. SCARRITT, New York.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The writer has had several opportunities of riding on the standard gauge locomotives, and noticed, in rounding curves, even at the rate of thirty-five miles per hour, the resulting zig-zag motion; the machine would be running on the tread of the wheels as far as the flanges allowed to one side, striking with terrible force, then bounding to the other side and repeating the action again and again, until it seemed impossible that the rails could be held in place with spikes firmly enough to prevent their tipping over or spreading.

[2] Note on page 23 sworn statement of Henry Henjes, coal dealer.

[3] That these advantages have also been acknowledged by electricians of repute, was shown at a recent meeting of “The Boston Society of American Engineers.” In answer to a question of where to put the wires, Capt. Griffin said: “There are several suggestions made in reference to that. Mr. E. Moody Boynton’s Bicycle Railway is especially adapted to electrical purposes.” He then goes on describing and explaining the reasons for this.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the text and consultation of external sources.

Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.

Page 26. “accomodation” replaced by “accommodation”. Page 38. “few seconds There” replaced by “few seconds. There”.