Trial of a steam passenger-car.
--A steam passenger-car for a Southern road passed over the
Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad, as far as
Trenton and back, on Saturday, making the trip to
Trenton in 80 minutes, including stoppages, and returned in 67 minutes, a distance of 30 miles. This car is 36 feet long, contains a baggage-room 6 feet in length, next to the enzine; also a closet, mail-room, and seats for 30 passengers.
All the machinery is placed upon the platform, in front of the car, and acts upon the drivers by means of cut gearing, which runs exceedingly smooth. --The water for the boiler is held in a tank under the baggage-room, and sufficient is carried, with coal, for running twenty miles.--The economy of the whole arrangement is such that an engineer and conductor are only required to manage it; the conductor, when necessary, acting as brakesman; but a powerful brake is at the engineer's hand, to be applied at the moment of shutting off steam.--These cars will be found useful and economical for all kinds of railroads, and particularly for the accommodation of way-passengers.