Improved Railroad Track.-The improvement of Mr. D. C. Grinell, of New York, consists in making the track of four rails instead of two, or one gauge within another. Each car has trucks of two widths, and there is a double safety against running off. The weight of the locomotive being borne on the double track, may also be greatly augmented, and a much higher rate of speed attained than is now possible. It is estimated, that a road built in this manner, might be traversed with security, at from 100 to 150 miles per hour. The expense would not be double that of an ordinary track, as lighter rails may be used.

An invention of M. Gluckmann, to establish a communication between the breakmen of trains by means of electricity, has lately been tried with success, on the Birmingham and London Railroad. The apparatus consists of two batteries, each one secured within a box, and placed at the opposite ends of the train, connected by a wire, which passes under the cars, and is joined to bells which can be set ringing whenever the attention of the brakemen or conductors is required. The great merit of this invention lies in its simplicity and rapidity of action.

G. K. Douglas, of Chester, England, has patented some improvements in the permanent way of railways. In this invention, the chair is made with two pair of jaws, which are cast together in the usual manner, and are sufficiently wide apart at the top, to admit the rail. Between the jaws and the body of the rail is a plate, enlarged between the jaws, in order to strengthen it, and another plate is held in contact with the other side of the rails, by vertical wedges. These plates and wedges the inventor prefers to make of cast-iron, but they may be made of wood. When the wedge is of wood, it is requisite to have a hole in the chair, through which the wedge can be forced when the rail has to be removed.—Scientific American.

At the late fair of the Maryland Institute, a gold medal was awarded to a locomotive engine exhibited by Mr. John Cochrane, the constructing engineer of the Union Iron Works, of Baltimore. The chief peculiarities of this engine consist in the use of a double set of cylinders and driving apparatus, together with an arrangement of the axles, whereby the motion over curves is greatly facilitated. The inventor thus describes it :—

"The wheels of the Binary engine may be considered as divided into two sets, viz: Front and back drivers, each set being operated by a separate pair of cylinders, making four cylinders in all. The pair of cylinders beneath the smoke-box, operate the truck drivers by means of cranked axles, and the outside pair the back drivers by means of crank pins in the wheels. Each pair of cylinders, with their connections and wheels, form a complete system, but are not capable of independent movement, for both systems are so combined together, as to secure a simultaneous action in starting, working, and stopping, and in all the various manipulations nec essary to the management of the engine. This is accomplished by combining the outer and inner cylinder of each side respectively, by means of

one steam-chest and valve, which produce a perfect unity of action in both systems."-Scientific American.

Oblique Railroad Wheels.—One of the most interesting sights in Paris, is the railroad from the Barrier d'Enfer to Sceaux. It is but seven miles long, and was built as an experiment upon a new system of wheels. The engine, tender, and hindermost car of the train are furnished with oblique wheels, under the ordinary upright ones. Where the track is straight, these do not touch the rails; but at the curves they come into play, rattling along the inner edge of the rails, and preventing the train from running off the track. The road was, therefore, made purposely tortuous, and the most sudden and seemingly dangerous bends were introduced at frequent intervals. The two stations are circular, and the train, as it receives its passengers, is doubled up into a ring of 50 feet radius. The smallest curve upon the road is 68 feet radius, and over this the train goes at full speed. The corners of the cars are cut off, so that the vehicles, in following the curves, do not infringe upon each other. Sceaux is upon an eminence, which the road ascends spirally, with something like a mile of track--it only going, in advance, a hundred feet. The inventionwhich, by the way, is ten years old-has proved, practically, very successful; but it has never been applied to any extent.

Ruttan's Car Ventilator.-In this invention, which is highly commended, the fresh, pure air is caught, by a projecting box or cap on the centre of the roof, and conveyed down a passage on the inside of the car, through the floor, to a shallow tank beneath. Spreading out here, it deposits its cinders, and, to a considerable degree, its smoke and dust, after which it rises through the stove-which is of peculiar construction, on the principle of a hot-air furnace—and is projected, in every direction, from the top of the stove into the car. The opening for its escape again, from the interior to the open air, is near the floor, and the current of warm, foul air, is conveyed under the entire length of the car, completely protecting the feet of the passengers from the influence of the external cold. Having completed this circuit, it is carried up through suitable passages, and allowed to escape from a cap on the top. These ejecting caps are at each end of the car, to allow of running in each direction, and are closed by light, self-acting valves, opening outward. The current induced by the rapid motion through the air, closes the valve on the forward, and opens that on the hinder one, and each valve is so balanced, by a short loaded lever or tumbling-bob, that the weight tends equally to hold either open or closed. It results from this contrivance, (which may appear paradoxical to some, but is easily constructed by any mechanic,) that whichever position the valves may assume in the most rapid motion, will be maintained until the motion is reversed. The openings from these ejectors or exhausting boxes, into the cars, are controlled by hand, but the only effect of exhausting direct from either end, may be an unpleasant cooling of the floor.

ANTHRACITE COAL FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

The following article is from the Journal of the Franklin Institute. Its author is A. Pardee, Chief Engineer of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. The subject is one of increasing importance to our railroad companies, and we wish to give it that extent of circulation which it deserves. "The use of anthracite coal as fuel, was commenced on the Beaver Meadow Railroad, in 1836, in engines built by Eastwick & Harrison, and has been continued, to the present time, in a portion of their engines.

"On the Hazleton road, we commenced its use in 1838, in the ' Lehigh' engine, built by Eastwick & Harrison, and in 1839, in the Hercules,' by same makers. Both engines have been in constant use during the season of navigation, say eight months per year, up to and including 1852, when the Lehigh' was taken into the shop to be rebuilt. The Hercules' is still in use.

"Both engines had, originally, copper flues, which were replaced by iron ones after about two years' use, the copper having been worn out at the end next to the fire-box, by the particles of coal drawn in by the draft.

"Both engines have now the same fire-boxes with which they were turned out of the maker's shop, excepting about one foot of the lower part, which has been once renewed. The iron flues now in use, are those put in to replace the copper-never having been renewed, either in whole or in part. Altogether, we have in use eight locomotive engines, three built by Eastwick & Harrison, one by M. W. Baldwin, and four in our own shops at Hazleton.

"We have never used other fuel than anthracite coal, excepting for the purpose of kindling fires. The engines have been in use, during the season of navigation, from two years ago, (when the last were built,) up to the time of the oldest engines named above, and we have never renewed a fire-box or set of flues, except the repairs to the two engines named. As far, therefore, as our experience goes, anthracite coal for fuel is not so destructive to fire-boxes and flues as has been generally argued and supposed. We wear out two sets of grate bars in the same season's use of an engine.

As to the Character of the Road.-In starting from the Lehigh at Penn Haven, we had, while using a part of the Beaver Meadow road, an ascending grade, averaging 80 feet per mile, for five miles; then 140 feet per mile for one and three-fourths miles; then 60 feet for three and one-half miles, and then a grade of 12 feet per mile, for three and one-half miles, to the intersection of the various branches to the mines. In descending, as you will perceive, mostly by gravity, the coal fire remained entirely inactive, having no artificial draft, by fans or otherwise, except that caused by the exhaust steam; while in the ascending with a load of empty cars, equal to the whole power of the engine, the fire to generate the necessary steam must be stimulated to the most intense activity; thus making,

apparently, a far more unfavorable state of things for the use of coal, than on a road where the grades are more uniform, and in consequence, the fire acted upon by a more uniform draft.

"I am aware that it has been said, that coal might do for short roads, but that on long roads, the continuous intense action of the heat would destroy the fire-box and flues.

"Now it strikes me as absurd, to suppose that on a road of any length, a fire need be made more intensely hot, or that any part of the boiler could be more heated, than is necessary to drive an engine and full train up ten miles of such grades as are specified above, or that a continuous equable heat, for eight or ten hours, can be worse than continuing the same heat for an hour, then a moderate fire for an hour, and so on alternately, with the consequent expansion and contraction, and this continued .day after day, for eight months, annually, during fifteen years.

"I have entered on this subject, perhaps, to a somewhat tedious length, my object being, to satisfy yourself and others, that anthracite coal has been used, successfully, for a series of years, in this region, as fuel for locomotive engines not differing materially from the ordinary mode of construction."

The New Bedford Mercury gives an interesting account of an experiment, which has recently been made, under the direction of Wm. A. Crocker, President of the Taunton Branch Railroad, and S. M. Felton, President of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Railroad, for the purpose of thoroughly testing the feasibility of using anthracite coal in locomotives. For this purpose, they had an engine built at Taunton, in the most thorough manner, and it has been run, for about two months, on the Taunton and New Bedford Railroad, without losing a minute in time. It was then taken to the Worcester and Western roads, for further experiment. On the first trial on the Worcester road, towards the conclusion of the trip, owing to the want of skill in the fireman, the engine was behind time at Worcester, but then rallied, and went over the Western road to Springfield, losing only nine minutes. The engine then ran, for several days, between Springfield and Worcester, taking the usual heavy freight trains. On the 13th of October, it ran from Springfield to Worcester, taking the accommodation train, and arrived in good time, making an average of 28.6 miles per hour. On the same day, returning, it took the Albany express train to Springfield in 1 hour and 18 3-4 minutes, averaging 42 miles per hour. As a further specimen of its performances, the Mercury states, that it ran over a heavy, continuous grade of 11 miles, on the Western Railroad, taking it in 17 minutes, and having 100 lbs. of steam upon the summit. Of the peculiarity in the construction of this engine, and the economy in its use, the Mercury says:

"The peculiarity of this locomotive consists in the construction of the boiler. To state this plainly, we may say that the water comes to the fire, instead of the fire going to the water. This passes through the tubes, instead of the fire, as in locomotives of the old construction, and is con

tinually circulating about the fire-box. In this way, a moderate combustion generates the necessary amount of steam, and the fire-box not being subjected to that violent heat, which has been the real difficulty with other engines for burning anthracite, is preserved, while it has been burned out in all other engines in a few weeks.

“The economy of anthracite engines is now in process of proof by parties interested, and the result will doubtless be given to the public. Mr. Cummings, the engineer of the Anthracite, informs us, that for its day's work, of eighty-four miles, it requires 3,500 lbs. of coal, being kept standing upon its fire about two hours and a half, in New Bedford.

"Besides economy, there are several other considerations which should recommend the coal engines. Smoke, dust and cinders are all avoided. This not only adds greatly to the comfort of the passengers, but wood standing upon land adjacent to the road, is not in danger of fire, which, in dry weather, is often communicated by sparks from the ordinary engine."

RAILROAD AND STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS COMPARED.

From a record of all the railroad and steamboat accidents, for a period of fourteen and a half consecutive months, ending March, 1854, the following results have been obtained: The whole number of railroad accidents was 190; killed, 268; wounded, 624. The whole number of steamboat accidents during the same period was 48; killed, 691; wounded, 225. It would thus appear that in the above-mentioned time, the number of accidents upon railroads has been 396 per cent. in advance of those upon steamboats. The number of wounded upon railroads has been 270.07 per cent. in advance of those from steamboat accidents, while the number of deaths resulting from steamboat accidents is 260.50 per cent. more than upon railroads. From this it would appear that railroad travelling is more prolific in accidents, but less serious in deaths, than steamboat travelling.

WETHERED'S IMPROVEMENT IN THE APPLICATION OF STEAM.

The principle of this improvement is very simple, and is neither new in its application nor construction, a similar contrivance having been used with success at Lowell some years since, under the direction of Dr. A. A. Hayes, of Boston. As it has attracted considerable attention during the past year, we copy the following published statement :—

The purpose sought to be attained is, an augmentation of the propelling power of the steam, by combining it with another current of steam which has previously traversed the highly heated atmosphere of the boilers, and thus raising it to a higher temperature.

To arrive at this result, the steam, as it escapes from the boiler, is concentrated in the conducting pipe, whence it is taken by two other pipes which, dividing it into two portions, lead it off in different directions-one directly into the steam-chest, and the other, by an interior chimney, through