-
THE TRIANGULAR
MO NO RAIL ROAD
An Interesting and Instructive Description
of an Invention Introducing a New Plan
of Constructing and Operating Roadway
and Cars.
THE TRIANGULAR
MONORAILROAD
I BY I
THOMAS CARL SPELLING
Author of "Law of Private Corporations" ;
"Extraordinary Relief"; "Injunctions'"; "New
Trial and Appellate Practice"; "Trusts and
Monopolies"; "Corporate Management and By-
Laws'; "Federal Safety Appliance Law";
"Power of Congress Over Interstate Commerce' ;
"Bossism and Monopoly," "Political Deceptions
and Delusions," etc.; formerly Attorney to Inter¬
state Commerce Commission and Assistant to
LT. S. Attorney General.
[Description of a recent epoch-making Invention,
which should interest the Sociologist,
Scholar, Statesman, Capitalist and
Business Men Generally.
Published
by
THE AUTHOR,
115 Broadway,
Xkw York City.
Copyright 1914
by
Thomas Cari. Situ.ling
The Triangular Monorailroad
YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
Wars of force between foreign nations may
distract and injure us, but will not end or sus¬
pend the interminable conflict at home between
the new and old, the economically progressive and
wasteful. This statement of an obvious truth is
not prefatory to a general discussion, except to
the extent that a presentation of this enterprise
necessarily involves certain aspects of the gen¬
eral subject of transportation.
In carrying out my purpose to install a new
mechanism for the carrying of persons and prop¬
erty and in placing a description of the new mech¬
anism before others, I shall not hesitate to use
the first personal pronoun, or to speak very di-
icctly and positively, as a means to an end, how¬
ever reluctant I would be, did it not appear proper
in the premises.
I will state here as broadly, emphatically and
conspicuously as possible, that the triangular
monorailroad is a real invention, not a mere in¬
spiration. It is a result of laborious and thorough
experimentation. It meets a public necessity. It
will revolutionize transportation, materially effect
finance, and have a far reaching effect on produc¬
tion and commerce. The writer of this, who is
the inventor and patentee, has accomplished a
few things of more than transitory importance.
Of this, a few others at least need not be remind¬
ed. At any rate he has not been an idler and has
found time to study mechanical action and coac-
tion as well as defects and oversights in the de¬
vices and machines for doing the work of the
world. He has obtained nine patents on inven¬
tions, but this is the only invention to which he
3
now gives serious attention. I deem the setting
forth publicly of this matter of sufficient import¬
ance to justify its direct statement by me person¬
ally, reluctant as I am to put myself forward in
so unusual a relation. The fact that a thing is
new, or original, or useful, or meritorious, or that
it possesses all these characteristics, no longer in¬
sures for it a public hearing through ordinary
channels of publicity, unless it be also something
that can be so set forth and staged that it appeals
to the popular imagination.
The monorail as a support for cars in motion
is not new ; but the triangular monorailroad is
new. With this statement I couple another which
may be a tax on the crudility of some who read
it. The two-rail system is too expensive for any
nation's full industrial development; and espe¬
cially is this true of a country of wide territorial
expanse and comparatively sparse population
This statement will sooner or later be accepted,
the sooner the better. .
The mere propulsion of the wheels of a car in
single file on a single rail has been for many
years known to be economical in various ways;
but the problem has always been the provision of
an unyielding superstructure. In some of the
•contrivances this was so weak that trains on the
monorail, at only moderate speed, tended to tear
down the side supports and topple over. Other
forms of overhead support were so complicated
as to involve a prohibitory investment and ex¬
pense for upkeep and maintenance. Now this
invention exactly and fully meets both objections.
It consists in a continuous frame, triangular in
form, having a small triangle within a larger tri¬
angle, constituting an intregal part thereof. The
base of the larger triangle is a beam which per¬
forms the office of a cross-tie. The base of the
smaller triangle is a bar or beam connecting the
two sides of the larger triangle over the space
4
through which the engine, or other motive power,
and the cars are to move.
There has never been any difficulty with re¬
spect to the motive power as a matter distinct
from the vehicular construction. It is obvious
that size, arrangement, and strength of rolling
stock must vary according to the dimensions of
the railway and its uses. I shall not attempt to
describe either engine or motor, or electrical ap¬
pliances, or cars, in technical terms or otherwise
than as an incident to my description of the struc¬
ture within which they are to be used. For a
description in detail, which any one versed in the
use of mechanical terms can fully grasp, I refer
to the appendices A and B hereto where can be
found the specifications, claims and drawings of
both patents.
Attention is called at the outset to the fact that
this mono-railroad may be constructed to accom¬
modate engines and cars of any size, though of
course there must always be sufficient room in
the engine or motor for an engineer or motorman
And yet it is clear that ample space can be found
without cramping in the cab of an engine or
motor of small dimensions. The engine or motor
must be in a frame of the size and general outline
of a car, and provided with one or more drive
wheels below as well as its own side rollers and
holding apparatus therefor as for a car.
The description of the roadway most easily
understood is that which supposes that we have
all the parts on the ground and are proceeding to
construct it. We will then suppose that we have
a stretch of firm level ground and are to construct
a roadway for cars measuring eight feet from the
top of the supporting rail to the cross-beam which
is to be the base of the triangle constituting the
apex of each larger triangle.
We first lay down three parallel sills which
may be of any suitable dimensions, but to have a
S
level top face. They must be bolted, of course,
or otherwise firmly joined together. The middle
sill, at any rate, must present a level surface of
sufficient width to accommodate the rail which
is to be laid on it. From exterior to exterior these
-ills will occupy a width of ten feet. Across
these we now lay the first cross-tie. It is ten feet
long and if two inches thick and three inches wide
that will be ample, because there is absolutely no
strain on it. But we imbed for the ful length of
it an iron slab about an inch and a half wide and
a half inch thick, its top surface being flush with
the top surface of the tie, the slab being firmly
attached to the tie with screws or otherwise. This
slab is slotted near each end so that the ends of
the beams constituting the sides of the larger
triangle may be inserted therein and firmly held.
We now make a notch in each of the sills and
lay the tie with the iron or steel slab imbedded
therein, so that it is flush with the surface of each
sill.
We next turn our attention to the two sides
of the triangle. These are to be of good seasoned
oak or other hardwood timber about 3 inches
square and 13J4 feet long, steel jacketed where
they are to unite with the tie and where they
join the overhead cross-bar. They are also to be
capped with iron and pointed at the tops, where
they are jointed together. Suitable provision
must also be made at their upper junction for a
rod which will in the completed structure extend
from triangle to triangle throughout, securely
binding them together. These fastenings and
joints need not be here particularly described, and
will present no difficulty to the mechanical engi¬
neer. The parts of the triangle are now joined to
the cross-tie, the connecting bar is inserted as
shown in the drawings, and a completed triangle
now stands across the sills, its base imbedded in
the tie through the iron slab. Similar triangles
6
are set in at uniform distances from each other
along the entire trackway. The spaces between
them will vary according to the use in view, to
the dimensions of rolling stock to be used, weight
of traffic, etc. Ordinarily an intervening space
between them of ten feet will be permissible.
To the inside of each side-piece and just under
the cross-bar will be attached the retainer of the
the grooved rail with which the horizontally turn¬
ing rollers connected with the top of the frame¬
work of the engine and cars will contact. Each
retainer will be securely attached to both the side
piece and cross-bar by a shield riveted to the
former and overlapping the latter. The exterior
side of the grooved rail will be flat, while the
inside face will be concave, not unlike one side
of the rail seen on ordinary railroad tracks. It
is designed that these horizontal wheels shall
constantly contact with the guide rails ; hence the
arrangement for the resillient support described
in the specifications. Good service could un¬
doubtedly be had without resilliency, but not
without unpleasant noise and shock. The resil¬
lient feature renders oscillation impossible and
causes the shock to be absorbed by springs, rub¬
ber bearings, or other resillient contrivances, also
causing rapid movement to be safe and noiseless.
All lengths of sill, supporting rail and grooved
rails should be uniform, but. in order to cause the
joints to alternate, a line of roadway would start
with unequal lengths. In other words, a length
of the supporting rail should not join directly
over the junction of two lengths of sill, nor
should two joints formed by ends of the grooved
side-rails be directly opposite each other. But
these are details easily taken care of.
Attention is now called to the fact that a road¬
way so constructed is a continuous frame, a com¬
plete mechanically constructed vehicular conduit.
That upon which the weight of the vehicle and
7
its load rests, and through which it moves, pre¬
sents the characteristics of absolute uniformity in
extension, its uniformity not controlled or af¬
fected by ulterior forces. The rails, the sills, the
grooved side rails, and the top rod in combina¬
tion with the attached ties and sides constitute a
continuous frame-work, capable of sustaining an
immense weight, even where the sub-support is
removed for a considerable space. In other words,
if the soil or other foundations were entirely
removed from under several feet of track, trains
could still run over the part without accident or
delay, though of course such an operation should
not be prolonged. The reason for this is self-
suggestive in part, but this reference to the fact
opens the way to many and varied points of ad¬
vantage possessed by this structural form.
A train used in the Triangular frame is autono¬
mous. The cars and motors will be all firmly
coupled together, and were it not for convenience
in handling and provision for grades and curves,
a car might be of any great length desired. Double
couplers which will admit of only very slight
vertical play, and very little more lateral play
will be in use. The train will move practically as
one body, the pressure and what little friction
there is evenly distributed throughout, and any
defectiveness of the roadway must either be very
serious or must extend for a considerable distance
in order to hinder progress or endanger safety.
Supposing then that the sub-foundation, whether
consisting of earth, stone cement or pillars, has
disappeared in the space of 15 feet, that is only
one-fourth the length of a car sixty feet long. If
the supporting parts were entirely removed, the
downward movement of the car could only
amount to a fraction of an inch, because of the
supporting couplers, and the whole structure will
yield a little without danger of breakage in any
part.
8
It is now proposed to point out some of
the conditions under which existing railroads are
constructed and operated and the natural forces
and difficulties against which they contend. In
doing so, I will incidentally make comparison
favorable to the proposed new form of construc¬
tion.
Many and varied comparisons could be made,
all to the advantage of this construction, some
of which would occur to the practical mind even
without being specified, others easily understood
when pointed out. One of them relates to the
resillient bearing whereby the sidereal motion
and shock are obviated. The two-rail roads em¬
ploy springs under the cars for the purpose, with
a fair measure of success; but it would be utterly
impracticable to find any bufifer which, attached
to the flanges of the wheels, would withstand the
immense concussion and friction to which they
would be subjected. Xor would it be possible,
for much the same reason and other reasons, to
reduce or minimize the space left between the
two rails for the free play of the wheels. The
principal additional reason is that the same rails
and wheels that are there used for support in
motion are also the only reliance to check lateral'
action, whereas in the triangular monorailroad
these functions are assigned to different parts,
each performing a single function. The sole
office of the under wheels is to support the mov¬
ing vehicle. They have not the slightest lateral
action. The only function of the horizontal rollers
is to prevent and check lateral action. There is
not the slightest downward pressure on them.
It is not difficult to understand the importance
of resillient confinement of the horizontal rollers,
held by arms extending from the sides of the cars
at the top, the same forming part of the frame¬
work thereof. The movement of a train so con-
y
fined is as noiseless and free from jolts as that of
a bicycle on a polished pavement.
In the machinery of transportation there are
three principal heads of expenditure: First, con¬
struction; second, maintainance ; third, operation.
The fixed charge for interest is here omitted,
because it is a result of the others. The economic
advantage of triangular monorail construction
under each of these heads is very great, and can¬
not be either too much emphasized or valued.
Two-rail construction tries to accommodate it¬
self to the inequalities and eccentricities of na¬
ture; and since the earth's surface constantly
varies both in form and in substance, and is sub¬
ject to frequent changes caused by weather con¬
ditions, rains succeeding droughts, freezes suc¬
ceeding thaws, and the like, it is clear that the
engineering problem constantly changes prelim¬
inary to construction and does not end upon the
completion of the track. The mechanically con¬
structed roadway obviates or minimizes these
elements in the problem as in case of an ocean
steamer of deep displacement ploughing its way
unaffected by waves and winds, whereas a sail¬
ing vessel or a steamer of light draught is com-
partively unsafe and'more difficult to control on
its course. On the same principle that many
articles can be made, not only in vastly greater
quantity, but also of superior quality, mechanic¬
ally than by hand, so a manufactured roadway is
superior to one consisting of a combination of art
and nature.
Of course the question of relative cost is perti¬
nent and entitled to an answer. If it were a
question of constructing only one short line of
railroad and no more, the advantage of the mono-
railroad would not so clearly appear. It is dif¬
ferent in contemplation of constructing long lines
and many of them. If a house builder were asked
for an estimate on ten houses to be exactly alike,
10
it would not be as much probably by fifty per
cent as if the plans and specifications for each of
the houses differed from those for all the others.
So for a triangular monorailroad of a given car
size enough of the parts for the whole world, or
for a million miles, can be made from the same
pattern and out of the same kind of material.
It is true that grades and curves must be pro¬
vided for; but arbitrary percentages may be es¬
tablished, and parts used in South America for
a given grade or curve may be removed to the
United States or Europe and put in use there.
True, there must be some preparatory grading
for a monorailroad, but it is trifling in compari¬
son.
With the statement that the two-rail road is
an excessively costly transportation machine, I
concede the qualification that there may be sac¬
rifices so great as not to be thought of, even in
the interest of progress. At any rate the great
through lines from city to city and their impor¬
tant branches, the investments in the construc¬
tion of which, though perhaps uneconomical,
have been made, will remain, at any rate for
many years. But, broadly speaking, rail trans¬
portation as now projected and conducted is not
profitable business. Else what is the meaning
of the advance of railroad indebtedness, includ¬
ing as such both absolute obligations and stocks
upon which the right is claimed to pay fixed divi¬
dends, to twenty billions of dollars and the con¬
stantly increasing burden of fixed charges, both
out of all proportion to additional construction?
The explanation, in general terms, is that the
amount realized for transportation, vast as it is,
is not sufficient to pay fixed charges of $70,000
per mile on 250,000 miles of railroad, that being
the cost of construction and equipment, and an
additional $7,000 per mile each year to operate.
The investment, on a basis of $70,000 per mile,
11
aggregates $17,5C0,000,000, which at 5 per cent
amounts to $875,000,000 as an interest or divi¬
dend charge. The aggregate operating cost is
$1,750,000,000. These, added, constitute an an¬
nual expenditure of $2,625,000,000, leaving only
$375,000,000 for repairs and replacements, to say
nothing of dividends and new mileage, out of
gross earnings of $3,000,000,000. The margin is
of course inadequate. The margin is of course
greater because the rate of interest was less when
existing railroad indebtedness was contracted
than at present.
Many thoughts occur to me on this great sub¬
ject which I cannot here present. One of them,
however, is worth exploiting to some extent.
Transportation may be roughly divided into
heavy freights, or freights in bulk, and light
freights, or freight in small consignments. The
form of structure we are now discussing is best
adapted to the latter, and will sooner or later
appropriate it. Of course, as now projected, it is
advantageous to the railroads to carry the mil¬
lions of small shipments of from fifty to a thou¬
sand pounds, but a much more economical ar¬
rangement from the standpoint of shippers would
be to have the heavy traffic carried by existing
railroads, and the light traffic by the lighter and
less expensive method. Its advent will destroy
the value of vast investments, but that is an in¬
evitable result, just as happened to investments
in water craft on our rivers and canals and to sail¬
ing vessels on the ocean. Many other illustra¬
tions could be given.
The triangular monorailroad is destined before
very long to carry most of the passengers and
nearly all the lighter forms of traffic, whatever
the results to the present system or to the holders
of railroad securities. The adaptability of elec¬
trical power in new forms, notably the storage
battery, will hasten this result.
12
The most extensive and fruitful field still open
to profitable investment, on a wide scale, is trans¬
portation. All know that in normal times the
choicest investment securities are those of trans¬
portation companies, their business being quasi-
public, and their control being equivalent to the.
power to tax. What they furnish can be pro¬
duced at a uniform cost and is a common neces¬
sity. The business can be simplified, systema¬
tized and made to work almost automatically.
Transportation is a cash business, for which,,
where there is a population, there will he found
an ever present persistent demand which is con¬
stantly on the increase. And the people upon
whom the whole burden and expense of transpor¬
tation rest will not long endure a wasteful, varia¬
ble, dangerous, or an unscientific system, when
another that is economical, durable, safe and, in
all important respects, superior, is available.
Looking at a railroad map of the whole coun¬
try we find a very unequal distribution of the
mileage. At least two-thirds of it is east of Chi¬
cago where much of it could be rearranged great¬
ly to the benefit of shipping interests and some
of it dispensed with. But it requires no states¬
man or political economist to see that there must
soon be a change in the financing, construction
and mechanism of railroads. Existing methods
and systems are breaking down of their own:
weight. It is all too expensive and burdensome:
to be borne bv railroad patrons, in which class
falls every man, woman and child in the nation.
Interest charges are fixed charges but dividends
are not; and it is the latter which must yield. The
full power to fix rates out of which dividends are
paid really abides with the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and various state boards and public
service bodies, acting under legislative authority,,
though theoretically with railroad managements.
The weakening of railroad credit, by which is
13
meant the diminution of borrowing capacity,
which was whispered five years ago, has now be¬
come a loud warning, proclaimed from the house¬
tops, by railroad officialdom. The moment the
system of fixed dividends, put in force a few
years ago, is found impracticable, the present
efficiency of service will become a thing of the
past, extensions and new constructions will cease,
and repairs essential to quick transit and safety
be neglected.
Soon after the railroads obtained a dominating
position in transportation, the labor employed by
them found itself poorly paid and reduced to
dependence and servility. At length railway em¬
ployees organized in self-defense, and have now
turned the tables on their employers. The latter
learned in 1877 and again in 1894 the serious
meaning of a railroad strike. Meantime so many
complications have arisen and special knowledge
and familiarity with the business, to be acquired
only by experience, have become so essential that
for a strike by the operating force to occur would
mean a complete cessation of the movement of
trains. A reminder of enormous overhead
charges and liabilities accumulating and matur¬
ing day by day, whether traffic moves or not,
have caused the railroads, thus far, to yield at
once to labor's demands, or to seek arbitration,
and subsequently to yield in part. With increas¬
ing fixed charges and operating expenses on the
one hand, and thorough organization of shippers
on the other to force down rates and keep them
down, the railroads find themselves between the
devil of disappearing surpluses on the one hand,
and the deep sea of successful opposition to an
increase of rates on the other.
But this monorail system has nothing to fear
from labor, organized or unorganized. In the
work of construction there will be little for the
dirt shoveller, the rock blaster, the mason and
14
structural iron worker to do. Nearly every piece
will be made in shops and factories and shipped
out on the part of the line already constructed
and there put together by mechanics who cannot
be classed as railroad hands at all, or if so, and
they should strike, their places can be quickly
supplied. As for those employed in operation,
inspection, cleaning, oiling, etc., so few will be
required for any particular line that the highest
wages paid by the two-rail roads can be paid
without being felt. Of course, the fact is that a
new industry, such as this, will necessarily open
the way to large additional employments for wage
earners.
The simplicity of the triangular monorail is a
feature the importance of which in its construc¬
tion has been already referred to. But simplicity
in its operation is not only an important but a
conspicuous feature. The duties of the engineer
or motorman are quickly mastered. No special
skill is needed in performing any other service.
With reference to the rates for transportation
to be charged, it may not be the policy of a mono¬
rail line to cut very deeply below the prevailing
rates. But such a line will have the power, by
reason of the cheapness and rapidity of its opera¬
tion, to insist upon having all the traffic it can
handle and can fix its rates at such figures as will
secure that. Suppose, for instance, we have a
monorail line from Chicago to some interior city
of the third class, between which there are one or
mo.e two-rail roads. Without reflection one
would say, the field is already occupied. But, in
truth, it is not occupied at all at lower rates; and
shippers would readily see sufficient reason for
patronizing and sustaining the monorail line, for
keeping rates down if for no better reason.
The railroad managements complain of many
sources of trouble and peril to their interests and
to those of investors in their securities. They
IS
complain that labor conditions are drifting to
disaster; that various authorities are imposing
burdens and exactions which it is becoming more
and more difficult to meet; that state legislatures
are vying with each other in the passage of such
legislation as full-crew laws and laws requiring
hasty removal of grade crossings ; that taxes are
being onerously increased ; that there is a ten¬
dency in legislation to compel each railroad to
open its terminal facilities to other railroads hav¬
ing no legal or equitable right to share them with
the owning company ; that the Erdman Arbitra¬
tion Act is well calculated to place railroads at
the mercy of labor combinations ; and finally, and
as a result of this, that it is becoming very diffi¬
cult to induce investors to provide the many mil¬
lions necessary to supply adequate transportation
facilities, and that the railroad companies are
•obliged to pay unprecedented rates for their capi¬
tal requirements.
The truth of the matter is that the railroad as
now constructed and operated is, in many in¬
stances, too expensive a machine for the work it
has to do. While the moneyed capitalists of the
world were credulous and optimistic on the out¬
look for railroad investments in this country (and
Avere to some extent justified by conditions),
while agriculture, manufacturing and mining were
expanding and the people were acquiescent in
high fares and freight rates, capital in large sums
could be borrowed for the railroads at almost their
own rates of interest. The stronger companies
could then borrow for refunding or extensions at
3 and 3/ per cent. Under these conditions there
were many unprofitable constructions and unwise
•duplications. But now under changed conditions,
capital demands 5 and 6 per cent, and is hard to
obtain at those rates.
Another important factor in the alteration of
conditions, never specifically mentioned by rail-
16
road officials, consists in the new public and legis¬
lative view of franchises. The privilege of form¬
ing a corporation, of operating a railroad, of
collecting fares and rates, of exercising the power
of eminent domain, was formerly, and by some
is still, claimed to be, in and of itself, property of
great value irrespective of other values; and, be¬
cause little attention was given to the subject,
the claim was not generally disputed. But legis¬
lative bodies, commissions, and the public at large,
have been studying, dissecting, analyzing, and
have discovered that the term "franchise" as em¬
ployed by railroad companies to signify a large
intangible value to be added to physical values,
merely represents monopolistic power. To this
awakening to the true situation is to be attributed
much of the hostile legislation and stubborn re¬
sistance to railroad expansion of which railroads
and financiers are now complaining.
Every part of the trackage, rolling stock and
equipment for this railroad can be made to order
in a shop and hauled out on the finished road
and put together on the ground. It dispenses
in large part with gangs of men, grading, exca¬
vating, ballasting, spiking, levelling, etc., which
are indispensible in the construction of a two-
rail road. In case of the latter the two rails must
be maintained on an approximate level with each
other, requiring constant labor, watchfulness and
expense which continue after the work of original
construction has ended. The support must be in¬
spected, to see if it is strong and sound, every day
and night in the year. The evenest of two-rail
tracks constantly becomes more and more uneven,
that is to say, keeping the two upon an exact
level with each other at all points is an utter im¬
possibility. And every point of divergence means
a swerve for the whole train to one side, an awful
friction with the grinding off of more or less of the
steel from both flange and rail. But before that
17
swerve is ended there comes another and another
as each unevenness is reached. So the whole train
on the very best of tracks with its ponderous
engine is kept oscillating from side to side, with¬
out uniformity and beyond human power to an¬
ticipate or regulate. You may have become so
accustomed to the endless succession of indescrib¬
able swerves and jolts when traveling on trains
as scarcely to notice them. But, consciously or
unconsciously, all passengers are affected by them
in their nerves and otherwise; and few people
ever start on a trip of any length without ap¬
prehensions regarding their safety. Many are
actually made miserable and ill by the ever present
dread of accident. Just think of the immense
structural strength required to stand the constant
jerking and wrenching of the engines and cars.
Two-rail cars, whether for passengers or freight,
are constructed with more regard to hard usage
and heavy strain than are warships built to en¬
counter heavy seas, steel projectiles and dynamite
blasts. Several tons of iron enter into the con¬
struction of each car, the mechanism being intri¬
cate and costly. And emphasis may be here very
properly placed on the frightful and increasing
cost of the power to operate railroad trains in
the present way. The immense tonnage of iron
in cars and engines in a train will average about
five times what will be required in a monorail
train of the same relative capacity, operated under
these patents; and the fuel, consumption and
waste of power will be trivial in comparison with
that of those now in use.
The running of heavy trains at high speed on
two rails is unscientific as well as dangerous, un¬
less the foundation be firmer and the relative ad¬
justment of the rails be more perfect than financial
resources now available will admit of. The laws
of nature cannot be suspended by man's con¬
trivances. They must be overcome by mechani-
18
cal exactitude, as in the triangular structure. A
bed of broken stones mixed with earth under a
wooden tie has not resisting power equal to the
pounding of a drive wheel under an engine weigh¬
ing thirty tons or more and drawing a long train
of cars heavily loaded. Naturally and inevitably,
moisture softens the mass. Then the first en¬
gine to pass over depresses the end of one or
more cross-ties, and though that train may pass
over without derailment the next train lurches
powerfully to one side, the chances being many
to one that spikes will be pulled out or the rail
or flanges broken, and the train, or part of it,
ditched. But in railroad nomenclature the true
cause of a derailment is seldom stated. It
is said that the rails spread. Now there
is really 110 such thing as a spreading of
the rails. What generally happens is that, be¬
ginning with a weakness, an unevenness develops
which immediately grows by a repetition of the
force which created it until a catastrophe results.
Those who have charge of railroad construction
and maintenance know, though they scarcely dare
admit it, that the only preventative of accidents
is approximation to a spirit level track having an
unyielding support of stone, concrete, masonry
or a continuous sill, and that the cost of such a
foundation for a two-rail road, without the co¬
operation of a still more expensive superstructure
is prohibitory.
The steadiness of the cars in motion in the
triangular structure will have even stronger guar¬
antors than the force of the side rails and side
rollers. The cars will be joined together with
safety couplers, carried two in number, in the
rear platform of the car in front to automatically
slide into holders sprung open by the impact when
the two car ends come together. (The couplers
are not shown in the drawings). The couplers
and their receptacles will be constructed so that
19
they will have only very slight perpendicular play,
and only enough lateral play to admit the turns
to be made in passing over curves. In this way
any swerve of the car to either side will be
checked by the weight of the entire train before
it can amount to as much as half an inch. Thus
also any inequalities in the distribution and ad¬
justment of the load will be neutralized, or be¬
come a matter of no consquence. Any suggestion
that evil might result from creening of the cars
because of unevenness of the load, or from any
other cause is thus answered. The couplers will
be firmly held and of ample strength to hold the
cars and train straight together in case of break¬
age of either a supporting wheel or side roller.
Another comparison can be here again made to
the great advantage of the monorailroad. The
characteristic of a rigid frame made of parts of
uniform dimensions is entirely absent from the
construction heretofore in vogue; and because of
the resulting unevenness of the roadway it was
wholly impracticable to establish a rigid connec¬
tion between the different cars of a train. To
avoid the constant breaking up of the train the
couplers had to have considerable perpendicular
as well as lateral play. Each car was a distinct
and separate moving body dragged along after
the engine or the others subject to such of its own
vicissitudes in the way of swerves and jolts as
might fall to its lot. But, here, the engine and
tender (where one is required) and all cars will
move as one mechanism, or as if they were the
same vehicle any little tendency to creen in one
part being offset and checked by a little creen in
the opposite direction in another part; any undue
part of the load on one side of one car counter¬
balanced by a reverse condition in some other
part; any undue sidereal pressure which might
otherwise result seriously, from any cause, being
borne, not altogether at the point where it occurs,
20
but being distributed throughout the whole length
of the train, and even along a much longer dis¬
tance.
We next refer to the cost of maintenance or
upkeep of the existing system, and further, as
closely connected with that, the question of rela¬
tive safety. In justice, it must be said that rail¬
road officials do all they can to safeguard their
precious consignments. It would be absurd as
well as cruel to charge that those in railroad em¬
ploy, whether officials or subordinates, ever wil¬
fully designed and planned that an accident should
occur with its sad results. The accidents result
from inherent insufficiency of the mechanism em¬
ployed.
The scarcity and high cost of ties is even now
a very serious problem, the solution of which is
not in sight. It is therefore only the lapse of a
little time between the abandonment of the
present form of transportation structure, and
change to another. The people will not submit
to a further increase of rates, and when it becomes
more dangerous to travel in a passenger train than
to join the army in a time of war there will be a
marked contraction in the volume of passenger
traffic.
Attention may, in this connection, be called to
arother marked advantage of this plan. A train
on two rails, encountering an ascending grade,
soon loses its momentum and draws on the engine
fo r an enormous traction and lifting power. That
is because of the friction and oscillation of the
cars and engine, phenomena which are entirely
a jsent in a monorail train, For the same reasons
this plan will admit of much steeper grades than'
are possible for two-rail roads. Owing to the negli¬
gent element of friction and oscillation, momen¬
tum will be lost very slowly, and will be sufficient
to carry the train to the top of grades which would
not be deemed possible in a two-rail road. Here
21
we have also another important element to be
counted in when we consider comparative costs
of construction.
The great element of safety of the present in¬
vention is the contrivance for placing the train
while in motion under complete mechanical con¬
trol, in lieu of that of unforeseeing human agents.
A moving train on two rails without any super-
structural guide or control runs by an inanimate
force only partially and imperfectly regulated and
supervised by the minds of men. True the speed
can be to a great extent controlled by the engineer,
but it oftener happens than otherwise that the
brakes serve no useful purpose. A large per¬
centage of the accidents result from broken or
defective rails and switches, totally unforeseeable.
The train now in use on two parallel underlying
rails is like an unbridled horse pulling a loaded
carriage through a lane. His speed may be ac¬
celerated by use of the whip and checked by use of
the brake. But regulation and control to prevent
accidents can go no further. The train to be in
use under these patents will be the same horse
bridled, check-reined and kept under complete
control, with mechanism in addition which render
its swerving to right or left from the safe road
utterly impossible.
A striking advantage of the triangular mono-
lailroad, but difficult to classify, is its mobility.
When a two-rail roadway has been surveyed and
graded and the bridges, tunnels and trestles have
been built, and it is later found that a more feasi¬
ble route exists between given points, or it is
desired because of increase of traffic or expense
of operating to avoid steep grades or curves, or to
shorten the route, or to abandon it, regardless of
cost, nearly all the construction work on the origi¬
nal route is a total loss. But a monorailroad can
be taken down and reconstructed elsewhere in
short order and without loss of material. The
22
only loss is that involved in taking it down, re¬
moving it, and putting it up again. This is be¬
cause of uniformity in sizes, lengths, etc., of the
parts used in it. Even the supporting posts and
bridge work can be used again.
This introduces the thought that a great field of
usefulness and profit opens to this invention in
supplying strictly local and proprietary service.
An individual enterprise distant two or three or
several miles from the nearest point of shipment
by rail or water could by the expenditure of a
few thousand dollars provide itself with this type
of railroad on a diminutive scale and cut off a
great drain on its revenues in the form of cartage
over bad roads. And there are many advantageous
sites for productive enterprises not at present
utilized but which might come into use if only
the problem of transportation were solved. There
are many gold, silver and copper mines of low
grade, or comparatively low grade ore whose
owners cannot construct branch lines of two-
rail road to smelters and reduction works. And
there are other undeveloped enterprises which
cannot be developed because their owners cannot
on account of the roughness of the intervening
surface, afford the expense of constructing and
operating two-rail tap lines, and because haulage
in carts or wagons is out of the question for the
same reason. All such could construct a line
with small triangles and cars to match, using
either small steam engines or electricity developed
in many such cases by water power close by. The
same may be said with equal force in cases of
iron and coal lands, timbered lands and farming
sections. Let's just think of the thousands of
farming communities, not only here but in other
countries, some a few miles and others many
miles from any existing means of transportation,
and then let us open our eyes to the advantages
to them of one of these lines, even if it were
23
roughly constructed and best fitted for carrying
freight only. There are many single farmers who
would find profit in constructing one or two or
a few miles, if only for individual use. For all
such uses, aside from long distance transportation,
this invention will prove to be a great developer,
economizer and producer of profit.
Great utilities of this monorailroad will be de¬
veloped in municipal transportation. In the local
transfer of freight, including merchandise of all
kinds, the wastes of present methods are simply
appalling. In addition to the wear and tear and
constant breaking down of vehicles, and other
immense wastes which need not be named, the
ruin of pavements, the constant repairing of which
is a great burden to taxpayers should also be
considered.
What is elsewhere said about the tendency of
trains on a two-rail road to wrench apart the parts
of bridges is equally applicable in the case of
elevated structures in the streets of cities. Be¬
cause of the lurching and oscillating action of
the cars these must now be constructed with
greatest attention to strength and durability. The
supporting pillars have to be sufficiently wide
apart to withstand the impact of a number of
heavily loaded cars loosely coupled together and
moving swiftly. If the supporting structure were
only so wide as, or only a little wider than the
track it would be in constant danger of toppling
over with serious results. Consequently, the
double track elevated line now in use occupies
the whole width of the street. It shuts out air
■and sunshine and its noise is distressing and
tantalizing.
It is not necessary to elaborate all the points of
advantage possessed by the elevated monorail¬
road. It has its own continuous framework,
separate and apart from the supporting structure.
The continuity of the triangular frame and the
24
even distribution of the impact reduces to a
minimum the sidereal pressure; and because of
this and other peculiarities of construction, a de¬
scription of which need not be reiterated, there
can be no lurching from side to side. If the
frame be strengthened as for crossing a ravine,
the two uprights, one on each side and a cross¬
beam under it every 100 feet will make a safer
structure than the cumbersome nuisance now in
use. This means a structure not more than 12
feet wide, or 24 feet wide for a double track,
interfering with the use of the street only to the
extent of two posts set opposite every 100 feet on
each side of the street. This on a street 75 or
100 feet wide would be scarcely noticeable. And
the operations of trains with this system will be
almost noiseless.
In the whole country there are 250,000 miles ol
railroad, without counting switches and double
tracking, whereas there is persistent clamorous
demand for three or four times that mileage, in
territory which would furnish volumes of passen¬
ger and freight traffic which would be immensely
profitable to lines constructed to operate the trian¬
gular monorailroad system. The adaptability of it,
as above shown, to traverse rolling or swamp
country on cheap structures, and the facility of
converting it into a bridge by the mere addition of
a few stanchions and cross-beams, is a feature
not to be overvalued. There are a vast number
of towns, villages and fertile farming sections
in every part of the country and in every state
which would otherwise continue without railroad
facilities for a quarter or half century, or perma¬
nently, which will not only welcome the advent
of the monorail, but will gladly provide the funds
to construct it.
It only requires a little reflection to understand
why the construction, original cost, and cost of
maintenance are so immensely in favor of the
25
monorail. In a two-rail road, in order to main¬
tain an approximate correspondence between the
rails, cross ties must be laid close together, and
not only their immediate support but every square
inch of the substructure upon which the cars
rest or move must be solid and unyielding. This
often necessitates digging down to bed-rock for a
foundation. With the monorail, we use the con¬
tinuous sill with the advantage that every inch of that
upon which the wheels run has under it a per¬
fectly level and solid support. The sill and rail,
in close contact, give a sub-support and steadiness
superior to that to be found in any two-rail road.
Instead of having a continuous succession of
cross-ties, one under each of the triangles, ten
feet apart, will usually suffice. It should require
no mechanical engineer, nor even a mechanical
mind, to realize both by original conception and
comparison the inherent strength and resisting
power of such a structure. The lateral pressure,
as has been shown, is negligible in comparison
with that of the two-rail road. But note how it
is distributed and held in check. The sidereal
force has substantially no space in which to gain
momentum, and whatever of such force is created
will be distributed along the whole length of the
train and borne by the entire structure for the
same distance, and for an indefinite distance be¬
yond in both directions, whereas in other railway
construction each foot of the driveway upon any
instant may have to meet an impact from enor¬
mous weight with swift projection, giving it ter¬
rific momentum.
How about bridges? In the triangular structure
the pressure is all in the middle, straight down¬
ward, without any of that fearful impact of
drivers, trucks and wheels butting from side to
side and wrenching the parts of the bridge struc¬
ture apart. You have no doubt noticed the suc¬
cession of great cross beams and uprights of
26
massive steel in railroad bridges. Nothing weaker
could withstand the butting of engines and loaded
cars of many tons weight. The difference when
there is no lateral motion, the weight being evenly
distributed the whole length of the train and mov¬
ing ahead in a straight line is obvious.
Again, there is scarcely any limit to the age of
usefulness of the car wheels and rails used in
this monorail road. As there is no lateral motion,
there is none of the severe friction and grinding
away the surface of both rails and wheels which
send thousands of tons of the finest steel to the
scrapheap every few months in the case of every
great railroad system. The upkeep from this
cause alone costs the railroads many millions of
dollars annually. Whatever the motive power
may be, whether electric motors or steam engines,
it will rest and move on driving or supporting
wheels proceeding in single file and have the
same side supporting rollers as the cars.
A careful estimate has been made of the cost of
construction ready for use. One hundred miles
through undulating or slightly mountainous terri¬
tory can be constructed as above described for an
average of $5,000 per mile, with all the material
paid for and put in place. Good cars fully equipped
for passenger service can be built for $500 each,
while sufficient steam engines will cost $1,000 to
$1,500 each. Freight cars will cost $100 less each
than passenger cars.
The question of the rate of speed must be ad¬
dressed to the judgment based upon the indi¬
vidual's knowledge of natural causes and effects,
aided by a comparison of structures, mechanisms,
and speed records now available. The keeping
up of a two-rail road to the condition permiting
50 to 60 miles an hour is so expensive that only
companies as strong financially as the New York
Central and Pennsylvania and Union Pacific (for
part of its line) can afford it, the labor and ex-
27
pense being attributable to the causes and natural
obstacles before described. But the laying of
one rail on one continuous sill in a straight line,
the constructing a series of triangles of exactly the
same dimensions and placing two grooved rails
within them on an exact level with each other
presents no difficulties. There is no reason for
doubting that a speed of 100 or 120 miles an hour
will eventually be found to be feasible and safe.
Of course great care would have to be taken in
workmanship and selection of material where such
great speed is contemplated.
How about curves? Here again resort is had
to comparison and illustrations. The two-rail
road must, in order to limit the cost within capi¬
talistic possibilities, adapt the road bed largely
to the irregularities of the earth's surface as it
finds them. If the surface condition calls for a
three or three and a half per cent, curve, the con¬
struction will have to conform to that condition.
If a succession of small per cent, and large per
cent, curves are called for, the line must be curved
accordingly. But the monorail structure, being
a continuous framework securely knitted together
and constructed entirely according to mechanical
design and direction, of equal spaces, sizes and
dimensions throughout, might, if necessary, be
laid in a straight line from one slight elevation to
another without any grading whatever, resting,
where the distance is considerable on posts or
piling. Of course, there will have to be curves;
but these will be constructed arbitrarily, for in¬
stance, 10 per cent., 20 per cent., 30 per cent., and
40 per cent, curves. There will be none inter¬
mediate. The structural parts will be made for
these in the construction shops with arithmetical
and mechanical precision.
The disposition and tendency of people is to
come closer together in their minor business
affairs, to deal directly with each other through
28
such means of rapid intercourse as are available,
to eliminate the middle man. This is seen in
the organization in many sections of farmers'
marketing associations on the one hand and con¬
sumers' leagues on the other. An enormous vol¬
ume of merchandise is now sent out from manu¬
facturing centers by mail. Especially is this true
since the establishment of the parcels post. A
much greater volume still goes by express, not¬
withstanding the slightly cheaper parcels post
rates. Many express and mail cars fully loaded
with light packages to serve this direct trade are
run daily over the various railroad lines. Whole
trains of lighter and speedier monorailroad cars
could be employed to distribute this light but
profitable traffic over main lines and innumerable
branch lines. No greater accelerator of the new
phase of modern business above mentioned could
be conceived of than this invention which oppor¬
tunity comes to meet it.
This system admits of a variety of construction.
It can be constructed adaptably to the character
of the traffic, and rate of speed desired, and al¬
most to correspond with the means of the con¬
structor. It can be constructed for the use of cars
as commodious as those used by the two-rail
roads, though construction of such magnitude
would seem to be sheer waste, in view of the fact
that there can be no serious delays on lines
operated under these patents, nor is there any
limit to the number of cars and trains that can
be kept in operation. On the other hand diminu¬
tive structures and cars are just as practicable
as those of larger size, with almost an exactly
proportional decrease of cost. But lines may be
constructed for specific uses very cheaply. Sup¬
pose it were desired to construct a line into any
city from an interior section one or two hundred
miles distant, to do strictly a local business, and
a speed of 20 to 25 miles per hour would answer
29
the purpose just as well as a greater speed. In
that case the side supports might be of almost any
kind of seasoned timber, the inside being lined
with, and the ends sheathed in sheet iron and the
triangles could be placed further apart than in
structures for other uses. The cars might be
lightly and cheaply built. Suitable cars for light
traffic can be constructed in a shop having suit¬
able facilities for from $200 to $500 each, accord¬
ing to size.
Not only does uniformity of all parts but com¬
paratively small cost of the materials conduce
to moderate cost of the completed structure. A
supporting rail of comparatively light weight will
be sufficient, since its strength is reinforced by
the sill with which it contacts at all points.
There is no friction whatever on the rail, only
downward pressure, and except that iron or steel
is the cheapest of metals for the purpose, it would
answer every purpose if made of any kind of hard
metal. And exactly the same remark is applicable
to the side rails. All the rails of all kinds for a
given distance will cost a great deal less than one
of the rails now in use, and, instead of having to
be frequently renewed will last indefinitely. What
is here said of the rails is also true of the other
metalic parts. Nor need anyone be seriously con¬
cerned as to the cost of the wooden parts. There
is in many countries an inexhaustable supply of
the kind of timber best adapted to this use. Care¬
fully shaped and hewed timbers used for cross-
ties on two-rail roads are expensive and scarce.
But sawed lumber, such as will answer for the
monorailroad, is abundant and can be cheaply
produced.
IN THE INTEREST OF PRACTICAL
CONSERVATION.
I am encouraged by the profuse utterances of
statesmen of large and small importance to be-
30
lieve that the prevention of waste, which is
another name for conservation of the raw ma¬
terial of production, is not a mere political fad
but a matter for serious concern. But to save
what natural forces have for ages and centuries
exerted themselves to produce addresses itself
to the self-interest of all public service enter¬
prises, as a direct concern of today, because the
value of it all necessarily reaches over far into
the future. What was stated above, bearing upon
economy, in point of quantity, directly raises the
question, not merely whether the existing system
of railroad construction and operation can com¬
pete with the new form, but as a conservation
question, whether it can continue in existance
at all. Does our knowledge that the exhaustion
of accessible supplies of iron ore and of tie timber
is in sight, and must be faced as a stern reality
by this generation, lend encouragement to the
railroad demand for a progression increase of
railroad charges to pay for new construction and
extensions of the present system? Should not
all interests, whether popular, capitalistic or
governmental, encourage the introduction of
machinery for transportation which will conserve
resources, cheapen the carriage of freight and
passengers, and intensify agriculture?
The difference in freight charges of a few cents
per hundred often signifies a great advantage on
the one hand and disadvantage on the other.
Sometimes it spells the success or failure of an
enterprise.
IMPORTANT USES OF SMALLER
TRIANGLE.
The super or smaller triangle has been referred
to incidentally in describing the structure. That
is by no means a mere appendage, nor is it merely
ornamental. In addition to giving ample strength
to the structure, its adaptability for telegraph and
31
telephone wires and power transmission are en¬
titled to very serious consideration. And it
should not be overlooked that it may be roofed,
without detriment, but greatly to the advantage
of the lower parts while in use for purpose of
transportation. Its superiority in convenience,
economy and efficiency over prevailing supports
for wires and electrical conduits need only to be
mentioned to be fully understood and appreciated.
The same difficulty that confronts the two-rail
roads in the matter of timber or ties confronts
telegraph and telephone companies as to poles for
the support of their long-distance wires. They
should, and doubtless will, welcome the advent
of the triangular structures as a ready and simple
solution of a problem, the solution of which is not
in sight.
But perhaps the more valuable use of the
smaller triangle will be as a support and retainer
for the transmitters of electrical power. We need
not, however, enter into a detailed discussion of
this use.
This may be also used exactly as the lower
part. It may be fitted up with the same addi¬
tional parts and appliances for the transit of cars
through it, and these may have their independent
production of motive power which may be freely
used without hindrance or interference with the
operation of the main structure. There is no
doubt that it may be fitted up with such exacti¬
tude of detail that electrical cars and trains of
such cars can be run therein for short, or even
for long distances without the immediate attend¬
ance of any human agent. The space therein
can be completely isolated, insulated and en¬
closed, because not connected in any way with
the use of the principal structure. Nor would the
running of such cars and trains therein interfere
with the utility of the main structure for its
specified purposes. But the small cars could be
32
electrically sent through it at great speed if con¬
structed of steel of small body and with wheels
and rollers of adequate diameter.
The project of a pneumatic tube from New
York to Chicago for quicker transmission of first
class mail and light parcels has been sometimes
discussed. It would seem that here is a chance
for the early and cheap consummation of that
scheme, and not only between these cities but
between many cities and towns, and locally as
well.
National interest in the uses of this part of the
structure can be considered without entering
upon a discussion of the general subject of gov¬
ernmental ownership. Whatever may be thought
of a general system of government owned rail¬
roads, it is only a question of time when the
United States must be freed from dependence
upon private corporations in the transmission of
messages. The advantage given by advance in¬
formation to individuals and corporations for
speculative uses has often resulted disastrously
to those deprived of access thereto, continually
defeats justice and neutralizes or paralizes the
efforts and functions of government in domestic
affairs. There have been and will again arise
occasions when the preservation of secrecy in
military and diplomatic communications is of
vital importance to all the people, and upon such
occasions no one should be entrusted with secrets
of State except trustworthy public servants. We
have never had a foreign war of any consequence
since the use of electric wires as a means of com¬
municating intelligence was begun. All the
other great nations either own the telegraph lines
as parts of their postal systems, or exercise con¬
trol of them equivalent to ownership. In case
of war with any formidable power, our country
would be at a ruinous disadvantage, because of
its having to proceed openly and in plain view
33
of an enemy planning in secret and executing
destructively. It only requires experience to con¬
vince one that there is no such thing as secrecy
for any thing now entrusted to telegraph or
telephone wires, if it be valuable, either as a
news items or for other purposes.
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS.
The foregoing would seem to suffice, even con¬
cerning so important a subject as this, but one's
enthusiasm is often responsible for bis saying
more than the disinterested reader might con¬
cede to be necessary. Hence a few observations
of a general character.
There are always a few who know a good thing
when they see it. These few are the lords of
finance and the industrial magnates of our time,
largely because they were able to see, and not,
as many suppose, because they have been lucky
or were singled out for special favors. They
were not the men who nursed prejudice and dis¬
favor for any new thing, merely because it was
new.
To prove that this presents a rare and excep¬
tional opportunity for enormous realization, I
need not claim that the monorail system will
entirely supercede the two-rail system, in the
near future or ultimately, whatever my belief may
be. But is there not an almost limitless field be¬
tween the cumbersome and unwieldy two-rail
system and minor forms of transportation for an
intermediate form, costing to construct and
operate less than one-tenth the cost of construc¬
tion and upkeep of the forms now in use? A
survey of the United States alone, as bearing on
this question, would show needs which could
be profitably supplied by the monorailroad to the
extent of a million miles, not only without dis¬
turbance of any established methods of carry¬
ing on the country's transportation and business,
but greatly to its increase and acceleration.
34
The fact should not be overlooked that the in¬
vention is basic and unique. There never was
before, and probably never will be again, a patent
issued to cover an entire system of transporta¬
tion. The original patent has now less than
sixteen years to run but will be kept alive for an
indefinite period beyond that by patented im¬
provements, one of which has been already
granted of date July 28, 1914, and constitutes ap¬
pendix B hereto.
The fortunes of many men were due to the power
to discriminate between the ordinary and excep¬
tional. Too often we pass judgment on an offer
embodying a patent without such discrimination.
A patent, like the concrete result of any other
mental effort or financial investment, is either of
no value or of great value. A patent should be
tested as to its value by the answers to three
questions. (1) Is the work it will do valuable
to a large class? (2) Is it comprehensive; in
other words, is it capable of doing its work in¬
dependently of other machines, and not as a mere
auxiliary? (3) Can its owner, having the capital,
proceed to put it to use, and keep it constantly
in use, without waiting upon the pleasure or
convenience of others? The relevancy of these
questions is seen in the answers. (1) Many
patents are merely ingenious or novel methods of
performing service required by a few, or even if
by many, only occassionally. But every person
in every country requires quick transportation,
all the time. (2) Small inventions, many illus¬
trations of which might be given, are only parts
of larger mechanisms, or appendages of other
conveniences, hence are dependent upon accept¬
ance and adoption by others, or upon their whims
and caprices. But nobody's convenience or in¬
terest has to be consulted when any one with the
capital in hand, has selected a route and mecha-
nism of cheap and rapid transit. (3) The profit¬
able use of transportation machinery can only
be interrupted by the act of God or the public
enemy, whereas many other patented conven¬
iences are only in demand at certain seasons and
are liable at any time to be laid aside because of
economic or social changes not anticipated.
The annual products of patents actually sold
in the United States aggregate the enormous sum
of $23,000,000,000. No one has attempted to
estimate the value of the patents themselves.
I consider this patent to be an inexhaustible
gold mine, all above ground, and I think I only
have to painstakingly call the attention of capi¬
talists to it, in order to insure its success. But
the realization of profits for myself is the least
of my motives for the foregoing presentation.
My principal desire is to see the triangular mono-
railroad in general use, contributing to public
convenience and welfare.
35
Appendix A.
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
THOMAS CARL SPELLIXG, OF NEW YORK, X. Y.
MOXORAILROAD SYSTEM.
1,058,481. Patented Apr. 8, 1913
Specification of Letters Patent.
Application filed November 14, 1913. Serial Xo. 731,303.
To all wh om it may concern :
Be it known that I, Thomas Carl Spelling, citizen of
the United States, and resident of Xew York city, in the
county of New York and State of New York, have in¬
vented certain new and useful Improvements in Monorail-
road Systems, of which the following is a specification :
The present invention relates to monorailroad systems
and has for its object the provision of a durable, practical
and cheap construction, readily assembled wherever de¬
sired, and comprises generally speaking, a frame-work
of strong rigid character consisting of a plurality of open
frame members associated to constitute a way therewithin
in combination with a car adapted to travel within the
said way, and simple and efficient instrumentalities for
mounting and securing the frame and associated track
members, etc., to the ground or other surface over which
the system is to be laid.
The invention also has for its purpose to provide a
monorailroad system wherein the trackage construction
will comprise but few parts, to the end of utilizing the
enormous energy which is now wasted in the existing
systems of railroad construction ; one which will effec¬
tively guard against all liability of derailment of the cars;
and which may be supported by suspending cables
for crossing rivers or ravines. And it is further proposed
that the design of structure will be such as to permit of
the same being erected with dispatch, and wherein the cost
of manufacture will be comparatively small.
The invention has for its further purpose to provide a
type of car especially adapted to this system wherein the
supporting or carrying wheels thereof are provided with
means for preventing possible derailment ; and which is
provided with means to steady the car in the event of the
same losing its equilibrium while in motion; to minimize
37
oscillation and to support the car in erect position while
the same is stationary.
Summarily stated, the invention proposes a system of
railroad which will by its simplicity of construction and
principle of operation readily suggest itself as the most
practical type of conveyance where speed and safety of
movement are paramount; and for installation in countries
which are not by their natural characteristics suited to
ordinary railroad construction such for instance as moun¬
tainous countries and countries which would otherwise
require considerable bridge erection to introduce the
present method of railroad building.
The invention may also be used in subways in large
cities or may be constructed in various other ways to suit
traffic or geographical conditions.
To these ends the invention consists in the novel details
of construction and combination of parts more fully here¬
inafter described and particularly pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part
of this specification in which like numerals designate
like parts in all the views:—Figure 1 is a transverse sec¬
tional view of the trackage construction, and showing a
type of car employed and Fig. 2 is a side elevational view
of the same.
Referring to the construction in detail the railroad con¬
struction consists of a suitable bed comprising masonry
or other suitable bases 1 and 2 disposed in parallel relation,
and an intermediate masonry or other suitable bed 3 which
is countersunk to receive a continuous sill 4 of wood or
other suitable material for the continuous track 5 which
is secured thereto in any proper manner.
The frame-work of triangular design in cross section
is constructed to inclose the monorail and provides in
effect a conduit for the cars. The frame-work consists
of angularly disposed beams 6 and 7 connected at their
lower ends by the reinforcing plates 9 to the bottom cross
bars 8 which bars from the base of the triangle and are
also securely held embedded within the cross ties 8 and
adapted to underlie the track 5.
At their respective upper ends the beams 6 and 7 arc
connected and reinforced through the medium of triangular
plates 10 and intermediate supporting bases and their
respective connected ends ; said beams are further re¬
inforced or braced through the medium of cross bars 11
and plates 12 secured respectively to the bars 6 and 7.
A pair of horizontal grooved rails or tracks 13 con¬
nect the several beams of the respective sides of the
structural framework and have for their purpose to co¬
operate with means carried by the car is stationary and
38
to minimize oscillation in movement as will be understood.
The car 14 is of substantially triangular design in cross
section to conform with the passage-way provided by the
structural frame, and at either end thereof has journaled
thereon a supporting wheel 15.
The supporting wheels 15 are each mounted in a pair
of journal boxes 16 secured to the underside of the car
floor 17 on a relatively short axle 18, and the journal boxes
of each of the axle bearings are readily accessible at all
times through the medium of suitable openings which are,
under normal conditions, closed by the hinged plates 19.
The wheel 15 is of the double flange type to the end that
the same will readily hold to the track under all conditions
of travel of the car.
A pair of rollers 20 carried by the car are adapted to
engage with the side grooved rails 13 for the purposes
above mentioned, and each of said rollers 20 is journaled
in a bifurcated arm 21 which is in turn mounted to have
movement on the side of the car, and a spring 22 which
is mounted on the arm normally tends to hold the roller
in engagement with the track 13 with the required friction.
From the foregoing description it will be apparent that
applicant has provided a construction wherein the strong,
rigid characteristics of the triangle are obtained, such
triangle including a bas bar secured to the foundation or
bed or cross ties, as the case may be, and the converging
side members being directly connected together at their
upper ends, furnishing a device complete in itself and
independently of the bed or foundation of which the tri¬
angle is fastened. Through the medium of the cross bars
11 and the lower corners braces 9, the middle portions of
the side bars of the triangle are greatly strengthened to
resist the outward pressures or strains incident to the
lateral bearings carried by the car contacting with the rails
13; also that the manner of seating the base bar of the
triangle in the wooden cross tie with the latter in turn
seated in the longitudinal wooden sill upon which the rail 5
is supported, constitutes an efficient and highly practical
manner of securing the triangular frames to the base or
foundation, it being understood that the longitudinal sill
and cross ties may be placed as desired in keeping with the
conditions surrounding the particular service at hand and
the nature of the surface over which the system is built.
Many changes of construction and arrangement may be
made in the device as above explained without departing
from my present invention, and I do not limit myself to
the details and modifications herein shown and described.
What I claim is—
1. In a monorailroad construction, a triangular frame, a
supporting bed therefor, the said frame including hori-
39
Ifr
zontally-disposed bottom cross-bars secured to the bed,
a continuous sill forming a part of said bed and provided
with a fixed rail, a triangular car located within said frame
and having straight walls spaced equi-distally from adja¬
cent portions of the frame and provided with alined sup¬
porting wheels mounted to travel on said rail, and means
on the car for traveling engagement with the sides of the
frame and operable to maintain said car in equilibrium.
2. In a monorailroad construction, the combination of a
suitable bed supporting cross ties, a traveling car, out¬
wardly thrust bearings at the sides of said car, a continuous
sill on said bed associated with said cross ties, a track
mounted on said sill, and a framework comprising con¬
nected bottom and side bars also mounted respectively on
said cross ties and providing a substantially enclosed pas¬
sageway, and rails mounted respectively on said side bars
adapted to engage with the outwardly thrust bearings car¬
ried by the car, substantially as described.
3. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising a
series of approximately triangular members so related as
to form a way therethrough, each triangular member com¬
prising a bottom cross bar and converging side bars, a
rail supported upon the cross bars centrally thereof, a
car adapted to traverse said rail through said way, rails
opposite the sides of the car connecting the converging side
members of the triangular frames together, means at the
sides of the car engaging said rails to assist in maintaining
the car in equilibrium, and cross braces for the triangular
frames connecting the converging side members at a point
adjacent to the car and above the rails at the sides of
the car.
4. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising
a series of approximately triangular members so related as
to form a way therethrough, each triangular member com¬
prising a bottom cross bar and converging side bars, a rail
supported upon the cross bars centrally thereof, a car adapt¬
ed to traverse said rail through said way, rails opposite the
sides of the car connecting the converging side members
of the triangular frames together, means at the sides of
the car engaging said rails to assist in maintaining the car
in equilibrium, and braces extending across the corners of
the triangular frames to maintain the side members of the
frame in position.
5. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising a
series of approximately triangular members so related as
to form a way therethrough, each triangular member com¬
prising a bottom cross bar and converging side bars, a
rail supported upon the cross bars centrally thereof, a
car adapted to traverse said rail through said way, rails
opposite the sides of the car connecting the converging
42
side members of the triangular frames together, means at
the sides of the car engaging said rails to assist in main¬
taining the car in equilibrium, cross braces for the trian¬
gular frames connecting the converging side members at a
point adjacent to the car and above the rails at the sides
of the car, and braces connecting the side members of the
triangular frames to the bottom cross bars at points below
the side rails, substantially as described.
6. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising
a plurality of triangular members so related as to form a
way therethrough, each triangular member comprising a
bottom cross bar and converging side bars forming an
unobstructed space therewithal, a rail mounted upon the
bottom cross bars centrally thereof, a car adapted to
traverse said rail through said way, yielding abutments at
the opposite sides of the car, and rails connecting the con¬
verging side members of the triangular frames together
at points intermediate the ends of the same.
7. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising a
plurality of triangular members so related as to form a
way therethrough, each triangular member comprising a
bottom cross bar and converging side bars forming an
unobstructed space therewithal, a rail mounted upon the
bottom cross bars centrally thereof, a car adapted to
traverse said rail through said way, and bars connecting
the converging side members of the triangular frames
together at points intermediate the ends of the same.
8. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising a
series of triangular members so related as to form a way
therethrough, each triangular member comprising a bottom
bar and converging side bars, a tie in which the bottom
bar is seated, a longitudinal sill in which the tie is seated,
and a rail mounted on said sill over said tie and bottom
bar.
9. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising a
series of open members connected together at their sides
and so related as to form a way therethrough, each open
member comprising a bottom bar and side bars, a tie in
which the bottom bar is seated, a longitudinal sill in which
the tie is seated, and a rail mounted on said sill over said
tie and bottom bar.
10. In a monorailroad construction a frame comprising
a series of open members so related as to form a way
therethrough, each open member comprising a bottom bar
and side bars, a tie in which' the bottom bar is seated, a
longitudinal sill, and a rail mounted on said sill over said
tie and bottom bar.
11. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising
a series of open members so related as to form a way
therethrough, each open member comprising a bottom bar
43
and side bars, a tie to which the bottom bar is secured, a
longitudinal sill in which the tie is seated, and a rail
mounted on said sill over said tie and bottom bar.
12. In a monorailroad construction, a frame comprising
a plurality of open members so related as to form a way
therethrough, each member comprising a horizontal bot¬
tom bar and side bars connected together forming an
unobstructed space therewithin, a base construction includ¬
ing cross ties to which the bottom cross bars are secured,
a rail mounted upon the bottom cross bars centrally there¬
of, a car adapted to traverse said rail through said way,
and bars connecting the side members of the open frames
together at points intermediate the ends of the same.
Signed at New York, in the county of New York and
State of New York, this 13th dav of November A. D. 1912.
THOMAS CARL SPELLING.
Witnesses :
Jos. G. Abramson,
Katharine C. Mead.
Appendix B.
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
THOMAS CARL SPELLING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.
MONORAILROAD.
1,105.540. Patented July 28, 1914.
Specifications of Letters Patented.
Application filed June 8, 1914. Serial No. 843 765.
To all whom it may concern :
Be it known that I, Thomas C. Spelling, a citizen of
the United States, residing at New York, in the county
of New York and State of New York, have invented certain
new and useful Improvements in Monorailroads, of which
the following is a specification, reference being had therein
to the accompanying drawing.
This invention relates to improvements in monorailroad
systems, and particularly to that type of system illustrated,
for example, in my Patent No. 1058481, issued April 8,
1913. In the structure of my said patent, it will be observed
that I provided at the opposite sides of the car resiliency
mounted rollers adapted to traverse a pair of grooved rails
mounted on the frame work constituting the train way,
44
the purpose of such structure being to maintain the car
in an erect position while the car is stationary and to mini¬
mize oscillation when the car is in movement, all as will
be clear to persons skilled in the art.
As distinguished from the above stated arrangement,
the present improvements contemplate, in combination with
other useful instrumentalities, the provision of outwardly
thrust rollers and cooperating rails arranged at the top or
above the car in order to bring these means, as nearly as
practicable directly above the centrally disposed car wheels,
or the center of gravity of the car, where the cushioning
devices are rendered more acute, so to speak, in that they
may have a greater mutual coaction or influence upon
each other, as the car may tend to sway in opposite direc¬
tions, than is possible where such devices are relatively
remotely associated, as is of necessity the case where they
are entirely distinct and mounted in a lower position along
the sides of the car.
I will illustrate herein and hereinafter specifically
describe the preferred embodiment of my invention, and
from such disclosure the nature and advantages of the
many improved details of construction and arrangement
of parts will be duly appreciated.
In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and
where in the preferred embodiment of the invention to
which I have alluded is illustrated. Figure 1, is a vertical
cross sectional view through the framework, and associated
structure, constituting the way within which the car or
train is to travel, and similarly showing in section a car
provided with improvements constituting the subject mat¬
ter of this case, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion
of the car way showing,—in a manner somewhat diagram¬
matic,—a car within such way. Fig. 3 is a detail view.
Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein like
reference characters designate the same part in the two
views, A represents a series of closely associated triangular
metallic frames suitably reinforced at the corners thereof
by plates a and by similarly reinforced cross bars R, con¬
veniently located at the upper portions of the frames, said
frames being tied together at the predetermined distances
apart by metallic bars C, of any suitable number, preferably
running along the sides of the frame and the apices thereof.
The bottoms of the frames are firmly fixed by means
serving therewith to form a road bed, for example, like
the subject matter of my aforesaid patent, and not neces¬
sary to be discussed in detail herein save by alluding to
the fact that on this road bed is suitably mounted a mono¬
rail D, centrally disposed with reference to the base mem¬
bers of the triangular frames A, in position to be engaged
45
by the corresponding centrally arranged traction wheels E
supporting the car F.
The car F may obviously be of any approved style or
construction, but in keeping with my present conception
the same should have a skeleton or frame-work of suitably
reinforced metal, represented in a general way at / in order
to properly support and resist the lateral strains incident
to the operation of the parts now to be defined.
To relieve the car of shock, and prevent possible damage,
flowing from the lateral or sidewise sway of the car when
in motion, as also to maintain the car in its true vertical
position when not in motion, I provide a pair of tracks G
secured to the triangular frames at the juncture of the
side bars thereof with the cross-bars B, these tracks being
of angular cross section, as shown, reinforced by diagonal
webs g. and having in their vertical faces roller grooves g'
adapted to accommodate horizontally rotating rollers H
thrust outwardly and maintained in contact with the tracks
G under resilient pressure, as will soon be obvious.
J are a pair of nested spring plates of U-formation with
their upper terminals spaced apart and their lower ter¬
minals superposed and fixedly secured by suitable bolting K
or otherwise to strong metal top members L secured and
carried by the metal framework of the car, the plates just
referred to being of dished formation, or hollow, to pro¬
vide depending edge flanges I at the sides of the car. The
spaced terminals of said spring plates J, offset horizontally,
carry therebetween the similarly arranged rounded-edge
rollers H before mentioned.
In many instances, the spring plates will be adequate to
sustain the car against lateral-swaying tendencies, but to
meet more severe conditions, an auxiliary cushioning means
is afforded, the same being in the nature of a fluid (con¬
veniently air) cushion, comprising a cylinder M, either
formed integrally with the top plate L or bolted securely
thereto, the cylinder being provided with a valvecontrolled
supply pipe in, and oppositely disposed pistons N linked
by pivoted members n to the spring plates J, with a coiled
spring O interposed between said pistons.
By the foregoing arrangement, it will be seen that three
yieldablv-resisting and shock absorbing elements are fur¬
nished in my improved mechanism, namely the spring plates
J, the confined air within the cylinder intermediate of the
pistons N, and the spring occupying the same relation to
the said pistons. These elements combined mutually co-act
to keep both rollers H in engagement with their respective
tracks J at all times, for as they are compressed by lateral
tilting of the car against one track in one direction, they
exert a corresponding opposite pressure on the other track,
46
(
47
thus tending to right the car and restore it to its position of
normal equilibrium.
The spring O, when compressed will serve as a stop
preventing further movement of the pistons and thereby
limit the swaying movement of the car.
While I have herein set forth a special embodiment of
my invention, it is with the realization,—as will also appear
to persons skilled in the art to which the invention apper¬
tains,—that said invention is capable of embodiment in
other forms and devices, as may be in accordance with the
hereto appended claims.
Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
1. In a railroad system of the character described, a suit¬
able car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof, oppo¬
sitely disposed rollers carried by the car adapted to engage
said rails, and means for resiliently maintaining said rollers
in engagement with the rails comprising spring plates se¬
cured to the car and carrying the rollers at their free ends.
2. In a railroad system of the character descried, a suit¬
able car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof, oppo¬
sitely disposed rollers carried by the car adapted to engage
said rails, and means for resiliently maintaining said rollers
in engagement with the rails comprising spring plates se¬
cured to the car and carrying the rollers at their free ends,
said plates consisting of two members nested together
fastened at one end to the car, and separated at the other
end to accommodate the rollers therebetween.
3. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof,
oppositely disposed rollers carried by the car adapted to
engage said rails, and fluid pressure means for resiliently
maintaining said rollers in engagement with the rails.
4. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof,
oppositely disposed rollers carried by the car adapted to
engage said rails, and fluid pressure means for resiliently
maintaining said rollers in engagement with the rails, com¬
prising a cylinder mounted at the top of the car, and pistons
working in said cylinder and connected to said rollers.
5. In a railroad system of the character described, a suit¬
able car-wav having rails at the sides thereof, oppositely
disposed rollers carried by the car adapted to engage said
rails, and means for resiliently maintaining said rollers in
engagement with the rails comprising piston-like members
connected to the rollers and a spring interposed therebe¬
tween acting normally to force said rollers apart.
6. In a railroad svstem of the character described, a
suitable car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof,
oppositely disposed rollers carried by the car adapted to
engage said rails, and means for resiliently maintaining
4S
said rollers in engagement with the rails, in combination
with means acting as a stop to limit the yielding movement
of the rollers.
7. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof,
and means for resiliently maintaining said rollers in en¬
gagement with the rails, comprising yieldable arms carrying
the rollers, and fluid pressure means associated with said
arms.
8. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof,
and means for resiliently maintaining said rollers in en¬
gagement with the rails comprising vieldable arms carrying
the rollers, and fluid pressure means associated with said
arms, said last mentioned means comprising a cylinder and
oppositely disposed pistons working therein.
9. In a railroad system of the character described, a suit¬
able car-way having guide rails at the sides thereof, and
means for resiliently maintaining said rollers in engage¬
ment with the rails comprising yieldable arms carrying the
the rollers and fluid pressure means associated with said
arms, said last mentioned means comprising a cylinder and
oppositely disposed pistons working therein, in combination
with a spring interposed between the pistons.
10. In a railroad system of the character described a
suitable car-way having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members carried by the car
adapted to engage said rails, and means for resiliently
maintaining said members in engagement with the rails,
comprising spring plates secured to the car and carrying
the members at their free ends.
11. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members carried by the car adapt¬
ed to engage said rails, and means for resiliently maintain¬
ing said members in engagement with the rails, comprising
spring plates secured to the car and carrying the members
at their free ends, and means for restricting the yielding
movement of said plates.
12. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car way having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members carried by the car adapt¬
ed to engage said rails, and fluid pressure means for resili¬
ently maintaining said rollers in engagement with the rails,
substantially as described.
13. In a railroad system of the character described a
suitable car-way having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members adapted to engage said
rails, a top plate secured to the car frame, and means
carried by said top plate for resiliently maintaining said
49
members in engagement with the rails, substantially as
described.
14. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members adapted to engage said
rails, a top plate secured to the car frame, and means car¬
ried by said top plate for resiliently maintaining said
members in engagement with the rails, said top plate hav¬
ing depending flanges adapted to engage the side portions
of the car.
15. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-way having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members carried by the car
adapted to engage said rails, and fluid pressure means for
resiliently maintaining said members in engagement with
the rails, in combination with other means for supporting
said members in operative position relative to the rails.
16. In a railroad system of the character described, a
suitable car-wav having oppositely disposed guide rails,
correspondingly disposed members adapted to engage said
rails, a top plate secured to the car frame, and means car¬
ried by the top plate for resilienth' maintaining said mem¬
bers in engagement with the rails comprising fluid pressure
means for resisting the yielding movement of the members,
and other means for supporting said members in operative
position relative to the rails.
In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in
the presence of two witnesses.
THOMAS CARL SPELLING.
Witnesses :
Joseph E. Lauber,
Walter C. Harding.
50
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