ROWAN’S STEAM CARS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1884, 8 March 1880, Page 3

ROWAN’S STEAM CARS.

Amongst the many improvements in railway systems which have been called into existence, or developed by special conditions, is that of tramway locomotion. At present, that is to say far ns the colonies are concerned, the tramway system has only been introduced as a meaas of travel in cities, while inland communication has depended upon more or loss costly lines of railway, involving the maximum of time, capital, and labor for their construction. The vast improvements, however, that have been made in perfecting the tramway system since its first introduction is likely to causa its adoption in lieu of expensive lines of railway. As the district railway system will probably cause a great number of branch lines, under the auspices of private companies, to spring into existence in Now Zealand, it may be interesting to publish a few facts in connection with tho perfecting of the steam car system, known ns Rowan’s patent. It has been adopted in England, Prance, and Prussia with the most satisfactory results, and has fulfilled all that was claimed for it by tho inventor. The specialities are principally tho smallness of the capital required, which is estimated at not much more than one-fifth of that involved in the construction of a railroad. while tho woiking expenses are said to be not more than half; groat economy in tho rolling stock and equipment of the line ; the reduction of accidents to a minimum as the “Ro.'an steam oar” can be stopped instantaneously ; and the absence of necessity for a costly permanent way, as the rails can be laid down on an ordinary macadamised road, the train running parallel with the portion reserved for ordinary traffic. The following extract, taken from a pamphlet published for disseminating a knowledge of Mr Rowan’s patent, seems to put the question of its adaptability for colonial up-country traffic in a very plain light:—“ The grooved rails used on town tramways are generally unsuitable for service on country roads, and raised rails which cannot conveniently be crossed by ordinary vehicles are advisable; but as in many countries tho highways are or can at a small cost be made wide enough to allow a rail track on one side without diminishing too much tho space for ordinary vehicles, it might prove advantageous in a colony needing development, and where new roads are being made to lay out such_ roads, so that a tramway for steam cars might be added at a future time. If a line can be laid in this way many of tho expenses incurred in a railway project for land and works can bo avoided ; and as the maximum speed need not exceed ten miles per hour, and as the cars can at such a speed be stopped within half their own length, no fencing of the track nor signal apparatus is necessary. A tramway of this sort might be of great convenience in wide, sparselypeopled districts —as, instead of stations few and far between —passengers and light goods could be taken up on the route, or at any rate at all cross roads ; platforms or cranes for heavier merchandise being only provided at special places. In districts with only a.small traffic a more frequent, and therefore a more convenient service could be maintained than the same expenditure on a railway, even of narrow gauge, would allow. Eor instance, on a road ton or thirty miles long from a se iport or railway station, where a traffic of only one hundred passengers and twenty tons of goods each way per day had to bo carried, one mixed train, for goods and passengers, would suffice, and if the load were divided over two or more trains, the mileage would be proportionately and unprofitably increased, as the trai i even for the diminished load must still have a certain number of vehicles. But if instead of one railway train, four steam-cars, two for passengers, and two for goods were running each way at suitable intervals daily, tho service would be more convenient and probably cheaper. The furnace is made of such a size that it will not require to be replenished with fuel during a journey, and the oaudition of the fire can be effectively regulated, as above described, from one spot, while tho water is pumped from the cistern into the boiler by a self-adjusting pump, and the cistern is supplied by the condensed water from the condenser,”

It therefore appears that the engine above described entirely gets rid of the difficulties attending the regulation of the steam supply, and the suppression of visible or audible steam, while at the same time it possesses other important advantages. Thus it is only necessary to replenish the cistern with water once or twice in the course of the day, as the steam is constantly condensed and used again, and the water from condensation being perfectly pure, boiler incrustations, an important consideration in such small boilers, are greatly diminished. The blast of heated air to the furnace reduces the consumption of fuel, and the facilities for warming without extra coat the interior of the vehicles, will certainly contribute to the increase of their use in winter.

The engine will, as a rule, have power sufficient to draw more cars when required—an important qualification in the case of tho contingencies of holiday or other abnormal traffic. By the above extract it would seem that tho problem of how best to open up communication with the country districts and connect email centres of population is practically solved. In the words of tho inventor, tho “Rowan steam car ’’is a car containing its own motive power—an enormous advantage over an engine and a detached carriage in economy of wear and (ear—resting on two bogies, the short wheel base enabling it to pass with ease very sharp curves. As one of the bogies constitutes the engine, a portion of the weight of the car and load is borne by the driving wheels, thus increasing adhesion and rendering possible groat economy of dead weight. Tho engine is separable from tho car at will, and the system is equally applicable for passengers or goods.” Of the permanent way the inventor says —“ One of the most important items in a tramway is the road—tho best rolling stock over devised cannot possibly last if the roadway is inferior, and the slight extra cost of laying a really good road is more than counterbalanced by the saving in maintenance, repairs and renewals.” Lastly, if lines can be constructed cheaply and furnished with a cheap rolling stock, many places at present isolated could afford to connect themselves with existing trunk lines. If tho Legislature will but sanction the construction of such lines on existing high roads, all the largo expenses of railway making, such as earthworks, land purchase, fencing and bridges will fall away, and we shall soon see all country towns connected by an organised system of steam ommbusses and goods-trucks. There can bo no doubt that steam-haulage on iron tracks is aheiper than horsing on an ordinary macadamized read. One steam goods truck will transport sixty tons of_ goods twelve miles daily for twenty-five shillings. This includes driver, fuel, cleaning, oil, waste and repairs and renewals. In drawing attention to the foregoing details, tho main object has been to show tho adaptability of the system to the development of internal communication rather than for passenger traffic in towns. At the same time, experience bus shown that wherever they have been adopted for the latter use they have been highly successful and have given the most perfect satisfaction. The local agents for Rowan’s steam cars are Messrs John Anderson and Son, of tho Canterbury Foundry.