WORLD’S FASTEST

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1933, Page 6

WORLD’S FASTEST

GERMAN RAILWAY TRAIN

A, maximum speed of 99.4 miles an hour, and an .average speed of over one and a-quarter miles a minute for a run of 178.3 miles makes the German Railroads Company's new “Flying i Hamburger'’ the fastest train in the ' world, and bring the German capital and German’s greatest ocean harbour city forty minutes nearer to each other. It was the intention not to place this new train in service niit.il the beginning of the summer season, but the fesr trips proved so successful that this month will see T.he present fast “FD-trains” on the Berlin-Ham-burg route replaced by Uii s latesttechnical wonder. the fare will be the same as the second-class fare, twenty-three marks. or just under 12.9 pfennigs a mile. The train—really a double coach, 137.8 ft long, with seats for 102 passengers—is driven by two MaybachDiesel motors generating 410 horsepower each. The motors 'and aHo the generators, are- built in the ruiiturig' 1 gear at the’ ends of the coach—-a novel construction thati’ reduces the vibratiofi" o'f - the'’ coa'ch itself and keeps ; the centre of ' gravity lower;' thus-’giving greater stability.’ The rimnifig gear ' is apr'oned down close to the rails, | the ends of the coach ore curved downward, and the only projecting parts ..are .the exhaust pipe and the buffers. . /IS o that air resistance is reduced to a

minimum, 1 ■; ■ ' - The lintei’idr,' ' divided drito a' smoking EU}d .. .nop-tmolang •' section; l is finished like ft'li’e 'modem'- second-class coficAcs of the regular ■ trains. The coach b'as a douhle-brakiiig system—a Kn'orr ail’-' brake for application to the wheels; and an electro-magnetic brake for emergencies. When travelling at Highest speed the train' 1 can' be stopped wUfim the tthree-cjuiarters of a mile be*« twee n the, warning and the stop signal Tffie brakes' 'are applied: automatically if the stop sigiiar be disregarded.--