A NOVEL MOUNTAIN RAILWAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 702, 26 November 1881, Page 3

A NOVEL MOUNTAIN RAILWAY.

A curious project is on foot in connection with the well-known baths of La Raillere, in France. The hot sulphur springs which constituted attraction of this papula" neighborhood are high up on the mountain, and at a considerable distance from Cauterets, in the valley below, where invalids are wont to take up their residence. An engineer has been putting his wits to work to construct a railway for this journey on an entirely novel plan. His idea is ingenious, whether or not it be practicable. He has planned a railway line like a flight of steps, with an hydraulic lift at each of them. A carriage to convey passengers from the village in the valley to the hot baths up the mountains is run up to the lower step, and started down a slight incline towards the mountain. It ip pulled up by a powerful brake as it reaches the platform of the first hydraulic lift, which hoists it up to the second step, when it again runs forward on an incline until it reaches the second lift This in libe manner raises the carriage another step, and allows it to run forward, the hydraulic machinery each time raising it rather above its intended destination, s 0 . nnffiai'onf trt QPlfq.

tion t.. carry the vehicle forward. GraI vital ion is the power re-ied on for a for- j ward motion, and a poweilul wai.ifail | i higher up the monula’ii is brought mi • ! '(h r the yoke f..r the !if ing. Each | lift is placed in a kind of tower, and as there are several of these, and the machinery must he a rather costly item, it must we should imagine, he a sonic" what doubtful experiment financially, j The scheme, however, is none the less curious ami interesting ns an engineer ing device. Of course it would be applicable only to such special circumstances as are to be found at Laßaillere. A good head of water would he indispensible ; and this feature in the neighborhood may possibly permit the idea being carried out.