A MONSTER AMERICAN LOCO MOTIVE.
Whether the Americans have or have not produced the fastest engines in the world, is at least open to doubt, but it can hardly be questioned that they have built the most powerful ones. Quite recently the Schenec tady Works have made for the Northern Pacific Railway four “ Mastodons ” 'of abso lutely unprecedented size and power. A “ Mastodon,” some of our readers may not be aware, is an eight coupled engine witn a leading bode, a type entirely unknown at present in this country. Such a form readily lends itself, with suitable dimensions and steam pressure, to the development of enor mous power. What, particular service these monster engines are'intended for we know not, but it is plain that on a level line they could pull almost any weight which the coup lings at the head of the train would bear. The engines alluded to are two cyclinder compounds; the high-pressure cylinder on the left hand-side of the engine being 23in., whilst the low-pressure one is no less than Min. in diameter. The two are thus equal to a simple engine with 28£in. cylinders. Nor is the stroke less abnormal that the diameter of the cylinders, being so much as 30in. As the driving-wheels are but 4ft. 7in. in diamqter, this equals a tractive force of 4431b5. for each Ib.of effective steam pressure per square inch of the pistons. Backed up by 2001bs. of steam, and with as nearly as possible 66 tons adhesion weight, there seems to be hardly any reasonable limit to what such an engine can draw. We do not know the length of the sidings on the Nor thern Pacific Railway, but they must, be long indeed to accommodate trains suitable for the new Mastodons.
