All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

^6 All About Inventions while the Press would also be persuaded to take up the matter. The directors of the Philadelphia Railway fell in with this suggestion, and the braking apparatus was transferred to a brand new train of six coaches and a locomotive for the purpose. It was run to Chicago and submitted to tests of every conceivable character upon the Chicago and North-Western Railway for the enlightenment of the railway officials of the Middle West. The train subsequently was moved on to another city for further demonstrations, and then returned to Pittsburg. Orders now began to roll in, especially from the new transcontinental railway across the States to the Pacific seaboard, which had been recently com- pleted, and for which rolling stock was being pur- chased. The interchangeability and standardisation of the brake played a prominent part in securing its widespread adoption, this being one of its outstanding features from the commercial point of view. Yet there was one, and a pronounced, objection to this brake, which Westinghouse speedily realised. It was not automatic in its action. In the event of a train breaking in twain—which was a very common occurrence in those days—the detached portion became uncontrollable. On the pioneer lines of the United States the grades, especially through mountainous districts, were very heavy, and trains breaking in two during the climbs led to terrible disasters. There was another defect. A relatively long period was occupied in bringing the full retarding effect into force upon a train, while much more time was required to release the brakes.