54light15I've sure never heard of that Dreamland "thing" - I wonder how long it was in operation?
Dreamland was perhaps the greatest of the Coney Island parks, at the height of joy and wonder there. It opened in 1904, and catastrophically burned completely the day before it was scheduled to open Memorial Day 1911, but it's worked over a century of memorability since then.
The Stern railway was actually intended ... with much longer trains, and much shallower approach and departure angles, to be sure! ... to facilitate 'safe' high-speed operation on a single track of railway without stopping for sidings, interrupting the track with switches, or being concerned with head-on or following collisions of any kind. It is not pure silliness like its relation the telepomp!
You can imagine how useful this would be to build and maintain on an interurban line with limited construction capital or the wherewithal for a large MoW or dispatching department. Or on that project to take M&E in glorified model-railroad cars between New York and Chicago in 10 hours ... now easily, and at least semi-automatically, both ways.
cx500 Two boilers to maintain, apparently. I presume the fireman had to feed two fireboxes. It also looks like motion sickness for the passengers might be a concern for any longer trips! In other words, a novel concept that would not fare well when faced with practical realities. John
Two boilers to maintain, apparently. I presume the fireman had to feed two fireboxes. It also looks like motion sickness for the passengers might be a concern for any longer trips!
In other words, a novel concept that would not fare well when faced with practical realities.
John
It lasted from 1888 to 1924. You can ride a small restored portion of the line. It may look like steam, but the recreation is diesel powered.
www.lartiguemonorail.com/
More about the design.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lartigue_Monorail
Jeff
Penny TrainsIt would have fit in well with Stern's "Duplex Railway" at Dreamland: It was also called the "Leap Frog Railway" or the "Flip-Flap" by park visitors.
It was also called the "Leap Frog Railway" or the "Flip-Flap" by park visitors.
Can only imagine applying that technology to today's 15K+ foot trains.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I've sure never heard of that Dreamland "thing" - I wonder how long it was in operation?
And then there's this- I think it was posted before but is worth seeing even if it was:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvSmwMqtylA
That "Dreamland" train (or ride, or whatever) is hysterical!
Looks like it was a gas to ride!
Amazing what people's minds can come up with.
Penny, on that last leapfrog, it looked like the overtaking train came down with quite a violent jolt for the passengers. They seemed to be happy, though.
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
It would have fit in well with Stern's "Duplex Railway" at Dreamland:
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Look at the smiling passengers' faces - you couldn't fake that for the camera. And I'd trust the driver implicitly.
I also did not realize how fast it would go. You can see from the steam that the film hasn't been sped up for effect...
Holy Moly! What a beast! A small beast, but a beast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNnKiMPmApg
I'm trying to work up a reference to "The Quiet Man" but it just ain't working!
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