Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1882 — The Fontaine Locomotive. [ARTICLE]

The Fontaine Locomotive.

New York Times. Standing in a “stall” in the roundhouse of the Pennsylvania railroad, in Jersey City, is an odd-looking locomotive bearing the name dt “Fontaine.” The engine is constructed for speed, and, although it has not ‘yet made its trial trip, it Is expected that it will run at the rate of ninety miles an «hour. The machinery, instead of being below the medium fine or the boiler, is almost entirely above it. There are three pairs of driving wheels, but only two rest on the tails. The third pair are on top of the boiler, directly in front of the cab. These wheels are termed the “main drivers.” and the power is communicated to them from the cylinders. The whole affair weighs 38 tons. Bomb engines weigh 50 tons. The cylinders am 17 by 24 inches in dimensions. Tpe amount of steam carried when running 49 130 pounds. The passenger engines bn most' failroads carry :14(| pounds. The only striking feature of the “Fontaine” to tbe eye is tbe general appearance. The presence of th|e extra pair of wheels on top of the bpilj >1 has won for it the names “earn'd’) and “grasshopper.” While the eng m 1 looks strange in comparison with ethers il does not appear ill-proportioned It is gay in paint and embellishn ents, and the smooth brass and iron ] tarts are brightly polished. The engine was invented by Eugene Fontaine, a Frenchman, formerly a locomotive engineer, whose home is in Detroit, Mich. It is the second one bujilt| and was completed about » month ago. It was constructed at thr Grant Locomotive works. In Patierstn. engine is now run: In j on the Canada Southern Railroad, In May last it drew two coaches from Amheratburg to St. Thomas, a distance of 111 miles, In 98 minutes. The entire run from, Amberetburgto Buffalo, 255 mPejs, was made in 235 minutes, including stop 3 for coal and water. fcp , While a reporter of the Times was inspecting the engine in the roundhouse in Jersey City, yesterday after-

noon, a well-dressed, pleasant-faced man, who stood a short distance away smoking, was pointed out as the engineer. The reporter learned that his name was Lorenzo H. Clapp, and that he was formerly an engineer on the Canada Southern. He said he would be glad to explain the peculiarities and merits of the engine, and told the reporter how the machinery was constructed and how it operated. He said the locomotive had been drawing a work train on the Erie Railway for the week past. It was set at bard work to take the rough edges off the machine ry. Engineer Clapp spoke of the engine as No. 2, and the one on the Canada Southern as No. 1. He thought No. 2 superior to the other in some respects. He let it out two or three times on the road, and attained a speed of seventy-five miles an hour. The reporter asked how It behaved. “It ran like a bird and rode like a parlor car,” replied Engineer Clapp, with enthusiasm. “I want to tell you,” he added, “that I can go faster on No. 2 than any man in the world.” “Isn’t the daDger increased by running fast?” “I doEPt think it is. The engine hugs the rail and is as steady as a clock.” The reporter learned from Mr. Fontaine that the trial trip would be made in a very few days. No, 2, if the expectations of the inventor are realized will run Detween Jersey City and Philadelphia. The use of the engine for a year or so will be given to the railroad company. The cost of the Fontaine engines will riot be much more than that ot the common style.