The Globe 8th. May 1914
Letters to the Editor
Kearney High - Speed Railway.
Sir, -- In your report in regard to the above you refer to it as a "mono - rail system." I beg to say that I have never applied that term to the Kearney high - speed railway, as such description is not strictly accurate and when applied invariably engenders confusion.
As it's use in the present instance has given cause to a number of persons again to raise the question, I should be obliged if you would kindly inform your readers that I do not apply the term "mono - rail" to the Kearney system.
Reply from the Editor
What is it?
Mr. E. W. Kearney. Who is about to instal an experimental high - speed railway in the Aldwych desert, has written to the ",Globe" to say that his system is not strictly speaking a mono - rail. Perhaps he will be kind enough to coin a descriptive word to meet the case. In his system, the vehicles travel on a single running rail a combination to which at least 99 pet cent of Engineers would give the name of mono - rail, in spite of guide rails and guide wheels being used.
Sir, -- May I reply to the writer of "Men and Matters?" He asks me to coin a descriptive word in place of "mono - rail" to meet the case of the Kearney system and adds that 99 per cent of Engineers would give the name mono - rail to the system, in spite of the use of a second overhead guide rail.
My name for the system is and always has been, " The Kearney High - Speed Railway," in order to differentiate it from the Bent mono - rail, the Brennan mono - rail and others. Apart from suspended railways and mule lines, Mr. Brennan's system is the only true mono - rail.
I am not a word quibbler and my only reason for avoiding the use of the term " mono - rail" in connection with the Kearney system has been with the endeavour to obviate waste of time arguing with the other 1 per cent, as to its legitimacy.
In this I have not been successful altogether, as the following experience will show : Some time since I was giving a demonstration with my models before a learned gathering at the Royal Institute, when a certain professor came up to me and with some warmth, exclaimed : "Sir, I do not see how you can possibly claim that your system is a mono - rail !" " I don't" I replied . "But it is a mono - rail," he retorted, almost fiercely.
Solving as people leave me in peace and will refrain from writing to me and ringing me up on the telephone to remind me of my hopeless ignorance of Greek root words in general and of the literal meaning of " mono - rail" in particular, I shall be quite happy for them to apply whatever name they think fit to the Kearney high - speed railway. My present concern is to carry passengers rather than to provide a nicety for didactic discussion.
Yours truly, E. W. Chalmers Kearney
100 Victoria Street, S. W
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