From The Kearney Files
Circa 1904
ORIGINS OF THE KEARNEY HIGH SPEED RAILWAY
Rare image of Reverend Robert Riach Thom, Pastor and Inventor
ORIGINS OF THE KEARNEY HIGH SPEED RAILWAY.
In previously published articles on this blog, we find reference to the Reverend Robert Riach Thom, of the United Free Church of Scotland, and his patents and the Marvo Railway. Information on this part of the story of the Kearney High Speed Railway is extremely difficult to unearth for research into this story, images of it are even more difficult to obtain*.
The following is a copy of an article in the press from the time of its first appearance as a full - size working system. It is as follows :----
For some considerable time there has been running in the workshop of Mr. T. McCall, a model of a new system of Electric Mono Railway , invented and patented by the Reverend Robert Riach Thom, senior Pastor of the High United Free Church. Alongside this delightfully smooth - running model, at the time we saw it , a large copy was being constructed for show - ground use. This has now been completed and now running in a field at Townholm Kilmarnock. It consists of a track shaped like a figure eight so that all the difficulties of sharp curves and crossings are presented. The switchback like undulations show how steep gradients can be negotiated : and everything seems to work to perfection. On the model track is placed a train of six cars, each capable of accomodating twenty persons.
There is a motor at the front and one at the rear of the train, electric force being supplied from a dynamo stationed in the field, current being communicated along both the guiding rail above and the bearing rail beneath the cars.
It is claimed that the system is simple in comparison to other mono - railways; that there is greater speed with a minimum of friction; that it is capable of carrying the cars over steep gradients, then dispensing with costly cuttings and expensive tunnels; that crossings can be negotiated without the aid of complicated mechanisms.
We believe the experiments are being watched with interest in railway circles, and the invention is expected to have important practical results.
* Any information on the Reverend Robert Riach Thom and his Marvo Railway history, that readers of this blog may have and are willing to share with me would be most welcome. It would help me complete the story and give Robert Riach Thom his full credit in this story of Rapid Transit.
I would like to thank the National Railway Museum curators, who supplied a rare photograph of the full size Marvo Railway in operation to me on my last visit. A copy can be seen if you ask at their archives.
Also the National Railway Museum have a excellently presented display of the actual models of the Kearney High Speed Railway cars, these were used in his many exhibitions around the world.
The photograph was one that Elfric Wells Chalmers Kearney used as a lantern slide in his lectures throughout his career to attempt to have the system adopted around the world.
Circa 1904
ORIGINS OF THE KEARNEY HIGH SPEED RAILWAY
Image from the Patent registered by Robert Riach Thom.
ORIGINS OF THE KEARNEY HIGH SPEED RAILWAY.
In previously published articles on this blog, we find reference to the Reverend Robert Riach Thom, of the United Free Church of Scotland, and his patents and the Marvo Railway. Information on this part of the story of the Kearney High Speed Railway is extremely difficult to unearth for research into this story, images of it are even more difficult to obtain*.
The following is a copy of an article in the press from the time of its first appearance as a full - size working system. It is as follows :----
For some considerable time there has been running in the workshop of Mr. T. McCall, a model of a new system of Electric Mono Railway , invented and patented by the Reverend Robert Riach Thom, senior Pastor of the High United Free Church. Alongside this delightfully smooth - running model, at the time we saw it , a large copy was being constructed for show - ground use. This has now been completed and now running in a field at Townholm Kilmarnock. It consists of a track shaped like a figure eight so that all the difficulties of sharp curves and crossings are presented. The switchback like undulations show how steep gradients can be negotiated : and everything seems to work to perfection. On the model track is placed a train of six cars, each capable of accomodating twenty persons.
There is a motor at the front and one at the rear of the train, electric force being supplied from a dynamo stationed in the field, current being communicated along both the guiding rail above and the bearing rail beneath the cars.
It is claimed that the system is simple in comparison to other mono - railways; that there is greater speed with a minimum of friction; that it is capable of carrying the cars over steep gradients, then dispensing with costly cuttings and expensive tunnels; that crossings can be negotiated without the aid of complicated mechanisms.
We believe the experiments are being watched with interest in railway circles, and the invention is expected to have important practical results.
* Any information on the Reverend Robert Riach Thom and his Marvo Railway history, that readers of this blog may have and are willing to share with me would be most welcome. It would help me complete the story and give Robert Riach Thom his full credit in this story of Rapid Transit.
I would like to thank the National Railway Museum curators, who supplied a rare photograph of the full size Marvo Railway in operation to me on my last visit. A copy can be seen if you ask at their archives.
Also the National Railway Museum have a excellently presented display of the actual models of the Kearney High Speed Railway cars, these were used in his many exhibitions around the world.
The photograph was one that Elfric Wells Chalmers Kearney used as a lantern slide in his lectures throughout his career to attempt to have the system adopted around the world.
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