June 20, 2006

Compressed Air to Shoot Packages Into Moving Train (Jun, 1933)

Filed under: Impractical, Trains — @ 7:10 am
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jun, 1933
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Sounds great, what could possibly go wrong?

Compressed Air to Shoot Packages Into Moving Train

ENGAGING the attention of mechanical engineers who are trying to figure out ways and means of restoring the railroads to a profit-making basis, is the idea illustrated above, in which a torpedo-tube containing packages of mail or express is shot into the funnel-like car at the rear of a moving train, making it unnecessary to stop and pick up small shipments.

Such are the wonders of compressed air that the stunt is perfectly feasible. The streamlined steel container would be inserted in the pneumatic gun. The passing train, reaching a certain point, would trip a release valve which would send a charge of compressed air into the gun. Another track contact would then be closed and the torpedo tube would shoot automatically into the compartment built to receive it. Torpedo speed would be but slightly greater than that of the train.

6 Comments »

  1. [...] Találhatunk itt cipÅ‘-éttermet, vonatposta megreformálásának módjáról egy leírást, de a kedvencem mégis csak egy ma már létezÅ‘, s egy indurit kisebb találmány: a karra akasztható rádió. De persze azért azt a feltételezést sem lehet elhanyagolni hogy az 1959-es évekre az autósmozikhoz hasonlóan autos szupermarketek lesznek. A feltételezések, s írások nagyrésze - föleg a szép képekkel elátottak - mai embert megmosolyogtatja, de hát 20 év mulva a mi jövÅ‘ elképzelésünk felett is eljár(hat) az idÅ‘… [...]

    Pingback by kuszika.hu » Blog Archive » Modern Mechanix — June 25, 2006 @ 7:47 am

  2. “Is the train not stopping and all those people just get >sluurrrp

    Comment by Jaani — October 14, 2007 @ 2:15 am

  3. …into?” my female flatmate asked when saw picture briefly…

    Comment by Jaani — October 14, 2007 @ 3:52 am

  4. Seems like a complicated and expensive way to replace a system that at the time had been in service for 80 years.

    http://www.open-video.org/deta.....ad1addc271

    Comment by JMyint — October 14, 2007 @ 4:36 pm

  5. [...] Compressed Air to Shoot Packages into Moving Train - this is one of those wonderfully whimsical ideas that really required some sober second thought. [...]

    Pingback by Modern Mechanix Minutia … at View from the Edge — November 1, 2007 @ 10:16 pm

  6. wouldn’t it be easier to have a train-compartment without roof and just drop the package in as the train passed? Keep it simple stupid.

    Comment by Rikard Nilsson — December 14, 2007 @ 2:37 pm

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