For us to attempt to decide which is the best, would be the height of presumption.
Certain it is, however, that English locomotives do run at a greater average speed than those in the United States.
We will now proceed to describe by tabular arrangement, an English locomotive.
This description will practically describe the American locomotive as well.
We cannot enter into a detailed description of both for want of space, and select therefore the machine which has attained to the highest speed.
We will first look at the outside of the locomotive.
1, 2, 3, Barrel of Boiler. 6, Smoke-box. 22, Smoke Stack. 32, Spring balance.
33, Whistle. 34, Dome. 64, Exhaust pipe. 70, Cab. 85, Brake blocks. 87, Life guards. 88, Trailing axle and wheel. 59, Heading axle and wheel. 54, Driving axle. O, Speed indicator. P, Splasher. S, Sand-box. T, Tool-box. V, Safety valve. W, Balance-wheel.
Let us now take an inside view of the locomotive. Compare the numbers carefully with the cut, and take time to think what you are doing, otherwise don't read this part at all.
1, 2, 3, Rings arranged telescopically, forming barrel of boiler. 4, Solid angle-iron ring. 5, Tube plate. 6, Smoke box. 7, Shell, or covering plate. 8, Foundation ring. 9, Throat plate. 10, Back plate. 11, Fire door. 12, Covering plate of inside fire-box. 13, Tube plate. 14, Back plate. 15, Stays. 16, Mouth-piece. 17, Stays from inside fire-box to shell plate. 18, Palm stays. 19, Tubes. 20, Smoke-box door. 21, Pinching screw. 22, Chimney. 23, Chimney cap. 24, Blast pipe. 25, Top of blast pipe. 26, Balance weight. 27, Wheel spokes. 28, Front buffer. 29, Mud plug. 30, Safety valve. 31, Safety lever. 32, Spring balance. 33, Whistle. 34, Dome. 35, Regulator. 36, Steam pipes. 37, Elbow pipe. 38, Brick arch. 39, Fire bars. 40, Ash pan. 41, Front damper. 42, Back damper. 43, Frame plate. 44, Iron buffer beam (front). 45, Iron buffer beam (back). 46, (See half width plan) cylinder. 47, Cylinder posts, valve. 48, Valve chest. 49, Steel motion plate. 50, Horn blocks. 51, Axle boxes. 52, Slide bars. 53, Connecting rod. 54, Crank shaft. 55, Crank shaft, big end of. 56, Crank shaft, arm of. 57, Expansion link. 58, Weigh-bar shaft. 59, Valve spindle. 60, Valve rod guide. (See half width plan). 61, Pump. 62, Delivery pipe. 63, Field pipe. 64, Exhaust pipe. 65, Volute spring. 66, Draw-bar hook. 67, Lamp iron. 68, Oil cup. 69, Oil pipes. 70, Cab. 71, Regulator handle. 72, Reversing lever. 73, Draw-bar. 74, Draw-pin. 75, Steam-brake cylinder. 76, Hand-brake. 77, Sand-rod. 78, Front damper. 79, Back damper. 80, Trailing wheel. 81, Driving wheel. 82, Leading wheel. 83, Spring. 84, Hand rail. 85, Brake blocks. 86, Waste water-cocks. 87, Life guard. 88, Railing axle. 89, Leading axle. Z, Lead plug.