Scientific American Supplement, No. 430, March 29, 1884 — John Shaqi
Scientific American Supplement, No. 430, March 29, 1884Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 430, March 29, 1884
Various
Science -- Periodicals
Quite recently, being anxious to see the effect produced on the needle
by rails laid E. and W., I experimented on some recently laid here;
starting from a S. terminus, in the town of New Harmony, and gradually
curving northeast, until the road pursues a due east course to
Evansville. There is, however, a branch road of about half a mile, which
starts from the Wabash River, at a _west_ terminus, and runs due east
to join the other, near where that main track commences its northeast
curve. The results (more readily understood by an inspection of the
diagram) were as follows:
1. At the south terminus of the railroad, the rails on the east side of
the track as well as those on the west side attracted at their south
ends the marked end of a small magnetic needle, both at the upper and
lower flange; the usual vertical induction being in this case overcome
by the greater lateral induction. Whenever, on progressing north, the
rails were at least about two inches apart, the upper flange of the
north end of any rail would attract the unmarked, while the south end
of its neighbor or any other of the north and south laid rails would
attract the marked end.
2. The same results were obtained from rails laid all around the
northeast curve, and even after they had acquired a due west to east
course; showing that each rail acquired the same magnetic polarity which
would be exhibited by any magnetic needle oscillating freely in our
northern hemisphere, dipping also at its north end considerably downward
if suspended at its center of gravity.
3. Applying the needle at the _west_ terminus, a few anomalies were
observed; but, especially nearer the junction, the rails all gave the
normal result found on the main track.
4. The wheels of the cars standing on the north and south track followed
the same law, exhibiting both vertical and lateral induction, so that
the lower rims and the forward or north part of the periphery attracted
the unmarked end of the needle, while the upper and rear, or south
portions of the periphery of the wheel attracted the marked end.
5. The wheels of cars standing on the east and west road exhibited
the following modification. The lowest rim of all the wheels, whether
standing on the _north_ rails or on the _south_ rails of said track,
in consequence of vertical induction attracted the unmarked end of the
needle, and the upper rims attracted the marked end of the needle; but
the middle portions of the periphery, both anterior and posterior, of
the wheels standing on the north rail, attracted the unmarked end, while
similar middle portions of wheels standing on south rails attracted the
marked end; in consequence of horizontal induction, the wheels being
connected by iron axles, and thus presenting considerable extension
_across_ the track, viz., from south to north.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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