Another Road and Rail System A Dunlop. Conversion which Permits
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the Use of Ordinary Pneumatic Tyres THE Dunlop Co. is experimenting in France with an interesting system for rendering an ordinary vehicle of suitable track capable of operating with equal ease on the road or on the rail, the pneumatic tyres taking the. load in each case. Unlike those used in other systems, however, the tyres are of normal pattern, with no flanges, the vehicle being kept to the track by small flanged guide wheels, one in front of and one behind each wheel, which are carried upon pivoted arms projecting from the axles or stub axles as the case may be, the outer ends of each pair being connected longitudinally by an adjustable and sprung tie bar. Another novel feature of the system is that, secured underneath each vehicle, is a type of combined jack and turntable, by which the vehicle can be swung around into any position, or be lifted on to or off the rails. The flanged wheels are mounted on false hubs, so that they can be detached in a few moments, and thus leave the vehicle ready for the road. The system is known as the Dunlop Railroute.
A demonstration of the vehicle, which we illustrate, and which, in this ease, was a Hotchkiss, took place at the beginning of the month on the new line from Gannat to la Ferte-Hauterive. This vehicle was driven to the scene of the demonstration by road, and it took only a few minutes to equip it with the special system of guide wheels for rail use.
This latest ferm of road and rail equipment is, of course, only in the experimental stage, and it remains to be seen whether it is suffieiently practical to he adopted for heavy vehicles. We shall follow further tests with great interest.
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