At the end of it we emerged from darkness,
and, the ground becoming level, we stopped. There is another tunnel
parallel with this, only much wider and longer, for it extends from
the place which we had now reached, and where the steam-carriages
start, and which is quite out of Liverpool, the whole way under the
town, to the docks. This tunnel is for wagons and other heavy
carriages; and as the engines which are to draw the trains along
the railroad do not enter these tunnels, there is a large building
at this entrance which is to be inhabited by steam-engines of a
stationary turn of mind, and different constitution from the
traveling ones, which are to propel the trains through the tunnels
to the terminus in the town, without going out of their houses
themselves. The length of the tunnel parallel to the one we passed
through is (I believe) two thousand two hundred yards. I wonder if
you are understanding one word I am saying all this while! We were
introduced to the little engine which was to drag us along the
rails. She (for they make these curious little fire-horses all
mares) consisted of a boiler, a stove, a small platform, a bench,
and behind the bench a barrel containing enough water to prevent
her being thirsty for fifteen miles,--the whole machine not bigger
than a common fire-engine.
Pages:
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553