pieces of metal touch; we can make these changes by electro magnets with
the rapidity of thought, and we can deal as we please with each of
one hundred motors without sensibly affecting the others. These
considerations led me to conclude, in the first place, that when using
electricity we might with advantage subdivide the weight to be carried,
distributing the load among many light vehicles following each other in
an almost continuous stream, instead of concentrating the load in heavy
trains widely spaced, as in our actual railways. The change in the
distribution of the load would allow us to adopt a cheap, light form
of load. The wide distribution of weight, entails many small trains in
substitution for a single heavy train; these small trains could not be
economically run if a separate driver were required for each. But, as
I have already pointed out, electricity not only facilitates the
distribution of power, but gives a ready means of controlling that
power. Our light, continuous stream of trains can, therefore, be
worked automatically, or managed independently of any guard or driver
accompanying the train--in other words, I could arrange a self-acting
block for preventing collisions. Next came the question, what would be
the best form of substructure for the new mode of conveyance? Suspended
rods or ropes, at a considerable height, appeared to me to have great
advantages over any road on the level of the ground; the suspended rods
also seemed superior to any stiff form of rail or girder supported at a
height. The insulation of ropes with few supports would be easy; they
could cross the country with no bridges or earth-works; they would
remove the electrical conductor to a safe distance from men and cattle;
cheap small rods employed as so many light suspension bridges would
support in the aggregate a large weight. Moreover, I consider that a
single rod or rail would present great advantages over any double rail
system, provided any suitable means could be devised for driving a train
along a single track. (Up to that time two conductors had invariably