It Looked Like A 'Submarine On Wheels' - But It Proved The Critics Wrong

Critics said the McKeen Motor Car looked like a "Submarine on Wheels." With its sharp knife-edge nose, round porthole windows, and marine gasoline engine, it was a bizarre sight in the era of steam.

It shook passengers until they were sick, smelled of kerosene, and had no reverse gear—forcing the engineer to stop and restart the engine backwards just to back up.

But this "mad science" invention was actually decades ahead of its time. It was the first train to use aerodynamics to slice through the wind, saving railroads from bankruptcy by cutting costs to pennies per mile.

This is the story of the misunderstood "Wind Splitter" that failed its way to changing the future of high-speed rail.

👇 The Verdict: Was William McKeen a madman or a misunderstood genius? Let us know in the comments.

Copyright Fair Use Disclaimer: The material presented in this video is not exclusively owned by us. It belongs to individuals or organizations that we deeply respect. Its use follows the guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, which permits "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, academic research, and study. Fair use is a principle established by copyright law that allows limited use of protected materials without infringing on rights. This video was created to enhance understanding and appreciation of the original content without causing any harm to the rights holders. It has an educational purpose and uses only small excerpts from the original material.