stˈɛfɛnsən lˈʊkt æt ðɪ ɐplˌɪkəbˈɪlᵻɾi ʌvðɪ ˌætməsfˈɛɹɪk sˈɪstəm tʊ ɐ vɚɹˈaɪəɾi ʌv pˈɜːpəsᵻz, fɹʌm ɪŋklˈaɪnz tə mˈeɪn lˈaɪn, ænd kəŋklˈuːdᵻd ðˌɐɾɪt ˈoʊnli hæd ˌiːkənˈɑːmɪk ɐdvˈæntɪdʒ kəmpˈɛɹd tə ɹˈoʊp ɪŋklˈaɪn ɔːɹ lˌoʊkəmˈoʊɾɪv hˈɔːld ˌɔn ʃˈɔːɹt lˈaɪnz ˈiː.dʒˈiː. θɹˈiː tə fˈaɪv mˈaɪlz lˈɛŋθ hˌævɪŋ lˈaɪt tɹˈeɪnz wɪð fɹˈiːkwənt dᵻpˈɑːɹtʃɚz, ɪspˈɛʃəli wˌɛɹ ðə ɡɹˈeɪdiənts pɹɪklˈuːdᵻd ðə jˈuːs ʌv lˌoʊkəmˈoʊɾɪvz.
Stephenson looked at the applicability of the atmospheric system to a variety of purposes, from inclines to main line, and concluded that it only had economic advantage compared to rope incline or locomotive hauled on short lines (e.g. 3 to 5 miles length) having light trains with frequent departures, especially where the gradients precluded the use of locomotives.