The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-01-20
steam on CIV RaIlroad,.

experiments have been made lately with
ns" Steam street car, ON the Atlanti,
Avenue Railroad of BrOoklyn, in A trial rri,
from the stables at Flatbush and Atlanti,
Avenues, To East New York and returr.
several members of the board Of alderm, n
anu other prominent gentlemen were ON
BOARD the novel vehicle, and all declared
themselves highly gratitied with the result.
the trip having been made in one half the
usual time. Experts have minutely ex-
amlned all of the objectionable nais,,S.~.l>s,
chief -nf. I-tfljoh the use of steam, and assert
that they can be overcome easily. Plans
have been examined in detail, which were
presented by an engineer Thoroughly &C.
quainted with the subject, in which methods
are shown of meeting all of the objections
that might arise. The danger alone remains
as an objection to the introduction of steam
power in place of horses ON all city rail-
roads. rs.
To overcome fears persistent in the mind
of the public, it is thought to be only nee
essary that the danger should be fully un-
derstood. The generator is the principal
occasion of apprehension; but in the case
of the invention used in Brooklyn it is
placed outside of the car, on the platform,
and can be so constructed that if any defect
should occur to produce rupture, nothing
worse would result than a leakage of steam.
No violent rupture or explosion, it is
claimed, can possibly take place, and in the
event of low water leaving the heating sur
face of the boiler exposed, only leakage
of steam would be produced, and no posi-
bic injury to persons could follow. The
annoyance usually caused by the steam,
after it has performed its service in the en-
gihe, is avoided by the peculiar coIstruc-
tion of the exhaust pipe, which extends to
the end of the car, and back again to the
smoke-pipe, at the same time impartlng
some heat to the floor of the car. There Is
no danger of fire from this heat. The en-
gines and machinery are so constructed that
the invention can be applied to any of the
street cars now in use, without removing
the trucks, and the most extreme motions
of the Car and axles will not be felt The
space taken up bv the machinery is only
about twelve cubic feet. The machinery is
encased and is placed between the trucks of
the cars at such a height from the ground
that neither snow nor distractions can in
terfere with it in any way. In case of a
heavy snow storm the tracks can be kept
cleared by having q snow plow attached to
each car, as force equal to 20-horse power
can be developed at any time. The man
agenlent OF the car In running in eithLr di.
rection, turning curves and stopping, is un-
der the immediate control of the engineer,
and the action is almost instantaneous.
In the annual reports of the managers of
street railways they state that the expenses
incurred for providing and maintaining the
horses for each car, not including real
estate, stables and insurance, averaged
$4,000 annually. AT least eight horses are
required for each car, at the average cost of
$120 for each horse, or $3.50. The increas-
ing difficulty of procuring horses renders
the adoption of steam on city railroads very
desirable. BY the use of steam 1t is ascer-
tanned that greater speed can be attained,
thus dispensing with one-third of the num-
Der of cars and saving outlay in cars, con-
dpetors and medicinal expenses. The ma
onihery required, including hailo-, ensinss
ana all necessary aGrachments can be placed
n 2R 1silfS Any ahF an
a driver, will not exceed $500, making a
net saving of $1,000 year on each car.