Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1882-10-05
ELECTRIC LIGHT IN RAILWAY
CARS.
The First Test of Lighting Msyius
Train by stored Electricity.

For several days past DR.. Dudley,
electrician of the Pennsylvania rail
road company, has been actively en-
gagged in applying electric apparatus to
one of the company's passenger coaches
at Jersey City, for the purpose of test
ing the feasibility of the use of cleo
trlcity in lighting cars in the place of
gas, which is now used. Yesterday,
all the arrangements having been COM
pleted for test, the car was attached
to the train leaving Jersey City at 80
p. NJ, and made the trip to Philadel-
phia, arriving here at $50. As soon
as darkness set in the electric carbons
were set atiame, and most beautiful
light was the result. The party who
came over on the Car from Jersey City
were all electricians, or in some man
ner interested in the experiment. In
asmuch as this is the first experiment
of the kind ever made in the United
States, description of the plan is in
teresting. Stored electicity is no lon
ger hypothesis, but a demonstrated
fact, as shown by the London and
Brighton road, in e ngland, which
for the past ten months has been
Lighting its cars by means of stored
electricity.
The car seen last night at the Broad
street station in which the test was
made was an ordinary passenger coach.
There were seven electric lamps in the
coach, with two burners to each lamp.
The electricity was supplied from a
reservoir underneath the car, better
known to the scientific world as Faure's
electric accumulation. Electricity was
transmitted to the carbons by wires on
either side of the car, connected with
the accumulator, and was cut off or
supplied at will by simple key. The
accumlator In which the electricity
was stored last evening, consisted of
long wooden, water-tight box under
meath the middle of the coach. In
cased in this box were number of
lead plates. At one end was the posi-
tive, and at the other the negative,
pole of the battery. Each plate is
coated with red lead, mixed with acid
ulated water. After being perforated
with small holes, about three-sixteenths
of an inch in diam meter, a sleeve of
parchment is placed on each side of
each plate, and the plate is then in
cased in cloth jacket, with the excep-
ton of one end, which is left uncover
ed to form an electrode. The plates in
the box were parallel to each other,
and their electrodes stood at
each end. The electrodes were all
connected together at each end, and
connected with brass terminal,
through which the electric current was
Supplied and drawn out. After the
first charge of electricity has been
stored in the accumulation, which is
done from a dynamo machine, the
red lead coating completely changes
its nature, being converted On the neg
ative plates into a spongy, metallic
state, which absorbs, retains or throws
out the electric current as need be.
The accumulator seen last evening
and the life of the carbons used in cen
nection with it covered period Of
about 5000 hours. The entire accu-
mulator contained sixty volts of ten
sion, or two volts to each cell. The
light produced was soft, bright, and
clear and equal to eight-candle power,
and was supplied two-thirds cheaper
than gas or oil. Every car can be sup
piled with an accumulation charged
With the amount of electricity desired
from dynamo battery, or one accu-
mulator will supply train.
The car when lighted last evening
presented q very brilliant appearance,
and one could read newspaper in
any seat therein. There was to flicker
or flare to the light, and it burned with
persistent regularity of fame. Taken
altogether, it was a most successful
demonstration of its utility and FEAST
bility, and will probably be universally
adopted after DIR. Dudley makes his
report to the company, although he
declined to speak,on that subject last
evening, saying he would first report
to the company. The other electri-
clans pr sent did not hesitate to pro-
nounce it grand success. s.-P hiladel-
phia Press.