The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-29

| ride over It's two miles OF length Is pro-
ductIye OF unpleasant Jerks and bumps.
From the building next to the workshop
At Menlo Park, where the steam-enginc
and dynamo-electric machines are placed,
narrow plank-walk leads across the
| field toward the woods in the rear.
In this are the wires running from the
dynamo-electric machines TO the rail.
way track, distant perhaps quarter OF
| mile. Here the wires arc noticeable,
emerging from their casing and communi-
eating with the rails. At first sight the
track appears to differ from an ordinary
railroad only in its gauge. which Is three
feet six inches. But closer examination
reveals three distinctive features. Where
two raiis meet, they are Joined together on
the sides. On each side OF the Joint Is =
strip of copper, the ends Of which are
nickelplated. Outside, these strips are
screwed on fiat bars Of iron, the
inner surface being also nicke[plated.
Thus the current Of electricity passes
uninterruptcdly from rail TO rail. As this
cannot be done at the switches, however,
thin plates Of copper are placed under
meath the ends OF both rails, so that the
circuit is not broken. The frog in the
switches Is left out Of circuit. 1t is only
about three feet long, and ~ the driving
wheel OF the engine Is four and hall feet
In diameter the wheel passes over the frog
with no perccptible interruption. Near
the improvised engine-house, which stands
short distance above the point where
the wires connect with the rails, and
about quarter Of mile from that
end OF the track, the one passen-
ger car OF the railway stood Friday.
The engine was running up and down
the track, conveying Charles T. Hughes.
the superintendent, and dragging n small
platform car loaded with rails and ties.
In appearance the engine is peculiar. X
all ordinary engine were cut in two midway
OF the boiler, the forward half discarded,
and the cab reduced in size, it would pre-
sent a tOlcraby correct representation OF
the electric engine. Its length is fifteen
feet and the height to the top OF the cab
nine feet. or course there is no smoke
stack.
Whena Tribune reporter took seat In the
cab the flat ear had been left at the lower
end Of the track. Mr.. Hughes raised the
lever OF the armature switch and the engine
started. The engine ran evenly at the rate OF
eighteen miles an hour. No arrangement
had been made for running at high speed,
as Mr.. Hughes was using the engine simply
in construction work, and it had been drag
ging loads OF three or four tons. The four
dynamo-elccfric machines at the central sta
ton were arranged in multiple arc instead
of in series, as is done TO attain a higher
speed. Two miles Of the road have been
completed, extending toward Plainfield,
and mile remains to be finished. At the
lower end men were engaged In baliastlng
the track. The road runs from the engine
house over trestle about twelve feet high,
! through sw amp, and then through some
| fields where there are cuts. Thus far the
engine has done all that was expected.
Yesterday and on several previous occa-
sions it has proved itself equal to the task
OF drawing loads rs heavy as could be ap-
piled, considering the character OF the road
and rolling-stock. On Wednesday, with
the dynamo-eectric machines arranged in
series, it ran at the rate of fl miles and
1000 feet in an hour-the highest rate that
/ has yet been reached. The rate of speed is
estimated by the number of revolutions OF
the armature I'm the engine. The engine
can be readily started, reversed, and
/ stopped. In the cab, where the steam
gauge is placed in the ordinary engine. is
/ the armaturc switch. Raising the lever
sends the current into the armature OF the
dynamo-electric machine in the front OF the
engine. II the lever is horizontal the cir
cult is broken, and il the lever is pulled
down the current Ia directed into the arma.
ture in such way as to cause it to revolve
in the opposite direction, and the engine
consequently moves backward. Mr.. Edi'
son intends TO use an electric brake, but al
present, in order to stop, the circuit i.
{ broken and an ordinary brake applied.
In examining the engine more closely
the reporter found two sheet-iron doors il
the sides OF what appeared to be the boiler
so that an inspection OF the interior wa:
easy. In front is a dynamo-electrlc mi
chine; running lengthwise are the two leg,
Of large magnet. and the remainder Of tn,
interior is occupied with shafts and betting
An interesting feature is the course OF tn,
current and its transformation into motiv,
power. II Is taken up from the rail
by the rms Of the driving-wheels, ant
passes through copper clamps to tn
hub. Rubbing against the hub is
copper brush at the end OF horizon
tai rod, which has the position OF the con
necting-rod OF an ordinary engine. Tn
current taken from the hubs OF the driving
wheels by these brushes passes along th
rods to wires which lead TO the armatur
switch i'm the cab. From this switch th
two wires are conducted to the armatur
If the dynamo-electric machine i'm front
This machine may be said to fulfil doubl
function--in absorbing and storing III
electric energy as well as in the developing
It. When the armature and bobbins re
volve, the power is transmitted by beltin
around pulley on the same shaft with tn
armature to a pulley on shaft undc
the cab. Thence betting runs to pulle
on the shaft OF the driving-wheel. FroI
the armature wires two smaller wires rul
TO the coils OF the magnet placed horizon
tally in the engine. These are the fiel
wires, and through them the magnet be
, comes charged with electricity, and exert
controlling influence on the armaturt
which receives the greater force OF the cuI
rent. Without this magnet the armatur
would receive the full power Of the cui
: rent, and would become so heated as 10 b
useless; but the electricity in the magnet
5 which can be increased or diminished Q
will, tends to draw the armature tOwar
4 it, and in reality causes il TO reyolve.
| The total weight OF the engine is fou
g tons. The road, three miles long, wi
soon be completed and ballasted. Th
1 chief merits which Mr.. Edison claim
c i'm favor Of his electric motor al
s greater economy in fuel, in help, and
I the wear and tear Of material, and the al
!, sence Of smoke and cinders. One centr
c station for every ten miles OF track is b
;, estimate, the current being sent throug
: the rails for five miles on each side Of Il
It station. After elaborate calculations in Il
Y case OF the electric motor as compare
+ with the steam locomotive engin
C Mr.. Edison claims that the ratio Of mes
economy for both is 4 to s.93, or 500 p
cent. In favor OF the electric engine Ne
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