New-York tribune., 1884-02-25
ELECTRIC PROPULSION.
ITS APPLICATION TO ELEVATED RAILROADS

perfection of electric railway propulsion II peOuin'
interest 10 consider the probable effect OF It's
upon existing systems and such as may he IN
tion While there is net vet accessible suiho'en'S s
continued record OF electric railway perio H'uo "
tahlish its claim to commercial success ~! ""N 4
,ha il sti, annie ground in what has been done al
Iichterfelde Port Rush and Saratoga lor 'he peeA %
fl NAV be prcdcaed with tocrsble certainty ADSW"o'
reasoning upon such questions necessarily possesses
,ar,,hIa ,regght while conveniently cited instance Is
i,s own credeinaL Exactly such one is not yet
available but a cOgnare method Of discussloh' Wmch
a. entirely legitimate il outlined in the cap
zion OF this essay. II is a bare comparison
Of facts and figures which may be verified without much
difficulty. The dsprova of any Of them-posshly OF one
would break the chain of the argument but II they are
unmpeached il Is demonstrated.
The elevated railway system OF New-York City com
prises-inclusive OF sidngs, etc-thrtytwo miles OF
rack Upon this road-bed may be, running stimuli
taneousy $50 locomotives each weighing with its coal
wafer and personnel, 500 pounds and drawing at
,peed of 25 miles per hour, three cars each weighing
with its seated load of fOryght persons and the gate
man. 81 23O pounds. Summing up 1t amounts to total
weight Of pounds moved l66 minute
Taking the commonly accepted coeicent for resistance
90 traction IN rapport of weight moved under average
conditions Of rolling gear and roadbed, TO be OO4 Vlde
Clark Holey, Molesworth, Haswen ct dil the total
work performed Dy the locomotives in any one minute Is
1927 h. p. nearly.
II IL unnecessary 10 consider grade curva-
snce since OF the total number of trains running to
and fro as many will be assisted retarded by the
former there being hut II curves which change de
ton as much all the routes only 2l OF the lou
trains In simultaneous motion could by any posSDhV'
be passing them OF the instant and this wOud NOT
materially affect the total resistance OF traction furner
the influence Of elevated railways is mimi
mzed by the admirable method of coupling trains, andH
NAV be added that electric propulsion readily admits Oh
fitting motor TO each and manipulating them all
1Ia1,,n fipflW nAl
resistance.
To make sure that estimate shall include the most
adverse conditions possible the may be considered
as crowded to capacity or carrying say 100
persons each, and encounering strong side WINDS IN
such the coefcient of traction might rise 10 100
and the total work done any instant would De at he
rate Of 5,444 h. p, nearly.
The expense OF performing this work with steam lOcO-
motives may be thus stated: 1t requires 227 OF Them
each costs $65OO and served by driver and stoRer
whose combined daily pay is trife over So Each may
also be called upon at any moment to exert some thirty
six h D. and the coal required per b. p. may be
estimated as follows: Each engine burns forty pounds
per mile If the ordinary routine service OF drawing
12.5 miles. This Is consumption per enEe , oI tb Gt
pounds per hour ds ae H % he to modify
them 10 get fair average consumption 81 Iuel pei p.
developed Inc "elHne ner VI train remain un-
changed. but the feet moved through
per minute reduced to LOO and assuming LOAD OF
rs persons car as reasonable mean can between d T9ng G
morning and evening hdI 1uu IN lne ol
ihe day. and nearly empty at night the Oad moved uy
De taken at 136690 pounds; Applying the general CO.
sGem ,ao 0I op fs e Minnie oI h. p at cost Of near
IL % pounds OF coal per b. per hour Ol course II i
almost Impossible that each engine should Dl hls guam
tty for each actual H. OF WOIA II peIIoIIns, 6h+
Ing of trains is included in IT, and the average Is no douD
which must kept standing with banked fires ready for
immediate seryiee Inc esse ~ o dy bynSb ar hest
they are four times more wasteiu performers or Work
than large stationary engines OF the best type-Ou Is
motive power and ii therefore correct 10 say tha III
such system. a h. p. costs % pounds OF coal
The statement viii then be- taking an hour as the unlt
of time
Interest upon and depreciation OF 927 locomotives m o.,
$500 az the rae Of Is per cent per ennum.. s5 90
Msge g @ G y s sT t6p m for i50 oeomotives develop
ing h. p each 2s n per h 1o-O OO
To do the same work electrically would require tie
following named equipment:
Ills quite possible to obtain dynamos which Will
return AZ any ordinary distance - cents Of b. p'
developed by steam engines at the generating station
and this can readily be had for pounds Of coal
r hour from large improved constructions But assun-
;ng 80 cents or taereabout, TO he the ultimate and
durcate installation to be surerfous,-vhlch latter
assumption is in accord with expert olinion-the items
SIX stationary steam engines 800 b p each, ,-oooo
viii boiler; costing inclusive OF erecti0n.-- S-tOOOO
Te6t gencIatng dynamos each 1850 Il. p. capac- - 49,
o: i,igS nous g az East onehlndredandwcn.
Oe ne S,1iG fdr the second Third ave lines. 10000
oHS si''o -. i.,.,'3 ~ ~ o55 , s4o3S 1923
IIirty-wo miles central Ia, 50 u Per yard Laid 10000
Total Sl,3l4375
This a1ooupt would in all likelihood be largely modified
fv the sale Of the steam ccomouyes-whch are OF stand
ard urefor use u short surface railways hut letting
ttsroable rebate stand Offset to Unforeseen con
1pceDces the of current expense OF eectIcal
motive power and concomant plant viii be, taking an
hour as the unit Of time;
Interest upon depreciation Of installation at 10
rS5i tii' doal at IS per h. p ana $5 per IS 9S
1iI eef az aGS as1sI engineers at s22 per diem 40
s+oEprS "a
Wages Of attendant per motor 81 al s. per diem IS IS
Total per 50
II should he explained posSat that the lower rate
1 cent for depreciation Of electrical machinery based
on superior durability due it simplicity. few parts
and the absence OF recipOcatng movement This amount
4 the total current cost OF the maximum work done in
Yuv one hour upon all the lines. In comparison with the
same quantity obtained through steam locomotives the
ratio about as 10 rs. IN other words electricity
Win perform Cor ~ the identical work for which
as To result is it does nor embrace various
advantages 70 which it Is Impossible 10 aix quanti-
tatiye value, such a. renucgd wear Of Toad-oed by
idea of this may hoe had by rejecting that the average
.d,sior 10 tIc rails of au eectrOmOior isby reason of
eome molecular change in the contiguous surfaces Of
wheel ana rail caused by the current circulating through
with twenty per cent in the steam locomotive That is
10 say an electro motor OF half the weight of To-
smoke exhaust steam, noise, and cinders dropping to
the streets is also OF incaculable advantage III city
service.
Whether the conclusion arrived al be modified not
81 cannot nUhod-by further vestgation ihe ind-
cations sufficiently clear TO warrant stockholders Of
elevated railways OF New York demanding Of their
several boards OF directors immediate and thorough
examination Of electric propulsion and lis earliest rac-
ticlple adoption II its claims .uhstantiat,d.
Neir York, Feb 3 1854.
WENDELL PHILLIPS TENDER MOODS.
r. the EditOF o. The Tr tBunc.
SIR: At the time when the Anti-Slaverv |