Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-12
THE STORAGE BATTERY
Description ofthe New Electric Sys.
tenn or street Car Prop ulsion Being
Tested ut Dubuaue-Equ ipment and
Mode or Operation.

Description or the New Electric Sys.
tenn or street Car Prop ulsion Being
Tested ut Dubuque-Equ ipment and
Mode or Operation.
n. Pfatischer. represen tative of the
Accumulation company of New York, who
is in Dubuque putting up the storage
battery electric street car has furnished
the Telegraph the following description
of the new system:
"The car is equipped with two twelve
horse power motors, each being geared
to an axle. These motors are boxed in
10 prevent the accumulation of dust; the
gearing is also boxed in and is run in
oil. so that no dust can get in, and at the
same time reduce the friction and wear
and tear 10 minimum. In most over
head systems the speed regulator is
placed on each platform, whereas on the
storage battery car there is but one speed
regulator which is undern cath the car.
and which is operated by shaft from
each platform. The gong is operated by
means of a push b;.tton with the foot,
and the car is sixteen feeE long, with a
seating capacity of twenty two people,
but Of course it is possible to crowd in
from eighty to one hundred. The res
ervoir of electricity, or. as i, is generally
termed. the storage battery. is placed un-
dernesih the seats and forms the sewers
of electricity for the motors; and there is
also an electric brake attach ment-some-
thing with which no other electric car is
supplied. The accumulation is of The
Faure type-s French inven ion and the
only practical accumulation in existence.
Its consists of number of perfor>
ated lead plates. which perforations
are filed up with paste OF red lead and
litharge. These plates are placed in rub,
Der cells. which are filled with diluted
sulphnric acid. II an electric current
from the dynamo is sent through these
cells ii produces chemical change on the
plates. This change creates potential
or difference of electric pres sure between
the positive and the negative plate, and
should these cells be connected with the
motor an electric current would flow
through them and cause rotation. This
rotation would then be transmitted to the
axles by means of gearing. which, as
stated above. is completely immersed in
oil. The operation of road equipped
with the storage battery system is as fol
lows:
Every car" said Mr.. Pfatischer, us
provided with two sets of cells, one set
being in use on the car while the other
set is being charged or filled 1t requires
the same length of time to store electrici-
ty that the Car runs. For instance: One
set of cells has furnished current to run
a car forty miles; then the car is run into
the depot and the other set, which has
been fully charged III the meantime, is
placed on the car, and the latter ia ready
for another run of FORTY miles: and, as
soon as this supply is exhausted. the 9th
er set is again charged, and this process
is repeated as often as desired.
The advantage of the storage battery
over the overhead system are very great,
First--It does not require au alteration
of track or roadbed,
Second-It is perfectly free from dan
ger during a thunder storm
Thlrd-Every car is a unit by itself.
Fourth-The stopping of the engine
In the power house for short time does
not interfere with the running of the Car.
and thus perfect, uninterrupted SER
vice is secured.
Fifth-It does not affect the telephone
service. which is a great fault of the
overhead system, and which has been
the cause of numerous complaints all
over the United States
Sixth-It does not spoil the appearance
of the streets by unsishtly poles or wires;
and
Seventh-The wear and tear to engines
and motors is very much less than 10 the
overhead system"
MIR. Pfstischer also said tia, there are
three storage battery roads in operation
in this countrY-one in New York City,
one in Boston and one iu Philadelphia
all OF which are giving the best of salts
faction.
The Telegraph gives the following &C
count of the success of the rial trip of
the storage battery car:
At half past A o'clock Saturday after
doom the storage battery car brought here
by President Rhomberg to be tested on
the lines of the Dubuque street railway,
made its initial or trial trip. Mr.. J A
Rhomberg. Jr., superintendent of the
line, had charge of the running of the
car. When the car left the depot il was
headed for the northern term mus of the
road, moving off without hitch and run
ming at the rate of about fifteen miles an
hour. The sidewalks on both sides of
Coulter avenue were lined with men, wo>
men and children. who cbeered and
waved handkercbiefs as the Pioneer stor-
age battery car flew over the rails. The
spectacle of q car running at such a
rapid rate, without any visible means
of propulsion was indeed a novel
one, and attracted the attention of all
who beheld it. The return trip included
a run down Main street, the sidewalks of
which, as in the case of Coulter avenue.
were crowded with people, many of whom
cheered and threw their hats into the air;
and among those who swung MS hat was
q prominent ex-mayor. There was no
lesseniDg of the speed either
on the Fifteenth or First street grade, and
to all appearances the car ran Just as fast
ss on the level track. The car was run
over the entire system. with the exception
Of Clay street, where there are a few
switches which need slight alteration.
The people everywhere were very enthus-
astic and cheered as the car sped along
Mr.. Pfatisber is well satisfied with the
working of the car. but propose remain
ing here month for the purpose of max
ny further tests for the benefit of delega.
lions who will be here In short time
rom Texas. Terre Haute and Indianapo-
is, Ind. Chicago. Milwaukee, Lacrosse,
st. Paul and several other cities.
The overhead system put in a few
months ago at Milwaukee is said to be
great annoyance to the people of the res~