Telegram-herald., 1890-12-11

aCOAPlRISes WITH OTHER SISTEHS
nsa1.~thiax whieh EssEy str~st railway
So@ass4E oasat kaas bef.rs
AtsRttsE Ats&tFtsity .. . No
tlss Poser.

Tore, fss tacts and nzufes relative 10
the s3Eleas systems vii doubtless De OF
interest ~ tas TELEskAa-HEKALD read
ers. The following Information IS
gathered from an Interesting and
thoughtfuily prepared paper read BY
Theodore +. Bailey before the Chicago
Electric club Al ia session OF Noyen-
Der H.
Among the numerous and possibly
fatai objections raised to the use Of
electricity, when il was proposed 10
apply Il - street car propulsion. Was
that grades exceeding 8 per cent. could
not De mounted. But experience and
practice have shown that grades as
high as IA per cent. can be assembled
With reasonable safety and satisfaction.
There IS = grade OF l3 2-l0 per cent. At
one point on The hne OF the street rail-
way At Lynn, Mass., over which l6-foOt
cars equipped with tao i5-hOrse power
motors are in daily and successful
operation. ~ Milwaukee a grade OF
10 $40 per cent. (480 feet long is en-
countered and successfully operated
over by 20-f0ot cars. equipped with two
l5 horse power motors, the total weight
of car complete, with passengers, being
10i tons. A similar grade ls met with
at Newport, Il. l., and Omaha, Neb.,
and numerous grades almost as heavy
are seen Ia the electric railway systems
at Des MOineS and Davenport, Ia, and
Kansas City, No.
AT the present time there are, as
nearly as can De ascertained, 957 street
railways IN the United States and Can
ada. OF tins number $50 are operated
by horses; fOrty-niEe by cable; 246 by
electricity; seventy-three by steam. 1t
y estimated that the total money value
OF these combined properties IS Sl64.-
40O 900; prOpOrhoned as follows: Horse
railways, SIS, 900 900; cable railways,
SO 900 600; electric railways, S49,200,-
600; steam railways, 81 100000.
TINS combination of motive powers is
doing service over or upon SSls miles
OF track As follows; Horse, 5723; cable,
527; electric, 2O24; steam, 554.
I find that the cost per car-mile for
the several methods referred 70, includ-
ing all operating expenses and fixed
charges, other than. interest, is as fol-
lows: Horses, 81 cents; cable, y cents;
electric, p cents; steam, ) cents.
lne tendency of electric railways at
the present time seems 70 be 10 the di-
rection of longer cars, double trucks,
and heavier motors. This action is
prompted very largely, no doubt, by
the sad and costly experience of some
companies where trailers were used in
nth the
accidents, and IN some cases death.
having resulted from injuries sustained
by passengers in falling between the
motor and trail car while passing from
one 70 the other.
The use of the longer car with double
trucks is recommended further as a
means Of comfort 10 the passengers,
and also on account of the longer life
Of the car and It's equipments. This
style of car -, of course, unattended by
the oscIllating notion found in the
snOrter car with single truck. Where
the shorter motor car IS used with a
trailer, experience shows that there is a
great loss m wear and tear by reason of
the cars lammiug together when the
brakes a7e applied. Where the streets
are sixty feet or more Ia width from
curb 20 curb, aud there IS a double
track. the best form for the overhead
construction is 20 place the poles in the
middle OF the street
The wheels OK the car should, in my
Judgment, be at least tnTty three
inches in diameter and weigh 800
pounds each. THIS viii give increased
adhesion and allow the motors 70 be
raised sufficiently high from the ground
% prevent practically the possibility of
is being injured by striking obstacles
between the rallsE
Increased speed wfh a very slight
increase Of power WI result by the use
Of the tnirty-three inch instead of the
thirty inch wheel.
The possible sneed of a car equipped
electrically is measured only BY the
limit Of safety. The regulation speed
in the majority Of places q twelve
miles per hour, and the average mile
age per car per day about fl5. IL is
we'll known that upon well-regulated
steam railroads the locomotives rarely
make = continuous run Of over 100
miles pef day; and considering the ex-
trsOrdinary care tnst - gwen 20 them,
and remembering IA the same counec-
ton the very shght degree OF care gwen
g. the average electric street railway
motor. I think the latter e entitled 10 a
very handsome compliment for the
good service It gives u. aud when you
know that the best average mileage
that can b made by a car propelled by
the Kentucky horse or Texas mule i
axty miles per Day. ard even IN doing
this it = necessary % make st least four
changes per day. I thiRk you viii ad-
mt thss the electric railway motor =
dong most admirable service.
The smallest town IN the United
states which hss an electric street rsil-
way IN operation s Southington. Conn.,.
with a population Of 6foU. Two cars
are IN service over Two miles Of track.
and the average daily receipts ars So
Ter car. The power for tbe operation
cf th.s road - furnished bv the locs
lighting company and costs 81 25 per
car per dav. The largest electric rail
wsv i at Roston. Mass Theentre svs-
tenn comprises zs4 M 'es of track. SIXTY
az whtch are electrical aliy equipped. aud
there are sf2 moteT cars in operation.
During the month Of August thev bad
500 motor csrs "a service. making >
t0tal flsars rS 81. .7oa ooo. The mHe-
age 81 the tor cars wss - sis eco. max
ne total car nsifesge Of ~ s4- oee.
From August 10 % August Is. lsN coo
passengers were carried by these cars
without single DELAY. IL the month
Of september 3E7 motor ears were q
operation. nskinz a nnlesge g S+s,-
tsf Geo. snt the mileage g tsN ests
81 ear .0Oo. making a total car miiesge