The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-10
NOISE OF ELECTRIC CARS.
TNs Company Refuse 10 Make The People
ANY Promises.
LIVELY DISCUSSION OF TaE SUBJECT
,,to con,nittec VIII Recommend an Ordi-
nance Providing for an Expert
20 Watch the Cars.

snecial meeting Of tho Committee on
s,ree,s was called for last evening to take
.one action on the report submitted by Mr.
I8en the mechanical engineer from New
York. IN regard 20 the noise caused by the
mining OF the electric cars On Main street.
Nessrs Bahen H. J.. Carter. Curtis. Gray.
Thomas. Turp.n. r. White and Chairman
Gamers we're present ust a bare quorum.
The Chair stated the object Of the meeting.
uhereupon Clerk Jacobs read tho report
which has already been given full publicity
in Tar TINS.
HE report explains in addition 20 what
Mr. Idd. had stated before tie committee "a
few weeks ago, while IN this city. that the
cliet requirement for the easy and no'sele-s
running Of tae cars Is good track. To CT
r0orate his views Mr Idell adds the follow
irg
GOOD TRACKS
MI d. K Clark, c. f.. an English author
i,g upon street raj ways. says. IN reference %
tie value o. good ira X. that u IS APPARENT
tat IA FIRST rate rolling suriaeel~ o. TAG t'7o"'e
of 10 tramway-a street RAJ way ana IL is bOI
well 20 study too closely lie more e.emcht Oh
frst cost. ~ the amount OBJ wmcn' lot enc ent
system OF tramway the variation u MOI oi
Robinson SOuttar neatly puts H. III
every well constructed tramway there
are three constant quantities the
concrete tho paving and tie rails making
more than thrce-i0urths OF the total ex-
peuditnres tho remaining ioufth beng rep
resented by the Longitudinal bearing. NOT IS
There much difference IN tie cost OF mante-
nance which, besides amounts 10 but Al in
considerable item from three Ter cent tOsiX
rer cent of the total working expenses
of q tramway. The practical value OF q
GOOD rolling surface on the contrary can
fcarcey he Overestiinated. for tho running
AID car expenses are influenced 10 very
grest extent by the condition OF the surface,
ana they constitute nearly twO-thirds of the
tl'ai working expenses. With perfect roll
ing surfa @. an oven and durable pavement
must bc associated IN order that uniform
levels may be preserved. not necessarily Tor
the spe ial business Of the tramway. but
fr the other business OF the street. com
lletey constructed tramway must therefore,
combine o perfect unyieldlng rolling sur
hcs with q firm and durable pavement. Inc
fr-t c0ndti0n--a perfect rolling surface II
was impossible % fulfill SO long rs the rails
were fastened by vertical spikes Oh bolts
passed through the groove IN the rail-.
TIN GiRDER Rail-.
Mr. A. w. Wright c. e.. in writing about
fhe order rail for street railways says: 81
thought that for all the street railroads with
lcAt ira ne the glrder rail was Enthusiastically
te best. but for lines with heavy traffic.
where one strlnger would last rs long n two
rails would wear. the wooden stringer was pre-
felable. Further consideration has convinced
ne that the glrdr ran IS better, 50 far
Is the track is concerned. IN all cases.
again. be- says III am of the opinion that the
better fastening, greater stiffness and better !
Joints OF the glrder rail will prOOng its lie TO
point beyond that Oi tie wooden strnger. |
Tie order rail permits Of p fish-plate JOINT. /
infinitely superior % any that can be made for |
tlefat-siep rail II tie fish plates are securely
fastened. of suitable form ami strength, the !
load upon the street rail j, not great enough |
g. got them out II order. They hold the /
rails IN line horizontally and vertically. and /
the improved .Oint Saves Wear ana tear on |
cars. It's popularity IS increased with It's pas |
ssngers to the same extent. by m absence OF !
q 0.t or jar l16 times per mile If the rail Onts /
cane opposite and the rails arc thirty feet ia |
length. or 352 joints when they do not come |
opposite
AN ILLUSTRATION.
The value of o good track can further be /
Illustrated by cOnsid erng that % sixteen-iOOt |
motor car when crowded with passengers will /
Negh oNmately 10000 pounds. or $3.50 !
pounds on each wheel. and that this load is |
supported by an area Of track Of about "a /
square inch under each wheel. Any l0Oseness /
Of the rails upon the siri ger or OF the rail- |
joints will cause severe wear upon ali the |
moving parts. and will increase the normal /
l.se If the motor
lAe car truck is an important matter and |
worthy Of careful consideration. The rail
Nay companies i'm your city have tried tWO |
klls % trucks and are now building one
tfer their own designs and while the Ques-
Do of change IN the trucks Is scarcely with
% the scope of this report. q few drawings |
Gulcks other than those now IN use are
seat herewith in order that careful study
OF them might materially all I'D the adoption
o. trlck which Will give the least trouble
lotl SIS to ONT of repairs and NOSE. The
DUN ~ the rapidly revolving arnature
cannot Very well be lessenel and as long
as gears are used To transmit the power Of the
efmatIIe of the motor 90 the car aAle. 50 long
vii there lie more or less noise. anu means
ca only 10 used to reduce the noise 10 a
minimum. In general the noise IS caused by
lie lOJseness IN the bearing. and gears, by |
any l0lseuess IN the braklng device. by
tiake-rod touching a rapidly revolving pnlon.
10y tie journals becoming dry and all Increased
iy the poor condition Of tie track. Some or
e. Of these faults might appear IN the cars IA
service.
COLONEL CUTsHAw.
Colonel Cutshaw reiterated what he had
hs.d VA previous OCcasl us. that the track
should Dee kept ~ good condition and the re-
lAIs bee made as soon as possible and III Al
lofau-h manner He then explained the
ltcMlmucs OF the different rails. and stated
lLAl iie best way 20 lay rails was by loinnS
t"tn through fish plates. which would pre-
VET the ends Of the rails from jumping up.
Af george Ill. Fisher the president OF the
iANfoil company who WAS present. said that
Ae 4"d been cautioned by friends who had
u'ei Intermediate wooden earrings on other
V'i '.ues not o. Introduce thcm.
NOOuc tutshaw stated that wooden gear
~ We're used 10 advantage on the Mancnes-
tel .'le
Ai. Fisher remarked that the Westing-
l'.,e motors were used exclusively, and the
earrings ia tlem were covered with oil
N"one Dutshaw stated tbat he had the
issuance ir0ul an expert in baltimore that he
t.i remedy the evil. and that Le would
'.| ilclmNnd next week
'4i l,ler reuarked that he would be only
~. sa' O. Try any suggestion made by any
'.i-beielt person.
N..'nel tutsLaw explained that in his opin-
,,- 'Ae trouble came ir IN mechanical defects
Hl1 tAAt Tie system OF repairing carried out
- '"e COMPANY WAS open 10 improvement.
i'0 .l'ocltri that a. soon az part oil the
T." A'Aery showed wear and tear II should 10
s ''--le llll.f replaced by new one. 30 the car
Gu" 'eare the repair shop every time as
@'o~ as q new car.
TIE RFPAIHs.
eIi isler assured the committee that re
i-'.s We're made as rapidly as poss bic and
-, -. one thing should not be lost sight Of. that
''o'V We're portions oi the tracks which the
al l..