Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-15
ELECTRICAL INTERESTS.
Edison's New Street Car System-Miscel.
laneous Notes.

Edison's New Street Car system-Miscel.
laneous Notes.
Mr. Thomas 4. Edison thinks that he has
solved the question Of propelling street
cars by means by means Of electricity fur
nished from underground wires. He has
been at work on the problem for more than
two years, but not until within few days
has he felt assured of ultimate success.
Mr.. Edison sdid yesterday:
Il believe that have devised a method
OF using electricity as motive power on
street cars by means of an underground sys-
TEN. Of course the cheapest system is by
overhead wires, but large cities will not
permit the trolley system. While the stor-
age system is possible. it is not CONNER
cially practicable. About ten days ago |
made a test of my invention on Il road with
per cent grade, and it worked all right.
The great problem thus far has been to
pick up the current from the rails. Here
tofore the current has been lost in passing
through mud. Another serious obstacle has
been to make a joint that should be per-
feet conductor between the rails. Both
Of these questions have been solved. Even
where there is thick layer of mud. and
the wheels do not make connection with
the rails on account Of layer of dirt or
gravel, can pick up the current Mr..
I1ulSOH Sdlu ludU tU6 NOTh VI Htll1lS
so as to be operated by this method would
be slight. Ordinary rails could be used,
and there would be simply the work OF lay
ing wire underneath. Any electric motor
would do, and those cars that are now fitted
with motors for trolley system could be used
All the details of the invention had not been
patented, and he could not now make all
the features public.
II am also building large electrical loco
motive, several hundred horsepower; said
he, land have devised a system of conduct
ing without trolley for a big railroad for
Henry Willard. A small section has been
laid. An electrical locomotive is much more
economical than a steam one. steam
locomotive is not economical by reason of
the conditions it has to work under. That
is the trouble with it, whereas take one of
these triple expansion engines on solid
foundation, with all the economical appl-
ances, and the result is you can get horse
power delivered on 4 train in motion for
one-third the cost that you can do it direct
with steam locomotive. Then you hSSSs
every advantage in an electric locomotive.
Instead of running a train of six coaches
every two hours, split it up. Make
it TWO coaches and run it oftener
They are going to put this loco
motive on some road in Chicago-between
Chicago and Milwaukee, l think. l am 60
ing to take the currents from stations
twenty miles apart. can take the Penn
sylv.nia railroad, for lnstaace, between
Jersey City and Philadelphia, and can be-
gin by putting one electric train on it, and
they can go on running steam, too, and
gradually replace steam by electricity with
out any trouble at all. You can go any
speed you want to with electricity trains.
1t is only limited by the limit of the cohe-
sion of the the steel There are no other
limitations to electric as there are to
steam locomotives"
The first section of the new street rail-
way between Weymouth and bingham will
be built between the villages of Weymouth
and East Weymouth. All matters of detail
have been adjusted, and it is intended to
have this section down before the ground
freezes.-[ Boston Transcript