Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-11
ELECTRICAL INTERESTS.
Edison's New Street Car System-Miscel-
Ianeous Notes.

laneous Notes.
Mr. Thomas A. 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 l have devised q 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 I
made test of my invention on 4 road with
a 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 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 a connection with
the rails on account of a layer of dirt or
gravel, l can pick up the current" Mr..
Edison said that the work of fitting q road
so as to be operated by this method would
be slight. Ordinary rails could be used
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 ne could not now make all
the features public.
Il am also building i large electrical loco
motive. several hundred horse power" said
he, land have devised Il system of conduct
ing without trolley for a big railroad for
Henry Willard. 4 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 appli-
ances, and the result is Won can get horse
power delivered on train in motion for
one-third the cost that you can do it direct
with a steam locomotive. Then You have
every advantage in an electric locomotive.
Instead OF running 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 MIA railroad, for INSTANCE, 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 aud 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.-L Boston Transcript.