Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-07-28
THE COMING POWER.
Electricity to BE Put into Practical Use In
Railway LocomOtfon.

Electricity to Be Put into Practical Use In
Railway Locemotton.
WORCESTER, Mass, July "a. - The
Worcester Gazette is abl9 to give some
interesting details regarding plans for
the use of electricity instead of steam on
the New York, New Haven & Hartford
abroad. By the change that is now
under way speed of Is miles an hour
will be assured from the beginning.
President Clark expects to make his rail
road the first IN the world to substitute
electricity for steam on a large scale,
thus marking an era of the frs import
ance in railway travel. That road is
known to be constructing four track
line, but it is not known publicly that
the two central tracks are to be equipped
with special reference to the use of cleo
tricity instead of steam, to propel both
freight and passenger Cars over that
portion on the line between New York
city and New Haven, distance of "a
miles Wher the plant is ready, the
distance between these two cities will be
covered in 80 minutes. 1t is probable
that a light locomotive will be used and
that the electric power will be taken
from an overhead wire, as In the case of
most electric street cars. With heavy
copper wire, it is entirely feasible to get
great speed and power. The distance
limit of the transmission of electric
power over the wire Is at present con-
sidered to be IL or Is miles. Beyond
that length, with the ordinary plant,
there is too much leakage, or loss by
escape, to make it commercially profta-
bic. For mining purposes, where water
power costs nothing, electric power has
already been carried 80 miles to advan
tage. Apart from the cost, there is
probably no particular limit in the way
of distance, speed or horsepower. Here
arises a fine field for speculation into
which it is not our business to enter
A train running "A miles an hour will
require special safeguards against acct
dent. The central electric tracks will be
fenced in and there will be no grade cross
ings The arran gements at stations will
be SIMILAR 70 those of the elevated roads
in New York city. A passenger cannot
cross the tracks except by bridge over
head or tunnel underneath. 1t he Is
going east, he must get on the side OF the
eastward bound track, and then be shot
off from the westward bound track.
There will be no switches at the stations,
but at necessary points, switches will be
set in the country beyond the stations.
Another departure in the same direction
appears in the fact that on Saturday the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad company signed
a contract for So. 500,000 with the Thomp-
SON. Houston company for plant built to
run passenger and freight cars IL and out
of the city of Baltimore for a distance of
about four miles. The stipulation is for
electric locomotives capable of taking up
any train at its dead light and carrying
it out of the tunnels Of Baltimore and be-
yond the city limits, where the motor will
be switched off and the ordinary steam
locomotives will take up train. From
these beginnings, it is only question of
time and money when steam on railroads
be superseded by electricity. Then pas
senge1s will no longer get cinders in their
ewes.