The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-15


elevated roads.
The ferment has been silently working
here, as well an in Europe. where an In
ventive mind has imagined l0o-ton elec-
trio locomotive. consisting OF an engine
and boiler carrying and driving dynamo.
generating electricity for the motors on
the axles. The advantage Of this double
back-action locomotive Is not yet clearly
shown.
1t Is TO America, the home OF so mucn
inventive genius. that the honor OF con-
structing the first practical and CONNER
cial electric locomotive must be awarded.
This electric locomotive. constructed In
the Lynn shops Of the General Electric
company,is built to the standard tteam
railroad guage its dimensions are rome
what similar to those of the steam motors
row In use on our elevated lines, |, e,
sixteen and a-half feet long and eleven
and one half feet high. eight feet four
inches wide. The motors are supported
on springs resting upon the frame
OF the machine, and the nrmatures
are mounted upon hollow shafts
through which the axles Of the wheels
pass. and to which they are connected
by special couplings. The cab is OF sheet
iron and is built upon the frame of the
locomotive directly over the moving parts.
IL Is so curved as TO ofrer receding SUI
faces to the atmospheric pressure. The
windows allow Of unobstructed view In
all directions.
The interior OF the cab - finished In
hard wood. and is lighted by cluster OF
incandescent lamps. Inside this cab are
the electric air compressors, for orerat-
ing the air-brakes and the whistle, and
the controlling switch. Above the frame
- 4. l. - ra4f
trio head lights.
The electricity will be taken up by The
motors according 70 prevailing conditions.
The terolley may be. under certain cir
cumstances. the method adopted, while
under others the current will be taken
from conductors running parallel with
the service rails by means OF running
wheel or a sliding shoe contact, as In the
case Of the Intramural Railway Mt the
Fair, or the Overhead Railway at Liver
pool.
This locomotive is designed to attain I
normal speed OF 80 miles an hour, and
was primarily intended for elevated work
and for passengers and ig..t freight trafric
or less important steam roads.
The adoption OF the electric locomotive
will. OF course. be gradual. The capital
already invested In our trunk railroads
will not permit Of a sudden dlscardlhs
Of the costly steam engines and their
replacement by electric locomotives, and
ali the improvements which the introdIc-
ton of electricity would entail. AT pres
ent the use OF electric locomotives over
long distances is limited, only by the
cost OF long lines OF feeder wires to carry
the electricity to suitable feeding points,
and until this problem is solved restriction
OF its employment must necessarily ex-
ist But for places comparatively near
each other. and where traffic is dense. the
denser the better, the electric locomotive
is peculiarly adapted for here all the ad-
vantages Of electric propulsion are avail
able, unhampered by the extreme expense
involved in long feeder lines.
At first 1t will probably be used in ell
evated railroad service. and in New York
and Brooklyn and Chicago alone, its ad-
vent will be hailed with a feeling OF
deep gratitude. Electric locomotives Will
then probably be adopted as feeders 10
the trunk lines, both for freight and pass
enger traffic: and to operate short subur-
ban lines, where a rapid efficient service
is requisite. Their peculiar fitness for
switching purposes will advance their use
another step, and then slowly. as the
different problems presented are overcome,
they will invade the province Of the
trunk line steam locomotive and the mill
enium Of railroad travel will be within
the realities OF life. Indeed IL will not
be long before passengers will travel In
comfort through the tunnels at Balti-
more, behind l00-ton electric LOGON )tives
now being constructed