Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-06-15
A New Street Railway system.

A New Street Railway System.
Street railway companies are eagerly
discussing the newest system Of ca-
propulsion on the market, and many
are sangulne that the method Of oTer-
ating city lines that they have been
hoping and waiting for has Mt last ar
rived. Useful as the trolley has been
as temporary improvement on horse
traction, ii is open TO many objections,
and its radical defects have prevented
its general acceptance as n permanent
and desirable method OF affording rapid
transit in city streets. The cable sery-
ice is equally out of court. Its uncer-
tainty OF opera ton is well known. If
the least thing goes wrong at any point
on the line, the whole service is paral-
yzed, and the public has become ac-
customed to the sight Of runaway ca
bic car spreading disaster along q
crowded street, and absolutely beyond
control until the power house can be
notified to shut down. In these days
makeShifts will not satisfy the public,
who, during the last few years, have
made great strides in the appreciation
Of the possibilities of safety, comfort,
and rapidity of travelling, and both the
trolley and the cable have been bare
ly tolerated pending the advent Of
still better system. Such system IS
apparently now presented TO the pub
lie. after having been severely tested
through the winter in New York. In
dovising this system, the inventors,
Mcssrs. Johnson q Lundell, sought to
cmhody the following salient features
% TO dispense with all overhead wires.
o. TO replace the trolley by system
Of wiring which should essentially du-
plicate or initiate that of the former
trolley lines, but should be out Of tho
way and out of sight under the street
paving. (3) To give the car all the adj
vantages of n self-movilg vehicle, in
case current from the distant power
house should be shut off temporarily
from any cause, on dislOcated at my
point. ca To enable the car TO be al
ways under the highest possible de-
gree of control These cXacting con-
dtions appear TO have been met. In
effect, the new system is Il vevy in
genious combination of the great adj
vantages of both the closed conduit
method and the storage battery car,
end ii anolishes at one stroke al the
evils Of the overhead wire. The cur
rent is taken from the cond lit by n
pickup rubbing brush" which full
fills the function Of a trolley wheel.
In fact. as prominent electrical jour
mai cxpressively put it, If n man were
To stand on his head, and if paving
stones were made OF glass, he would
see underneath literal counterpart
or reproduction Of the trolley system,
so far as the track itself goes" Where
as the trolley system is alive through
out, the new system Is not alive any
where except ut the point over which
the car is passing, hence there is 10
danger TO horse or passer-by. But
the car is not dependent merely upon
the supply of live current. Under the
seats are storage batteries which, while
practically requiring no attention, are
ready st n moments notice to carry
the car through any emergencies. They
will. II necessary, keep ii going for sew
eral miles, or even enable ii TO be
worked on line that is without elcc-
trio current The controlling devices
are the most efficient that have yet APP
pcarcd; there is none Of the usual jerk
ing or jolting. and the car is operated
with the utmost precision and smooth
ness.