The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-22
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IMPROVED TRAIN LIGHTING.



Electricity to Succeed Gas and the OIL
Lamp-Advantages to the Eye.
One of the most lucrative professions
of the day is that of the oculist- The
American eye is sadly out of gear, and
we are told it will be more so as the
point is reached at which the cumulative
effect of the abuses to which it is sub
jected asserts itself. No more ruthless
way of inpairing the eyesight could be
discovered than that of reading by the
light of the ordinary railway lamp. Even
with the best light it would be better
not to read at all under such conditions
of vibration and oscillation as exist in
moving cars. But if we feel that we
cannot altogether afford to waste the
large proportion of our time we spend in
travelling, it is a source of satisfaction to
know that we can now do such reading
by a light that inf1icts the minimum in
jury on the eye.
An admirable train electric lighting
system has been subjected to a years
practical test in England. with the most
successful results. There has for some
time beena considerable amount of preju-
dice against electric lighting for trains
on the score of expense, but the details
given concerning the actual working Of
the system referred to show that not
only is its Illuminating power more than
adequate to all needs, but that it is cheap
er than any other method for car light
ing. It is easy to install and still easier
to operate, as the working of the whole
plant is automatic.
The system embraces a dynamo and
accumulators, or, as Americans prefer to
call them, storage batteries, which for
convenience are generally placed in the
baggage car, although in some cases,
such with Pullman and Wagner cars,
1T is more convenient to place small set
of accumulators under each car, so that
in the event of such car being detached
from the main portion of the train for
any length of time the lamps in the car
may be supplied from their own set of
cells. In the report of the working of
the system ON the London, Brighton and
South Coast railway for the past ID
months it Is stated that the electrically
lighted trains were found to be more serv-
iceable than gas lighted trains, principal
ly because the extra haulage necessary
to run the latter to the charging stations
was saved.
The former were always ready to go
anywhere, and there was no need to in
Quire and calculate whether the reserve
power was sufficient for the journey.
The electrically lighted trains are esti-
mated to render about Is per cent more
service than gas lighted trains, which,
taking the cost of building train of 10
cars even at only $15, 900, means a saw
ing of some importance in the construc-
tfon of 100 trains. The report gives fig
'ures comparing the first cost, weight and
maintenance per train of 10 cars of gas,
oil and electric light, according to actual
tests. The first cost of gas, including
travelling cylinders, buildings, engines,
etc., was about So, 250 to So, 500 per train;
of oil, about 5000 per train, not includ-
ing cost of buildings, etc., for cleaning
and repairing lamps; of electric light,
81, 900.
The price includes undergear, and
when once equipped the train is indie
pendent and carries its own lighting
plant with it and can be sent anywhere
at any time. The weights of the respec-
tive plants are: Gas, 8 tons cwt.; oil,
cwt.; electric light, 2 tons Is cwt. The
cost of maintenance was: With gas
enough to give a fairly good light, 5000
per train of 10 cars per annum; with oil,
the expense varied from $3.50 to $3.50, &C
cording to the quantity of oil and
amount of labor used; with electric
light, the actual cost of maintenance on
80 trains on the London-Brighton rail-
way for the whole year was $243. go.
Figures like these will appeal forcibly to
railway directors. - st. Louis Globe
Democrat.