New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-10
A NEW RAILWAY IN HARLEM.
ELECTRICITY PULLS UNDERGROUND.

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT WITH CARS RUN
~ ELECTRIC CURRENTS IN THIS CITY
WILL. THE NEW MOTIVE POWER
srPPLANT THE cABLE7
I, is now possible for person VINO wants -
take sightseeing trips 10 get on caDe-car a. '"e
Battery ride all the way TO Columous-aVe' anu
One-hundred- and nnth-st. In the same car, 'he"
change to an electrical and ride 10 the Harlem
River a, one -hundred-and-forty- sixth-st' all LOT
five cents. Half dozen cars on the ne" s'ree'
railroad running One-hundred-a -ninth-s'.
Manhattan-ave. One ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS anu
Lenox-ave to the Harlem River have been driven
by underground electricity for several weeks anu
on Saturday the Metropolitan Street Railway COM
many arranged for transfers OF passengers on the
line 10 ard from the cable-cars at columous-a'e
and One-hundred -and-ninth- free OF charge.
The experiment OF running cars by underground
electricity in this city is being watched closely Oy
men Interested in street railways II 1t Is as sue
cessfu as the engineers OF the new railway predict
that Il Will be- the managers OF many other street
car lines IN the city will want TO change from
horse power and from the cable 10 underground
electricity Assistant Engineer Hrt, OF the Metro
pol.tan street Railway Company, said yesterday
that the cars the new line had run without
hitch from the start. and people who travelled on
the line had expressed delight with the running Of
the
Underground electricity has many advantages
over the cable as a means OF moving streetcars.
On the electrical road the cars can be run back
ward as we'll as forward the same track They
can be run slowly around curves which are the
most dangerous parts OF road The caole-caTs
have 10 run at full speed around the curves. much
10 the discomfort OF some passengers ana there
Is constant danger OF running against persons or
vehicles at the curves. With electricity as the
moving power, also. there is danger OF cars
running away. as the electricity can be turned on
from the machinery OF the car at moments no
tce by the motorman. while II the grip OF caoie-
car gets fast in loose strand OF the cable the car
Is dragged along until the cable can be stopped.
At FIRST sight. the new electrical road looks Ike
a cable road as there Is conduit Tor the elecricAs
conductors and slo; at the surface OF the ground
midway between the rails. The motors OF the
| cars take the electricity from the conductors IN
| the conduit by means OF plough" which has
/, much the appearance OF a grip used on cable
car. Ii would be easy 10 transform capie rodl
| into an electrical road, as electrical cohuuc.oIs
could be placed in the cable conduit witnous muyn
| motors In the cabe-cars would not be great ns
| power- houses OF the cable roads could be USED
Also with their steam boilers ana steam s,ei". TO-
| The only changes in the power houses would DC
, the setting up OF electrical machinery In place OF
/ The cars Of the new electrical road run smoothly
! and with very little noise There is none OF The
humming noticeable In the running OF roNeys.
| cars because there are two conductors IN eaen
for negative electricity. and they both supply cur.
| rents 10 the car motors. For the same reason. no
electricity goes the rails OF the car track. ana
| person could not receive shock by stepping upon
one of the rails close to car.
| Officials OF the Metropolitan street Railway CON-
| pany said yesterday that the new line had not
| comparative cheapness or expcnsiveness OF UNDER
| ground electricity as a motive power.