New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-14
NEU ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEM
OVERHEAD WIRES AND OPENsIOT coNDriTs
DISPENSED WITH THE CURRENT PICKED
Up FROM BELOW.

rP FROM BELOW.
Among owners and projectors Of street railroads
there continues 10 be a demand for Il system or
applying electricity to traction work which snail
dispense with the overhead wire and trolley Scores
OF plans have been invented which have "A buried
electric conductor for their basis: but most Of
them have such drawbacks that they seldom get
even a practical trial. comparatively new sys-
tenn however. which was In service Tn Washington
all OF last winter and has since been subjected to
the severe test Of switching freight cars In an
other large American city. is being illustrated just
now in New-York CITY by "A model track and car.
and is attracting attention.
This system Is entirely Independent Of the open
slot conduit often used to carry the wires. Con
Quits are costly. since they usually require deep
excavation and special yokes for their support.
neccssitate cutting the ties 10 adapt them to
existing roads and afford great chances for the
leakage Of the current because the wires are bare
But the supply wire In the new scheme Is com
pletely insulated from end 10 end, and buried III
a lead pipe only few inches below the surface
OF the street at side Of the track The return Is
effected by OF similar copper conductor.
laid a few inches away from the other wire. and
also covered with insulating material and lead
pipe. Destructive elecroysis of ncighboring water
and gas pipes. therefore, is impossible AT inter
yas OF about fourteen feet the supply WIRE ~
cut and "A swtchbox is inserted Except during
the momentary passage OF car this switch Is
omen: but at the right moment. by means about
10 be mentioned. this switch divcr's the current
through a branch wire under the pavement 10
metal plate five inches in diameter. rounded Ike
a lens and bulging up slightly from the stree
midway between the rails. Another pat" OF the
same character and its connecting wire lrdi BACK
10 the switch on the under side Of IN" car. run
ning lcngthwisc the pavement, are tHf"e nat
steel bars turned up like sledrunners al the ends.
"A an. az these bars comes In contact with
of the enormous buttons. II takes the current up
to the motors. The return Is erected through
second bar and button. All ms can happen.
though only when the car Is over Inc buttons.
After II has passed neither an iron bar, lying ac-
cidenially In the street, nor a Wet pavement can
either short circuit the current or permit any
falized Just before the ends OF INC bars leave
one sci OF these plates. the front ends have slid
over and pressing another par.
The mechanism OF the switches ~ slinil" but
Ingenious. a small electro magnet ~ so mounted
In a box that when IL Is cncrgzed temporarily IL
i To that armaturc are attached some carbon
mates which lifted at the same time into a
positon which establishes connection between the
supply wire and It's branches to the two but
tons lust described. As soon as the afniature ~
released It's weight pulls IL down; ana this pro
ceedinc instantly shuts off the main current from
The buttons. The magnet In each switchbox ls
controlled by a small storage battery In the car
The light local current thereiron hows down
through OF the Horizontal. bars already
toned to one OF the bulging plates. thence gets
access 10 the coil Of the electro pnet and
finally returns through thiri plate IN the pave
ment and n third bar under the car. The storage
battery thus closes and opens the switches auto
matcally
This plan by the way. seems to avoid the en-
harrassmcnt at crossings and switches experienced
by the centre-rail surface.contact system.