Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-14
SIDE SECTION or BALTIMORE AND OHIO ,IornR rp1,l

IL would not surprise many people 10 see
the power of the main line changed TO
electricity. When one important line ha.
made the change IL is regarded as only a
question OF short time when all the other
great roads. TO keep pace with the pro-
gresslve. VIII do the same. 1t Will be the
old story over again Of the trolley sup
planting the horse and the mule on the
street railroads.
WONDERFUL SPEED.
Electrical experts disagree on the
maximum speed obtainable on the
great railroads. Some OF them claim
that there Is practically no limit 10 IT,.
800. 400, and 800 miles an hour being
within the scope OF possibility. or
course, such high speed would never
be utilized. Travelling at the rate OF
200 miles an hour the motorman would
have 10 begin TO slow down at 4 point
twenty miles before the objective stop
ping place. Then the possibility CT ac-
cident would be greatly widened unless
the road We're fenced in. throughout
It's entire distance, and equipped with
separate tracks for freight, way, and
express trains.
SUCCESS OF NANTASKET LINE
Already a speed OF more than eighty
miles an hour has been obtained on
the Nantasket road, and the trains can
be run as easily at ninety miles as at
eighty, but the road is comparatively
short and hampered by frequent curves,
except for a single long run at a point
just below Nantasket.
There Is little to suggest OF the troll
ley In tho construction OF the road. In.
place OF the girder. groove, stilt-like
IT. or the other styles OF rail in cleo
trio railways, there Is used the convan-
tional 7 rail employed by steam roads.
The rails weigh seventy-eight pounds to
the yard. and are of the type known
as the "Old Colony section" four and
one half inches high, and are laid pre-
cisely as the rails OF steam roads.
Two flexible copper bands seven
inches long are under the base OF the
rails at each joint, and riveted to :hem.
The bonds are so placed that when the
angle bars used In splicing the rails are
in position the bonds cannot be seen. The
length OF the bond Is reduced 10 mini
mum to insure the maximum carrying
capacity with a minimum of resistance.
The tracks are fifteen feet apart from
centre 10 centre. and between the
tracks is the single line OF poles upon
which are supported the cables and troll
leywire cross-arms. The poles are ~
to II inches at the butt. and 10 TO IL
Inches at the top. They are painted
Dldth W II IOllll SIN lffk lIOUi tie kTOuUu,
and white 10 within one foot OF the cross
arm, then finished black.
HOW THE MOTORS LOOK.
Four rlotor-cars, built after the style
OF bageage-cars, are the electric loco
motives. To secure traction they have
been made extra heavy. weighing. when
fully equipped. about sixty thousa nd
pounds each Two will have four motors
each. aud the others two motors each
hung on trucks.
The cars are equipped with the Vest
inghouse air-brake, and have all stand
ard appliances OF the steam-cars In
addition 10 15-inch gong at the front
ends of the mOtor-cars, each of these
cars have a chime whistle, worked with
compressed air in place OF steam.
Save for a single feature, there is not
the slightest resemblance to the steam
locomotive. That feature is the cow
catcher at both ends OF the motor-cars.
IL is situated underneath the platforms,
instead of projecting beyond the body
of the locomotive. as with the steam To-
comotiye The wheels are about the size
OF the largest wheels used on steam
cars, but the axles are corsiderably
heavier TO withstand the strain OF the
electric gearing.
one OF the reasons for selecting the
Nantasket branch as the line for ex-
permenting is that within its short limits
are condensed most OF the difficult pro-