The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-15

The mechanically ideal street car car
ries its own motive power. II is in
dependent OF central power stations for
energy. and Of all other cars on the sys-
TEN in its movements. Heretofore steam
has been the only thoroughly reliable
motor successfully applied TO Independent
locomotive engines. Steam. however. Is
unsuited TO street car service for various
reasons. hence engineers for years have
oeen trying 10 find a substitute for il 10
be applied 10 independent street cars. II Is
claimed I'm Dresden that an engineer Of
that city has solved the problem with a
gas apparatus. which is exhaustively
described in recently published consular
reports 70 this government
The Dresden gas motor. applied to four
cars. has been in daily use for sixteen
hours day during the past three or four
months. and is said TO have so far stood
well the test Of service. wear and ex-
pense The motor is a double-cylindered
gas engine Of the Otto type placed under
the seat at ore side Of the car. on the
opposite side under the seat is placed a
gas reservoir, which 20 some extent coun-
terbalances the weight of the engine. Two
other reservoirs-ten-inch cyl.nders-are
hung tranversely under the car at either
end. The engine is enclosed in a dust
proof box. and is approached from the
outer shell Of the car through a door that
forms panel in the finish of the car.
The gas is ignited in the cylinders Of the
engine by an electric spark from a small
battery. The spark is produced and the
car put in service by turning a button
The engine is kept running as long as
the car is in service. whether il is trav-
cling or standing still. When the car is
at rest a mechanism reduces the number
OF explosions In the engine to one for ev-
cry eight revolutions. the movement of
the engine being kept up and made uni
form by heavy hy-wheel four feet in
diameter. The driver of the car stands
on the front platform. with the brake IN
his right hand, bell under foot and an
upright lever in his left hand By the
moving of the lever to the left. friction
gear between the engine and the axles is
engaged, a two thirds supply of gas is
turned on and the car moves forward and
attains to a speed of four and half
miles an hour. BY the moving of the
lever to the right a larger friction gear
is engaged, a fun supply of gas is turned
on and the car attains to a speed of nine
miles an hour. A second lever provides
for reversing the engine. water res
ervoir on the roof of the car supplies the
means of keeping the engine cylinders
cool. The three gas reservoirs contain
33.5 cubic feet of gas, condensed to a
pressure of eight atmospheres with an or
binary force pump. The engine develops
eight horse power. The car can be stop
per from full speed within its length,
and runs as smoothly as horse car. The
engine is free from danger, smell or heat.
and the car stops and starts without
shock or noise. The cars, equipped. cost
in Germany about s2,S56, The gas con-
summed costs about rs cents per car mile.
at the rate OF Sl.O5 per l.O00 cubic feet.
charged in Dresden for gas.
1t is interesting, furthermore. 10 note
that a gas motor car of model designed
especially for service in American cities
is being built in Dresden and WIN be sent
to this country for trial and exhibition
next fall. 1t is quite likely that the car
win be seen at the Atlanta exposition, in
the transportation department