New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-30
RI.E ATTACHED.

OF sufficient size to use the underground cables IN
ysry @ s s in Construction between the
Budapest and the Lenox-ave., New ORR, III. ILL.,
roads all use the steel conductor rail In addition.
the Metropolitan employs the feeder wires. IN me
cated and 'Gf the use Of the cable
The Metropolitan road however mas tbs us cponduit
Of the Metropolitan road is connected with the
sewers about every 400 feet. large vault being
su catch basin All dir, and other material which
cumuates in the conduit between them Is sTra put
through centre manhole These basins are nsed
only for dranage but in them are me lee e
rails These taps placed alternately on each
side every 40 feet aOns the sey ne which connects
the conductor rails with the car Is another novelty;
he Is ,ruck It travels through the slot rails, and
has steel plates Ike the shank Baifs q sIP
spring. pressing out against piece OF more m
STATION Attached to the hbre insulation are cast "
The plough These shoes agans. the conduetcr
rails as ne S cars mEs Fac ~n s nT BY parallel
links fastened at the bottom and Top 10 M me san
plates so that the spring has no other function TO
perform but 10 press me snGes Uh eniIre sas
faction and the road has experienced no difhcuIty
In its operations.
THE CHIEF ENGINEER SATISFIED.
Chief Engineer Connect, in conversation with
Tribune correspondent had this TO say Of the Met
ropolitan system:
1--WE have been running since July % without
m,shap Of any kind-have not lost a trip OF mad
any delays from transforms or anything else The
service is as perfect as can be, so FAR Inc circuit
Is absolutely tight: there is no leakage Of any KIND
even In the severest transforms, and the amount
OF power used per car IL exceedingly small. we use
the train system consisting Of two open cars coup
led together. weighing empty. 1900 pounds These
cars are moved on an average Of eleven amperes
per car with voltage Of 800, We are supposeu
to average nine miles an hour. The Two cars are
coupled together tightly. and there Is no JERK IN
starting.
This road has cost. for the conduit construction
connlete $4,000 a mile including asphalt paving.
which IL one-th,rd Of that amount Where we TOOK
I'D Belgium block stones and replaced them 'he
cost was 900 a mile. The power-house cars e'o''
are standard and depend for cost entirely upon
what a company wishes TO purchase just d. WIN
the overhead or other road
I'm laying trolley road the difference 10 ui'S
In the trolley road they have 10 put up pole ihe
and carry about as much copper as we nave; t' zen
pave the road We have the added expense OF ne
Conduit and the slot rails and the conductor raiis'
lev Win The overhead construction it will cost
about 10000 mile with good paving such az
ss r1uch more az people thnk-in fact; the differ.
cnce is not very striking Where rodus ny - ~ U5nv
their feeders underground, as they now 90 III many
This Is the only line that has put down line
complete from top to bottom There mas h ovsi
nothing done in a temporary wayIthe power-ho n
and everything is permanent II Is the oniy rUHi
plete line in this country 1t was me mos aap
tiece OF conduit street railway building ever o0ne;
r. was begun on March Y Of this year anu , :" 90 90
entirely finished and opened up for traiic on July
The Metropolitan Railroad Company feels 50 w.
satisfied with the results Of its Ninth me I ina
IN is going 10 put its more important 81 N M
under the same System; The latter road IS mr. ar,
taen and a half miles long. and one OF tne oes
lines in Washington no changes In me oss nHar o.
lion there showing weakness or any klhi Coi,,
tracts have been made. and part or me Ene VIII
Re Constructed TINS fail and the remainder IN ths
o,,G 90 that by July the entire Meiropolltan roaa
ritii he operated by the underground electric sSs-
tenn. . IT., ord des.ruction
=, water and gaspipes due TO electro ysis Is hNo!e
entIreiv with a road Of this character. Inc en'lle
circI,lt Is made on the insulated conductor oars 20
Ia there Is ro chance OF the current gong 20 ne
earfh and returning over buried pipes On troles
roads /, is well known that only one sice OF lei.
circuit IS insulated the other SIDE Or the Sircul1
h.in~ made through the BE- ldsd wheel rais: Nhere
iris bonding is either originally insufficient or pc
cnnee 60 hv dIsntegration the current escapes to
t5a mines causing eltctrolytic action. ana conse-
ouent destruction OF the pipes
SUMMARY OF FEATURES
What the Metropolitan Railroad Company SAYS OF
u, system may be marlzed as follows:
ff