The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
Sire Car Air Motor.

The Hardie air motor for street cars
was recently exhibited TO q number OF
eastern railroad men and engineers III
Rome New York. says the Gazette OF
that Mace A little unforeseen delay Oc-
Cured i'm operating the car because an
ordinary plumbers check valve IN one OF
the pipes had failed of It's function ana
permitted water TO escape ana 1feSze III
a pipe rack of il. TO discover ana cor
rect the trouble took about an hOur
time the motor car being run INTO the
machine shop for the purpose OF lhspec-
ton. This process gave the NlsltlHB ecH-
.lfmcn an opportunity to examine more
I'm detail the construction OF the motor
and its appliances attached TO car
IL also indicated 10 the visitors that II
was nothing akin to Keeley motor eA-
hibit that they were witnessing and that
the motor car had not been specially
groomed for their benefit.
The car started out with l,6VO pOuIus
of air pressure to the square inch ana q
tempcraure of 80 degrees on us not
water tank which Is used to great al
vantage in heating the air before IL pass
cS at reduced pressure TO the ellSlue GYM
drrs. 4 valve constructed for the purpose
reduces the pressure OF the stored ar 10
40 or 80 pounds and this IS the working
pressure. or the pressure al when Inc
air enters the engine cylinders me
motor starts gently, runs smoothly AT Il
r9pid rate and stops by air brake without
Jerk or lar. 1t was run back ana loIlii
repeatedly for upward OF forty uIlS anu
the test showed that under the cOhdluOhS
.rnlipl the motor would run Twelve ullleS
f,,r, ono charging of compressed air and
make seventy stops. In the afternoon
a trial trip was made without wa lihHs
thc compressed air-the hot water from
rho tank bpiuQ drawn of entirely. ms
t.et showed that the motor can be Ope-
rated perfectly with cold air, but that me
warmed air will exert nearly dOuplc lhc
force Welded by the cold ar, ana cons
uuently carry the motor nearly uounle the
The method Of rechargng the storage
cylinders with compressed air was SHOWN
II is "a very simple operation anu WIN
the flexible couplings contemplate ~ ~
the purpose the recharglng on car W. ~
mower need not occupy more IMAM H'i""''
or two. The same IS true as to recharSlns
with hot water and the TWO can pe uOIlC
al the same time. The temperature OF
the hot water tank Co.SIVI ,roi rs re-
tos ON the occasion Of the trlal' was re-
duced from 80 to about 200 degrees IN one
Working hour. Under more taNoTdoie
conditions. especially in summer this re-
duction would be mucn less r"o'"o''
not more than half as much.
srho IIordie motor and car are hung on
ell,ntic springs and the ease with which
the car passes over wide Joints, lIoEs OF
imperfections in the track Is SOME lIi'IlS
admirable. This very lhPort5aht , ro%sq bie
comment of the inspecting visitors from
the east all Of whom know 100 wen lnt
terrible pounding that the troiiey gar
Gives the railroad track because, hke Ihe
lumber wagon, il Is absolutely "I'ho"'
springs. In this respect the Hardie motor
gndicefes a sure and great saving IN wear
81 rails and cars, while anordinS the Ut
most ease 10 passengers riding.
mo nrinciples of the HaTdlc coiuPI css-
GA air motor are apparently above CRIT
cism In the initial machine there aIe
one ar two minor respects-one inc csSaPe
of yapor on a cold day IKE lne Eli he
~ a horse--in which the motor VIII -" S
t,,nroted without any diticulty. uhui
the car shall appear as -
,,rnathless vehicle that gldes over the
;,or rails more smoothly than any mere
tcfcra nroduced while under the Hios'
Derfect control In starting ana $40 ppi, .ts,,
RIO visitors were very mucn pleaseu
IN what they saw Of the Hardie MOTOR
ND thev watched and Inspected ana tai
led r. very thoroughly. As a result OF
,heir ,gsit they have negotiated for the
construction Of six 10 ten OF the motors
,o he used on eastern lines. Inc oruei
10 unon certain conditions, one OF WhIcn
a. che cars This Mr.. Hardie says,
IAN easily be done. and any otner me-
chanical requirements can easily ne met.
Great possibilities appear TO be IN store
for this motor. which Is thoroughly pro
tected nv patents. The air motor can pe
Hsad an the simplest kind OF track,
No troiieys or cables are necessary and
tbe (reat expense OF overhead or under-
eround hxtures and the cost or great pow
err plants are avoided. Besides, the econ
omy Of compressed air Is greater than
any other power. In electricity so per
@sgSt "a lost. in cornnreSs"d nir h't :"
per cent. An equipped street railway
that for air motors might cost $1,000 a
mile would cost many times thai aaoui>
for any other SYSTEM