The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-17
d. 4 o.'s ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.

| freight trains through the baltimore *
Ohio tunnel at Baltimore has reached its
destination, and is now undergoing a
series OF tests upon the line. So far the
tests have proved satisfactory.
The tunnel through which these locomo-
tives will pull the trains runs under the
city of Baltimore, and was constructed
for the purpose OF giving to the Baltimore
q Ohio Railroad q clear route through
| 10 the north. Previous TO its construction
all trains on this railroad going north
| were ferried across the harbor from
Locust Point to Canton. The saving of
| time effected by the service through the
tunnel will allow the railroad to compete
with the Pennsylvania or Union lines on
equal terms.
The tunnel is the longest soft earth
tunnel in the world. II is 1889 feet, or
nearly one mile and half long, 27 feet
high, and % feet wide, and its total cost
is set down at 81, 100000. It was begun
in September, 1890, and finished early this
year. 1t runs under Howard street, one
OF Baltimore's principal thoroughfares,
and was driven without any interference
to the surface traffic, the vertical shafts
being sunk TO the tunnel through the
cellars of houses along it's line.
Before the tunnel was finished the
question OF its ventilation became urgent.
II it could not be ventilated the
travelling public would not patronize il,
preferring to travel by another route.
Many plans were submitted and dis
cussed. Cable traction as in the Gale
donian Railway at Glasgow, Scotland,
was suggested, but rejected, as also were
a number of other impracticable ex-
pedients. Finally, the suggestion Of the
General Electric Company that electric,
instead OF steam, locomotives should be
used, was adopted, and an order was
placed for three electric locomotives capa-
BILE Of handling the heaviest passenger
and freight trains which the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad would be likely to
carry. One OF these is finished and run
ming, the other two are under way at
Schenectady.
Electric locomotives of such weight and
power had never before been conceived,
but IL has always been rule I'm American
electric railway practice from the begin
ming to push ahead where improvements
were possible, and make the results realize
the expectations, and there has been no
departure from the rule in this case. The
ninety-six ton electric locomotive Is
success. The General Electric Company
undertook the task OF building these
machines, and the tests made on the one
completed, before 1t left the Schenectady
shops, as well as those made during the
past few days, show that they are fully
equal to all reasonable requirements of
trunk line service. They are designed to
do very heavy work, and to handle trains
such as the largest steam locomotives
handle They are, of course, also designed
10 run in either direction.
The locomotives are massive pieces OF
machinery, rivaling in size, impressive
ness and weight the heaviest steam loco
motives. They are symmetrical, even
in appearance, and are not, of
course, disfgured by the series OF humps
and bumps which we are accustomed to
on the steam locomotive. They are ex-
amples OF the finest piece of electrical en-
ever conceived and carried to |
execution. They are not playthings, as
the following dimensions show: Number
Of trucks, 2; weight on driving wheels,
1872, 900 lbs 600 tons); number of driving
wheels, 8; drawbar pull, 1900 lbs start
ng drawbar pull, 10000 lbs. guage, 4ft.,
'i2 in; diameter of drivers, 62 in. out
'ide of tires; length over all, 35ft. height
% top OF cab, IA II. 3 in.; extreme
width, 0 It, Ga In.
The locomotive consists of a sheet steel
'ab set upon two trucks, each OF which
ests upon two pair OF 62-inch wheels.
The cab is in two parts, and each is sup.
ported upon one truck.
There are four motors, one to each axle.
they are the largest railway motors I'm
he world. They are rated at $50 horse
'ower each, and require normally 900
mperes of current to operate them.
This is the most modern and first i'm
'ortant application OF electricity to the
team trunk railroad in the world. Few
1ould have dared predict five years ago
J.. A. A.. /