Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-08
NEARLY READY TO RUN
Little Construction Remains to Be Finished
on the Ninth Street Line.
The Officials Are Confident the Road
VIII he in Operation, AS Legally
Required, by August 1.

The electric equipment of the 9th street
branch of the Metro politan railroad is near
ly in position, and there is now no doubt
on the part of President Phillips and the
other officials of the company that the
cars will be running regularly under the
new condition of thirgs by August l, as
required by law. Very little of the con-
structicn remains to be finished, and that
is at the crossing of the Rock Creek cleo
trio line on L street, the iron work for
which has been completed and is in transit
hither from Steelton, Pa.
1t is probable that a car will be run
around The loop at the southern terminus
OF the line Wednesday or Thursday, so
mat a practical test may be given of the
novel improvements introduced in the con-
structon. While underground electric sys-
tens have been used abroad and in this
country for several years, the system to
be inaugurated by the Metropolitan COM
pany is different. This difference consists
largely in the simpiifioation of many of
the mechanical parts of the electric equip
ment.
The Mode of Operation.
In the 9th street system about a foot be-
Eeath the surface of the tracks and run
ming through the conduit are two parallel
steel tracks about five inches apart and
connected with porcelain insulators every
thirteen feet. One of these tracks conducts
electricity from the power house, while
the other returns the current after it is
used to the generators. Between these
tracks hangs a grip, which comes through
the SLOT from the car above. At its lower
eT-d II Is provided with two magnets work.
ing on easy springs, which press against
either of the tracks.
The electric current is taken in by the
magnet which presses the positive track
and passes UP to the motor in the car Civ
ing power for the operation of the wheels
aad lights and then goes back through the
other magnet, and is returned to the gem
orators IN the power house.
The current used will be generated by
three electric engines which have been run
ming TOR several days. in order to get their
parts smooth and to make their engineers
acquaint ted with them. Only one engine
will be used al a time. except when rainy
weather neceSsitates u larger supply on ac-
count OF the dissipation of the .power by
moisture. Five hundred volts will be used
in operating the cars, of which there will
be heavyweight in use on the road all
handsomely trimmed with brass and fin
ished in hard woods. The cars will he
lighted with twelve electric lights making
them the most brilliantly illuminated street
cars in the country. The motor cars will
be equipped with Backiston tenders which
VIII be automatically raised or lowered by
a device under control of the motorman.
F street Line to BE Also Chamgcd
The completion of the 9th street line will
be merely a completion of a chapter in the
new life of the Metropolitan road. The
Introduction of the underground system on
F street will be Immediately commenced
the ORA wings for this work having been
nearly completed and many of them hay
Ing been already approved by the District
Commissioners. AS on 9th street. conduit
WlI be lad, through which ca BILE may be
run in ase II is found that the electric
system is -irpracticable. But no fears of
this sort are entertained in even the most
remote degree by either President Phillips or
Chief Engineer Connect who both feel as
surcd that he system about to be operated
on 3th street will ebundantly meet all the
requirements demanded of it.