Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-09-04
ELECTRIC MOTORS.
The Railroad Companys are
Watching Experiments.
PROFITS CUT BY TR0LLY LINES.
The Heilman Locomo olive, in Operation In
France, is Now Attracting
Wide Attention.


railroads of the country are watching
the development of electric traction
which has during the last six months
achieved surprising success. The sub
ject is being especially studied by the
companies having many suburban
lines. Trolley lines have cut so deeply
into their profits that the adoption o.
electricity is considered necessity.
The first railroad to make the chang'
was the Old Colony, which abandoned
steam OH its Nantasket division out o.
Boston, and few weeks ago began
psing electric motors. So successful
was the experiment that other subur
ban lines of the same company are tt
be equipped next year.
This system, however. was but al
enlargement of the street car service
and not radical change applicable uC
the great trunk lines of the country
The railroad men say, and electricians
generally agree with them, that the
trolley can hardly be used successfully
where heavy trains are to be drawn
long distances at great speed. The
trouble, expense and uncertainty Of
operation are the principal objections.
As these are transition days for electric
traction, no company is willing to &c
to the great expense of installing q
system which may quickly become
obsolete.
The first electric locomotive in salts.
factory operation began running ON
the Baltimore and Ohio road in Balti.
more few days ago. 1t is in opera.
tion every day. hauling heavy trains
through the long tunnel under the city
noiselessly, swiftly and without smoke
or noxious gases which usually fill
railroad tunnels. 1t operates by the
trolley system.
Great interest was manifest in elec-
trio and railroad circles when this
locomotive was put in service. 1t was
not the first, but the demands made on
it were to test the efficiency of elec-
tricity for heavy railroad traction.
To the General Electric Company,
which furnished the locomotive, the
results were of the highest Importance.
S. Dana Greene, manager of the COM
pany, said yesterday that several weeks
of practical test had demonstrated that
electricity was the great power for
railroads.
"Just at present it is impossible to
speak except in general terms regard
ing electricity on the roads," said Mr..
Greene. every body is interested in
the subject and many developments are
expected during the coming year. The
railroad managers are wide
awake to the fact that a change is
coming. expect before long to ride
from New York to Philadelphia be-
hind an electric locomotive which will
do the work more swiftly, easily and
cheaper than steam.
Today we are in this position:
Street railroads are in operation every
where, and have begun to stretch out
into the surrounding country, cutting
into the business of steam railroads.
They are operated successfully for dis
tances of twenty. five miles. and in some
Western States much longer lines are
'"They are carrying great numbers
of passengers, because people prefer to
ride behind the clean, noiseless motor
rather than the smoky steam engine
So it has become not a matter of senti-
ment or convenience to the companies,
but serious question of finance.
"The last two years have taught
operating companies valuable lessons
in economy that will prove of benefit
in demonstrating the saving electricity
can make over steam. The operation
of local plants, street railways and
suburban lines has been reduced to a
very low cost, much below that of
steam.
81 hardly think the trolley system
can be utilized advantageously at pres
ent for such roads as the New York
Central on runs from New York to
Buffalo. The principal objection
seems to be that large number of
local relay plants would be required.
and the railroads do not feel like plac.
ing entire dependence ON so slender a
thing as trolley wire.
Interruption to traffic on great
trunk line is serious thing, and the
company cannot afford to take up any
system unless it's practibllity and relia
bility shall be thoroughly assured.
Yet it would seem from the present
rapid development that electricity il
some day surely going to displact
steam.
"There is in daily operation on thu
Northwest Railroad of France, one O
the trunk lines leading out of Paris, 1
novel electric locomotive, known al
the Heilman. An American enginee
who returned few days ago says 1t j
decided success, and perhaps locomo
tives of that pattern may be the coming
thing in this country. 1t may be tn
motor we have all been looking for.