Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-20

nit the through trains to make their usual
fast time.
"The public will undoubtedly be benefited.
as about cent mile viii be the rate, or
rs cents for the round trip from Washing
ten to Baltimore. An experienced electric
motor constructor assured me, after look
ing over our road. that the distance could
be covered in an hour at the extreme out
side.
IT know positively that the opposition
railroad has taken the same steps we nave
in this matter. and that both roads Will be
equipped with electricity for local traVei
before this year is out, provided our. COM
mon enemy opens up for business inside
Of that time. Some Of the officers OF our
company have had an impression, changed
to conviction recently, so that they now
firmly believe that within the next hve
wears we shall see many of the railroads
of this country either adopting electricity
or preparing to do so.
Trolley Consultations.
''In the opinion of those who are watch
ing the development of the Niagara plant
1t will in the course of few years furnish
electricity enough to carry on all the traf-
fic on the New York Central road. If Nj
agara Falls can do that do not see why
the Potomac Falls cannot be made to do
the same.
.sWhy over in New Jersey during the past
month there has been one great transaction
resulting in the consolidation of trolley
petition for the local traffic on all the rail-
roads in that state. 1t combines into one
system all of the electric roads stretching
through that populous country which ex-
tends for thirty miles north of Jersey City.
Another consolidation is imminent which
will bring into one system all of the roads
extending from Jersey City westerly
| through the large towns of Newark, Eliza
| beth, the Oranges. and it is likely that this
will by and by become part of the sys-
| tenn which is to be extended to Philadel-
phia and practically paralleling the Penn
| sylvania road through TO Baltimore and
| this city.
"This summer we shall see the beginning
| of the work for a through trolley line from
| New York to Albany, which will run for
| the whole distance only mile or two east
| of the New York Central tracks, and from
-, Albany westward they are already con-
| templating the building and uniting OF
| from New York to Buffalo Do you won
| der the railroads waking up?
ut is in self-protection, as we'll as from
motives of economy, that the managers OF
| the steam railway lines which have ter
| minals in the large eastern cities are now
determined that during the coming summer
| thorough experiments shall be made to ties,
the capacity Of electricity to 90 the wors
| which steam is now doing, and we have
| already started In working with all oui
| might.
Advantages of Electricity.
| zone thing I would like to call your at
| tention to is the fact that in the last twt
or three years the development and i'm
| provement Of electric motors and motor
| plants have had very perceptible effec
upon the comparison of cost and conven
fence as made by those who have studied
| the practical possibilities of electric trac
| ton on steam roads. Two years ago tn,
| coal bill was considered to the exclusion O
| certain advantages on the side Of cleo
| tricity which have since been more clearl!
disclosed. have classed these advantage
| about as follows:
First The cost of repairs is less will
electric motors than with steam loco
motives, because the mechanism Is ia
more simple. There are not SO many NOV
ing parts, and these are not so much eX
| posed to the action of mud, sand and water
Three or four years ago, however the cos
of repairs in electric service a for
| midable item. More miles are run per day
| or more hours of service are obtained pc
day, with electric motors than with. steam
locomotives so that the cost of labor pc
mile is less with the former, and tn
amount of work done with given sum in
vested is larger.
size and for higher speed than those nov
used are made to take the place of loco
motives, they will run about the sam
number of hours the motors now Il
| use, but will cover continuously from tw
and a half to three times the distance nov
| covered by the locomotives. The locomo
tives must be run into the round house an
thoroughly examined and cleaned up NOR
frequently. The electric motors used t
move a train can be placed under one o
the cars. The weight of the train is thu