The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-09
Electricity for Steam Railroads.

The news Of a union OF the Baldwin
Locomotive Works and the Westinghouse
Electric and Manufacturing Company 10
promote the use of electric power on
railroads, is stimulating to the IMAGINE
ton. The arrange ment between the COM
panies is Indicative Of an ambition ana
progressive tendency rather than or I'M
MEDIATE results. II does not imply. nor
do thes manufacturers believe, that the
DAYS Of the steam locomotive are mum
berc1 but IL means that some hdru-
headed business men, thoroughly Ia
miliar with railroads and all the PROD
lens connected Herewith. recognize eiec-
trio mower as a factor OF increasing I'M
portance. not only I'm street-car uac-
ton and similar work. but In the frame
OF the trunk lines The BALDWIN Loeeiilo-
tive Works Is not Specializing Tor Inc
business OF summer excursion roaus'
There are already companies IN EXIST
ence which fully attend 10 that. IL Is the
largest factory In the world Tor supply
ing motive engines 20 the great railroads.,
and IL turns It's attention TO electricity
because IL believes the great railroads
are going TO turn their attention 10 cleo
tricitv and IL has the laudable ambition
10 hold it's patrons. That is a practical
tribute to the growing appreciation Oh
electric power
The field of activity marked out for
these companies Is the construction or
heavy electric motors for short hauls IN
yards, tunnels and workshops. ana per-
present steam railroads. Some preiiml-
nary steps for traction OF this sort nave
already been taken on the Old colony
at Nantasket Beach, the Pennsylvania
workshops at East Pittsburg, and in the
Baltimore tunnel OF the Baltimore anu
Ohio. The mind turns Willingly 10 the
idea of New York Central trains drawn
through the Fourth-avenue tunnel ny
electricity. and OF motors standing at
Pavonia aud Weehawken ferries 10 take
passengers out into the open country
without filing their lungs v tn dust ana
smoke. Life might be worth living Tor
dNellers near terminal yards II the con-
slant putting of engines gave way TO the
low blIzZing OF the trolley. speed the
day when such things shall be, Success
10 the companies that bring nearer sucn
blessings
But Imagination runs faster. IL sees
the steam railroads equipped with wires.
the great trains OF palace-cars rolling
across the continent at the rate or nity
miles an hour. or, II not that the rel
work OF suburban lines rom town 10
town connected until through trains are
run between far distant points. But here
a present. ana for all that can be seen
a permanent. limitation steps in 10 con-
found SPECULATION with reality. Eiectri-
city Is an economical and even pracu-
cal power only when its use - measure
bly, constant. Each steam engine Is an
existence TO itself. and does its work
when and where IL pleases. IL is a
wasteful machine, but II wastes only It's
own coal The propellng force Tor
trolley has TO be equal 10 the maximum
OF it's traffic, and II that Is used only
internationally the energy developed Is
largely lost. Moreover, stationary en-
cine furnishing a given power to a trolley
il In dancer of running away with itself
N the load IL Is working against Is sud-
denly taken Off So both the questions or
econonnv and construction interfere with
the use OF electricity on lines over which
trains run only at infrequent intervals.
With all their business, the traffic on the
trunk lines is not constant and evenly
distributed.
That suggests another step In electrical
nrogress Why should not the traffic, at
ieas, ina the thickly-settled parts OF the
country. be constanty Instead OF rum
ming a long train OF eight ears to Phiia-
deIphia or Albany once In two hours
send out one car every nfteen minutes.
That Is perfectly possible with electricity.
IL makes a steady draught upon the pro-
pelling machinery. and uses u 70 the
Greatest advantage. With II frequent SER
Vice which Is a great benent TO the
public il Of equal benent 10 the road,
while under the conditions OF steam loco
motion. except when the trafhc Is exceed
ingly heavy, frequent trains can De run
only AT prohlbitye cost. The intro
auction of heavy electric locomotives Tor
switching might lead 10 their genera
use for passenger trains WITHIN the SID
urban limit, which would nave use ioI
many trains. while the great tnro1Sn
exnrcsses would still use steam. Tine
prospect OF going nifty miles WIN az
little thought OF time cards as We no"
nave Ia going five IL certainly entieinSs-
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