New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-28
EVOLUTION or THE MOTOR.
HOW THE DEMAND BY ELECTRIC RAILROADS
FOR INCREASED POWER HAS BEEN MET
From The Boston Herald.


From The Boston Herald.
Since their first Introduction, electric railway
motors for street railway purposes have undergone
great changes Those first introduced by the
sprague and the Thomson Houston companies were
far too feeble for the work required OF them ana
thus failures in operation were numerous, ana the
cost OF repairs became excessive. THESE motors
we're OF the double reduction" type. and conse-
quently each motor had two pairs OF gears ana SIX
bearings watch all exposed TO the dust ana
grit OF the roaGbed and thus the friction ana wear
OF the moving parts was abnormally great
To the Westinghouse Electric Company Is due
the credit Of first compromising the true require
ments In motor construction for street-car propu-
sion by electricity. for II designed ana brought OUT
n single reduction" motor OF great strength ana
ample power having only a single pair OF heavy
gears which were lncosed in a dust-proof case con-
tanning lubricant for the gears the erect OF whVh
greatly reduce friction ana Iensth '.e ~, ne
NO Westinghouse electric motor. was, as sooa
radical departure OF great commercial value and
It's merits enabled the WESTINGHOUSE Company 20
make rapid strides in the introduction OF Us rail-
way apparatus As "A matter Of fact when II became
known that the Westinghouse Company mad pro
wa, no LONGER a market for the double-reduction
motors of the forms being manufactured by the
Sprague and Thomson Houston companies, ant !,
these tvo firms were obliged. In order 10 compete al
all to hastily bring out s.nslereductLon mo'oiS Or,
The Thomson Houston company first orousnt s, our
their = r. G." (sinSe reduction gear type, WIZ
by reason Of lack OF time to consider every ieatu
yes not successful This followed shortly after
by me w P m9sr I patern In
many instances the Thomson Houston company
vas Obliged 10 substitute -. x. G. motors Tor lis
characterization motors before the railway com
panes would accept and pay for electrical car equip
mems ard in one instance II vas ,ur'nsr PI"e"
motors i'm order to effect settlement or account
Following the consolidation OF the Thomson houston
and the I'd son General companies INTO me
General Electric Company was the bringing on, OF
the 20; + 500 motor-that is. motor capable OF
exertlng pull equal TO force OF SD pounuS , a.
have also been found wanting IN many respects
The motors had insufficient power for the heavy
work often required in towns where there "e'e
steep grades and whore trailsrs were useu. AMI
their arinaiures being defective. we're frequently
burned During the past two years the w " est
ingAouse Company has brought OH r. NO - anu
as NO 10" except In the form OF casing Inc No
y A. motor has all OF the essera FEATURES OF Us
made il by far best twenty-five 10 thirty horse
power motor that has yei been proiuced tor street
railway purposes The mo. Y A. motor. OF me type
used in cities has power OF l,loe az compared TO
Westnghouse NO y \" motors have been able
10 haul trailers up the steepest grades IN places
than safely take up the moior-car alone .> -.
Those roads which first started with the NO.
Westinghouse motors have continued 10 order 'n h
for their extensions notwithstanding ire tact tnat
The NO 10 A" WestnghOuop motor is some hum
dred pounds lighter per car and Is OF greater power
than the NO; 81 The form Of armatgre az op'saa
motor has proved perfect device. ara otheT max
ers have copied II In order - AVOID many oi the
difficulties due to their former construction, 49,
In ia king with the engineer who gave the tore-
going information IL was brought oui as a matter
OF importance that there had never been Tor sale
single second-hand Westinghouse motor OF either
sctts and insufclencies thousands Of motors manu-
featured by others replaced by better forms