New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28
ELECTRICITY FROM 4 THIRD RAIL.

A NEW METHOD OF PROPULSION TRIED BY
THE CONSOLIDATED RAILROAD.
NEAR BOSTON.
Boston June 27-The second step toward the
operation OF its main lines by electricity was maze
last FRIDAY by the New-York. New-Haven and
Hartford Railroad Company in the extension OF the
electrical equipment OF the Nanasket Beach line as
far as East Weymouth. three and half miles along
the main line of the South Shore Branch OF tne
Plymouth Division In making this extension the
overhead trolley system in use on the Nantaske.
Reach Branch was abandoned. and the third rail-
method OF contact adopted the most readily
adaptable to ordinary railroad requirements his
Is the frs. time In the history OF railroads tna' the
main line OF a surface steam railroad mas oeeh
operated by electricity taken from conductor ia'd
upon the ground as the Nantasket Branch, opened
lust twelve months ago. was the first steam ROAD IN
the world to which electricity was soiey eihp'oSeu
as the motive power.
While the third-rail system for electric roads Is
not new It being in on the West Side and Lake
ST. elevated railways in Chicago. the rail- being set
outside the track. this is the first instance OF a
third rail- being lad upon the permanent way OF a
trunk steam road between the rails OF the service
track
The current for the third rail section Is brought
from Power house No. l. the Nantasket line. over
two insulated feeders OF copper cable laid along the
tops OF the poles which carry the overhead wires
of the Nantasket line. At the Nantasket Junction
station the feeders are dropped to the ground and
each Is connected 10 its third rail.
The third rail Is Of peculiar shape the end view
resembling a fattened A. 1t is laid midway be-
tween the two service rails OF each track Each sec
ton OF third rail Is thirty feet long, and weighs
ninety three pounds to the yard 1t Is supported by
three ash blocks to each section, the blocks being
let into the ties. Before these blocks are boiled
in vacuum pans with a tar compound, and thus
each pore is Allied with insulating and preventative
material The insulation is almost perfect. The
continuity of the third rail circuit Is secured by at
tachng each end of rail to that Of the next by
means OF two heavy copper bands The line be-
tween Nantasket junction and East Weymouth is
absolutely distinct electrically from that between
the hrst-named stations and Pemberton. 1t IS fed
by its feeders and is provided with It's own
automatic safety appliances. which, In case OF care
essness accident to the third rail section, enter
into action and cut all electricity off from 1t, rem
dering nothing than peculiarly laid stretch
OF track
The electricity Is taken from the third rail by two
sliding shoes hung loosely the car. suspend
ed between axes of each truck Immediately under
the kngpin by links, which allow II to slide cas-
fly over the top OF the third rail and make perfect
contact with 1t all the time The current Is brought
TO the motors through the controllers and circuit
breakers and returns TO the track rails by the
wheels The continuity Of the return circuit Is Sc
cured by using short thick bond OF copper cable
TO Join together the ends OF each pair OF track rails
the ends OF the bond being fastened into the fange
Of the rail- The distance between each OF the two
shoes OF the car IL thrty-three feet No third raj
Is laid at the crossings the circuit continuing be
tween the broken ends by means OF leather-covered
cables At the crossings less than thirty feet wide
one OF the shoes Is always in contact; at wider ones
the impetus of the moving car brings the shoes into
/ contac, again before the can come to rest
The cars leave Pemberton and run with the trolley
90 FAR az Nantaske. Junction. The trolley is then
n,lled down and hooked. and the shoe strikes the
,b,rd rail the passengers being unaware OF the
cbanqe IN the method OF contact. The regular
schedule OF the electric trains between Pembertor
and East Weymouth has been In force since June
"a but owing to the fact that the third rail section
is incomplete, the trains have been hauled from
Nantasket Junction to East Weymouth. three and
one-haf miles. by two steam locomotives. good
idea Of the advantage of electricity as motive
,.over compared with steam may be gathered from
tbe fact that the two locomotives burn each fou'
tons ~ coal day, while not more than four tons
I u b,rnea in the power house serves 10 generate
/ sufficient power TO operate the whoe seven nhes o
line between Pemberton and Nah'aske' 'uHc'o" p'
party consisting of President Clark. vce-Presi
dent Kendek ap n ne OF hs s
and Hartford Railroad. together With Mayor Frank
CLARK Of Of tbe Rs%ay Of the
Electric Company. and a number OF of1cials OF ina
p..tl1re1
md ran with the trolley as far as Nantasket juno
ton las Friday The track on which the third raj
uas laid was clear. and the motor ran easily from
,he trolley system to the third-rai system OK con
,ac, without stopping the trolley being merely pulled
me car sped along without any difficulty or acci
d,, what soever: crossings were passed and The shoe
s,r,,ck the third rail again imperceptibly. Neai
/ West bingham Is a crossing some 200 Feet wide
added impetus was given TO the m0tor,car and m,
uosst,g was passed without difficulty. On the
taogrnt ON the West bingham side Of East Wey
! 18th the motorman threw over the handle OF thu
l,,sr md II was estimated that speed OF from
seventy to eighty miles an hour was attained or
a., arrivai at East Weymouth the car was switche,
l,s ,or and the return trip made from East Wey
NOUN 70 Pembcrton in about eleven minutes. the dis
,nncn being about ten and half miles.
Dr. s,dcnt Clark OF the New York. New-Haven and
Hartford Railroad and the other ohcisis sxprssset
fuj "a tisfa cton with the trial Shouid the opera
TN ~ This road prove successful II Is probable tina
the third-rail system will be extended as far az
praintree a station ten miles out OF Boston; and u
the success OF the new method under the ordinary
cnndItions OF constant travel fu!hls all expectations
suburban service throughout the country VIII prVo
: ,bi,, undergo n change.