Birmingham state herald., 1896-08-04

high rate of speed with perfect safety. If such is the case then one of the great est of problems of electrical train work has been solved; to gain the maximum rate of speed and to safely check and bring the train to a standstill quickly and surely. This is one more triumph for the electrical engineer.
 Can Carry Passengers.
 It is equipped with the trolley over head, by which 1t is operated in the ordi- nary Westinghouse way, and has in ad- dition contract plate on the battery of the car to supply and operate under the Wheless system. This is a series of but tons about 10 feet apart, the car in pass ing over connecting two of these buttons together There is no current until this connection is made; so, if anything, this last method is safer than the trolley wire. The locomotive resembles the ordinary street car, inasmuch as it Is double-end- ed, having controller and brake on each platform. The regular pattern of head light is used such as is seen on the latest type of new Pennsylvania engines. The smaller machine of 400-horse power re- sembles the larger one in construction,ex- cept that it was built for lighter work. It is very handsomely finished in ma hogany and other hard woods, Is. de- signed to carry passengers, but can be used, like its larger twin, for hauling.
 These electric locomotives are both in use today on the Turtle Creek railroad branch of the Pennsylvania, near Pitts burg. The intention is to give them a thorough trial regarding efficiency and general service, and with that end Tn view they are being worked daily to their fullest capacity. They have been on the road for about six months, and having no special service they are made to do all sorts of general work. The larger one has and does pull eighteen to twenty loaded cars, performs all the duties of switching, works equally well on grade or level, and bids fair to solve the prob lem satisfactorily. The report of the road officials so far has been in their fa- vor, and if they continue to do as they have done an impetus will be given to the electric locomotive that Is hard to gauge.
 One feature seems assured; that is, to do away with the use of steam inside the city limits. If this machine does what dts builders expect, it will not be long seen only in the outskirts and between towns. All switching, hauling, making up of trains, all depot traction and ele- vated service will depend on the electric current Cars will be taken few miles from the city, the electric motor attach ed, and, without clinkers or smoke, they will be brought to their destination.
 The effect of this can be imagined, as it will do away with all the dust and dlrt that the constant passing and repasslng or trains must DrlnS. Instead ol tue uii y and begrimed roofs of our modern train sheds we will see them painted white or some other equally harmonious color, and depot will not be the nuisance and foul place that it generally is. With the passing of the steam engine from the city limits we will get a finer and better atmosphere, less vitiated by the gas and smoke. .-
 If the experiment now under trial at the Trout Run railroad proves success we are still behind our English cousins. In the City and South London railway there has been in actual service for some time electric locomotives that have been giving satisfaction in every way. Several cars are made up Into train, and the service has been everything that could be desired. They are equipped with double motors, keyed directly to the axles, no power being lost by gearing. They are rated" at about fifty-horse- power each, giving a total of 100-horse- power The contact Is made through one. of the rails by means of sliding shoe, the other rail being used as return cir cuit The conditions of this railway are much different, and the class of load car red being mostly passenger traffic, the English motor does mot call for either the strength or hard work that the American does. sR4