The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-15

Among the corporations whose pas
senger traffic has been thus injured or
threatened the New York. New Haven
and Hartford and the Pennsylvania
companies have been the most active In
adopting Dr. Duncan's advice. Such
steps as have been taken thus far ma
turally have been to a great extent eX-
perimental. Last summer the New
Haven company substituted electricity
for steam on a branch road seven miles
long. starting from Old Colony House
station and reaching out to Nantasket
Beach. Current was taken from an
overhead wire by trolley pole and
wheel; and trains of two, three or four
open trailers were hauled by motor
car composed essentially Of u baggage
or express car with one or more motors
on its axles. The Pennsylvania COM
pany, at about the same time, placed
on its Burlington and Mount Holly
branch closed coaches. one Of which was
equipped with motors so that 1t could
haul the others. These cars were about
the size of an elevated railway car, and
somewhat lighter than the standard
day coach of the steam roads.
The New Haven people ran their road
all summeh without an accident. in
spite of a greatly increased patronage.
The immense success Of that venture
has encouraged the company to go fur
ther. At the present time. it is said,
definite plans have been made for re-
placing steam with electricity on other
short sections of road. altogether
amounting to about one hundred miles.
Moreover. experiments are being made
on an extension of the Nantasket
railin place of an overhead wire as an
electric conductor. A plan having some
novel features is being tried. and if it
yields, the hoped-for results the equip
ment of the other portions of the road
just referred to with facilities for elec-
trio traction win doubtless be pushed
rapidly. The T'ennsyivania company
seems no less pleased with the outcome
of its Investigations. Rufus Hill, ANS
ter mechanic of this extensive system is
quoted as predicting that within five
years nearly all of the feeders. or
branches. of mis- road will be operated
by electricity. What more impressive
signs of the times could one look fer
than these?
ELECTRICITY FOR STEAM ROADS.
Meantime, by careful scrutiny OF the
reports of these ventures contained in
the technical periodicals, - personal
visits and by correspondence, the man.
ayers Of other steam roads have been ,.-
forming themselves as 10 the poSsibil.-
ties of electricity for traction purposes.
Besides there have been o good many
anxious interviews with those electrical
engineers and manufacturers CT electr!-
cal apparatus who could best point out
the way of salvat ton. The last year has
been period Of attentive observation
and profound thought among progress
i've railroad people all over the country.
A s.fni!icart illustration of what is
coming in the near future Is afforded
at Louisville, Ky. Between that city
and New Albany, Ind, there IS q bridge
2.435 feet long, over which railway
trains have run for years. Over about
four miles of track. reaching from the
heart Of one city 10 that of the other
electric trains, each composed of mo-
tor-car and one or two trailers, are
now running. The single track across
the bridge is now trayersed daily by
129 steam trains (freight and through
p0ssenger and i41 electric trains. In
like manner the heavy coaches of the
Washington. Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Electric road come over the
same bridge and into the same station
with the steam trains of one Of the
Southern lines.
Another fact. which has q closer re-
lation to the subject than might be
perceived at first, deserves mention in
this connection. At several points. no.
tably in New England. an electric en-
gine is used to haul freight cars to
and from factories situated on sidings.
At Whittinsville, Mass. 1t Is said, an
economy amounting to $4,000 has been
effected by this change. The same
scheme has been adopted in New Hav-
en- and Taftville. Conn.,. and negotia-
tions are now pending for the construc-
tion of several mere independent mo-
tors Of this class for use in other places.
They are not so large and mighty as
the huge 1.500-horse- power electric en-
gires now at work in the Baltimore
press trains with their steam locomo-
tiyes attached, but dead); but these
noiseiess. smokeless. money-saving
substitutes for the present style Of
switching engine have q great future
before them.