New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-21
Az ryDrRGRoryD TROLLEY SYSTEM.
TIN, rrrpn AVENUE RAILROAD COMpANY's EN-
rEuIMENT WITH ELECTRICITY ~
4 CONDUIT

Tho contest between the Third Avenue Rairohd
Company and the Metropolitan Traction Company
for new motor powers upon their lines IN th.s CITY,
whereby their facilities may be increased IS p''hs
uushel with ,igor by both sides The Third Ave-
mn, Railroad Company IS first in the field with
h,l,dozou cars equipped by the Love Electric
Traction Company. which has met success IN
Washington. T. c.. whore its system mas beeh IN
operation FOR two three years.
The Love sy.tcIn IS an underground trolley. In
which copper rods take the place II III" overhead
wire. II tho trolley system These rods are con-
rc,.cA with IN. car hy means OF plough" which
IA suapcnGel from the car. and which makes the
necessary contact for a completion OF the circuit.
Th,s contact T. controlled by sim springs.
The Love company has powcr-house at one
hundred-and-cighty-s. xth-st. and Anstordam-ave'
II Is supplied with II double set OF machinery Tor
no production o. the electric current II Is Not
a large affair but II seems to be charged with n
formidable amount of energy. The electrical cur
rent generated by steam power, TRANSFORMER mo
dynamic energy. is conveyed 10 the copper con-
ductors In the conluits by means OF FOUR wires
nearly an inch in diameter. Through the use Oh
conner rods In the conduit metallic circuit Is SUD-
sttutcd FOR the use Of the rails or the rodH as '"'
ployed in tho trolley system.
The cars which being used In the present cx-
pertinent suggest the possibilities or adapting the
Old to the new These six cars have been taken
from the odtim. Third Avenue Railroad Companys
hors,cars which ~ few years ago had tho reputa-
on OF being the most dilapiiatel cars IN me CITY;
Nov repairted and. more important stlll. suppiied
with rubber underselr these cars are attrac'.ee
in appearance. and while lacking IN seatins ca
racltv for downtown use anori abundant room
Tor passengers on the trial trip OF track between
one hundred "A nd eighty -siAth anu ohe-"u'"i'u
AMI ninety fourth str =,
This underground traction system has been IN op,
Grafton over these eight blocks for Ave weeks ana
80 FAR all has gore smoothly. The cars arc easily
controlled and IN starting and stopping th0n there
arc Of those sudden Jerks which on tho caDio
syatem almost throw a passenger Off his feet
4 reporter Of The Tribune took n ride on one or
,heso cars from Onc-hundrod and-esh ty -sixth-st
to Fort George tho other morning. There seemed
10 be no room FOR adverse criticism on the GROUND
OF smoothness OF movement or speed IN acuon
Each car IL supplied with two motors. one close 10
the forward wheels and the other at the rear
motors are employed merely 10 control the action
OF tho steep grades, so tnat II car gers 100
RAPID n motion on down grade the motor at the
rear OF the will set up an automatic action 10
The trial OF these cars Is to last until August l.
The Third Avenue Railroad Company supplies tho
rr,wer and the mechanical equipment The dynamo
binding az One-hundred-and-eghty- siNth-st, IS
Corliss pattern The boilers from one OF tho
best known manufacturing houses In the country
Tho equipment has been carried TO the most com
pete form OF electrical underground trolley con-
sructon in this country while It Is based upon
the st-known forms OF such electrical application
In Europe. -, -, -
not prepared to speak OF the comparative cost be-
tween laying and running this underground trolley
much cheaper than the cable system: Heretofore
the company has used conduit two feet In depth
II now exhibits one which ~ only eighteen lnc hes
deep and which II says VIII satisfy ali cohiltons
This experimental line In Ams,erdam-ave. is con-
stany visited by inquiring experts ana engineers
1t is generally agreed mat the result or the three
months test 10 which the system Is now being sub
iectcd VIII have all important bearing on the future
Of surface railroads