New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28
An ODD ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE.
NJ. HEnMANN COMBINES 4 TRAVELLING STATION
WITH HIS MOTOR.

NJ HEnMANN COMBINES 4 TRAVELLING STATION
WITH HIS MOTOR.
What seems to many railroad men. mechani-
cal and electrical experts and unprofcssional
people a curious experiment has been made In
France during the last three or four years by
an engineer named Heilmann He designed and
built locomotive on the following plan. and,
after studying its workings carefully, he has
made a second one which underwent Its first
official trial only two or three weeks ago.
A furnace. boiler and engine. not Of the usual
locomotive class. but Of the stationary type
such one might find In manufacturing es-
tabshment, were mounted on a platform, and
beside them set up two powerful dynamos
The platform rested on sixteen moderately small
wheels Of uniform size on each OF the eight
axles was a motor. Ike that OF a trolley-car
but larger And these were operated by the
current generated by the dynamos. In other
words, instead Of having the powe- plant in
station. az is customary in trolley-line Cor third
rail- practice, II was carried along with the
train. and the overhead wire (or third RAID was
dispensed with. Another point OF difference De
tween this system and the modes or electric
traction with which we Americans are familiar
is that NJ. Heilmann would have separate
power plant for each train whereas we fankeeS
would try to operate several trains. or numer-
Gus Independent atreetCars from solitary std
ton.
The first question which most people ask. on
hearing OF this odd procedure. is: If the man
is going TO have a steam engine AT the head or
the train anyhow. why does ne convert his power
into electricity before applying IT," The add
ton Of a dynamo may not be much more costly
than drivins-wheels In the original construe-
ton; but even with the most perfect apparatus
the conversion OF power from one form 10 the
other involves a loss Of about I'D per cent NJ
Heilmann's answer TO this inquiry is that a sta
tionary type OF steam engine Will develop power
with about one-third OF the fuel consumed by
an ordinary locomotive; and, even II the coal
burned In the former case Is OF a more expen-
slve kind than In the latter. there Is neverthe-
less a large net saving In the cost OF horse
power. Therefore. small loss by conversion
into electricity will stu leave a clear gain.
one IS next tempted to inquire why II all this
be true the Frenchman does not put his econom-
Ical stationary engine In n station instead 81 on
n carriage a. the head Of rs train. In reply.
he SAYS that the losses In transmission over
long line whether by wire or third ralJ are con-
siderable and that IN a service Ike that OF the
Chicago elevated road. FOR instance. these Zine
lossea' are added to the waste In conversion.
whereas his system gets rid both Of the original
construction OF an electrical conductor and the
extra consumption involved In Transmission FOR
several miles.
There is great force TO VI Hemsnn's reason
ing; and II he really secures all the economies
he claims and II no serious Disadvantages are
developed which offset his gains, the world Is
likely to hear more Of his system. Nothing re
markable in the way 81 speed has yet been eX-
hiblted In any OF the trials made wish THIS
unique locomotive, but It's designer has enlisted
prominent railway men ln his schemes ana ms
tests are made on established steam roads.