Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-05-21
NOT SATISFACTORY
How lexington Citizens Regard the
Trial of the Air Motor.
VIEWS PRESENTED TO COMMISSIONERS
Two Committees Sign the Writ
ten Statement.
THE SUBJECT DISCUSSED
VIEWS PRESENTED TO COMMISSIONERS
THE SUBJECT DISCUSSED

Association, expressive of the views of the
members in respect of the motive power
TO be employed on the lexington and Sol
diers' Home and Belt Line railways. re-
spectively, has just been submitted to the
District Commissioners
The report reviews the legislation regard
ing the roads. and continues:
In accordance with the provisions of
law, the lexington and Soldiers Home
Railway Company has had one compressed
air motor on trial since early in March
last.
The tests which thus far have been
made, as to the mechanical ability of the
air motors, judged by the car on trial, to
certainly and satisfactorily meet the de-
mands that will be made upon them under
all the ordinary and varying conditions to
Which they VIII be subjected in regular
service. have been of an indefinite and un-
satisfactory character.
Not One Round Trip.
1T is claimed for these cars that they
Will run distance of from ten to sixteen
miles on one charge of air, yet 1t is a we'll
known fact that during the experiment
which has been made in this city the car
on trial has not made one round trip over
what Is considered to be any one section
OF either company's line. or attempted to
make two successive trips over even the
short and most favorable section of road
on which 1t has been run.
1t has been repeatedly declared by the
management of these companies that, If
adopted, II will be the purpose to run
these cars from Brookland through with
out transfer, to the Pennsylvania railroad
depot, but, presumably, to avoid the eayier
grades on Louisiana avenue and 4th
street. leading out to BrooIland, the exper-
mental car has been run only between the
power house in lexington and 18th and G
streets. making usually three trips a day,
morning. afternoon and night, with an oc-
casional trip at noon, and hours fntaryen-
ing between each trip, during which time
the car has been under process of re-
charging. On one occasion only is 1t known
TO have been run over any other section
OF the line, and this was from 18th and G
streets, by way of New Jersey avenue and
g street, over the North Capitol street
track to New York avenue and thence to
the power house.
In order that the capacity of this car
should be more definitely determined, the
Commissioners should require it to be run
from the power house in Eckington to
Brookland, from Brookland to The Penn
sylvania railroad station and return to the
power house. making one round trip over
that section of line, the act of June 10, 1896.
contemplating the use of the air motors
on all the lines of said companies within
the District of Columbia, and not merely
within the city limits. Such a trial would
SUBJECT the car to grade and distance lest,
winch thus far has not been made.
What should BE Done.
"A further test should be made by run
ming the car from the power house to the
end of the route at 18th and D streets
northeast and return to the place of start
Ing, which would also be a grade and dis
tance test over this section of road. Such
tests should be required TO be made during
The busy hours of the day and not under
cover of darkness.
''Reverting to the trial which has been
made. ON the return trip from 18th street
The car has on a number of occasions dis
played so much weakness in ascending the
short grade between Quincy and r streets
as 10 bring forth from those on board ex-
pressions OF doubt as to its ability to reach
the TOD of the grade or to surmount the
9TH street grade leading to Brookland, and
on one occasion at least 1t is known to
nave been stranded on the grade entering
lexington, necessitating its being pushed
up the hill by the trolley car.
In explanation of the short runs, weak
ness displayed and frequent charging re-
quired. IL is claimed by the officers of the
road that because of the imperfect and
temporary COMPRISING plant now In use
at the lexington power house ii is impos-
s.ble to charge the car quickly and to its
full capacity, but with first-class COM
pressor this difficulty would be overcome
the car be enabled to make longer and
difficulty any and all grades on the route.
AT the LenoX avenue power house of the
Metropolitan line in New York city, on
which line this same car was thoroughly
tested before IL was brought here, a first
class compressing plant was erected last
summer, capable, the engineer in charge of
It's erection stated, of quickly charging sew
eTal cars with their full complement 3f air,
yet, with this advantage, IT is stated on the
authority of a reliable air motor expert
that this car. fully charged, vlen PIT 10 a
test as to the length of miles II could run
on one charging, could not exceed the
limit OF four and half miles, round trip
without being helped into the power mouse.
An Explanation.
In explanation of the cause OF the
stranding of the car on the grade between
Quincy ard r streets.it was officially stated
by the receiver of the lexington road that
It was due to mis- having been experiment.
ing at the time with cold air.
1t ID further stated on the authority of
this same air motor expert that an air mo-
tor equipped with cylinders q by IA inches.
which Is understood to be the size of the
cylinders OF this car. will consume 30S cubic
feet of heated air. or 661 cubic feet OF cold
air per car mile II, therefore, this car,
fully charged. could run. when tested i'll
New York, but four and a half miles
with heated air. 1t Is unreasonable to sup
pose that an attempt would be made as
claimed, to run IL from the power house in
Ecklngton TO 10Th and G streets and back
again, a round-trip distance of about four
miles. with cold air. requiring more than
double the consumption of heated air
For the purpose of heating the air IN
passing II from the tubes to the cylinders
each car of the pattern on trial carries I'm
all seasons a pot of fire underneath the
floor IN the center of the car This fire
ernits into the car a lamp-wick odor at all
times. disagreeable to inhale and quite fire.
qUently offensive to the passengers This
would be especially disagreeable during the
cold weather, when the windows and doors
of the car are closed.
on the inside of the car through the roof
which throws so much heat into the car as
10 rake sitting anywhere near il very dis
agreeable IN warm weather.
More or less smoke is also thrown of
from this fire. which at times makes It's
way through the crevices in the floor into
the car, and Is blown in through the omen
WINDOWS. TO the additional discomfort of m
passengers.
C1oad of Dust.
when the streets are dry the car wher
moving at even a moderate rate of speed
seems to create a cloud of dust, which 1,
drawn into the car through the rear door
windows and openings In the door, to thu
great discomfort Of all and danger to thos.