The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-19
NO MORE STEAM CARS.
THIRD RAIL ELECTRIC SYSTEM MAY
MAKE LOCOMOTIVES USELESS.

Active Operation In New Ensland-IIow
the Cars Are Run.
SIN comparatively short time our
locomotives may go into the scrap heap
as the old stagecoaches had to CO."
This significant prophecy was recent
ly given utterance by President Charles
p. Clark of the New Haven railroad
and was inspired by his knowledge OF
the possibilities of the third rail elec-
trio system as demonstrated by recent
experiments.
The new system is to be put to i'm
mediate use ON the section of the COM
pany's lines between New Britain and
Hartford, distance Of Is miles.
1t will not be an experiment-that
stage il passed-but permanent sub
stitution Of electricity for the steam To-
connective.
A short time ago car filed with 20
passengers was run by electricity be-
tween the two cities at q speed Of near
ly 100 miles an hour. At the dress re-
hearsal, with President Clark aboard.
the train was run at the rate Of 30 miles
an hour.
President Clark, who is clear head
ed, practical, conservative railroad man,
believes this new move is the fOrerun-
ner Of a revolution in the operation Of
railroading the world over.
President Claxk took up experiments
with the electric system in 1894. Colo
mel N. II. Heft Of Bridgeport, Conn,
who had organized the Bridgeport Trsc-
tion company and other trolley COM
panies and was versed in the practical
side Of electric traction, was selected to
take charge. He was made chief Of the
electrical department Of the road.
The first stretch Of road selected for
experiment was that which runs along
Nantasket beach. This was singularly
difficult part Of the system, six miles
long, with FIVE miles in curves. It was
not felt at the time that sufficient ex-
perience had been had with the third
rail system to allow Of its being laid
down on this experimental line, and
trolley wire was suspended from brack-
cts fastened to large, heavy poles set be-
tween the tracks. The operation Of this
experimental road was gratifying to
President Clark, Colonel Heft and the
electrical company which supplied the
apparatus. In 1895 President Clark took
up the question of the third rail and de-
termined to lay it for short distance
on the main line itself, running from
Nantasket Junction to East Weymouth
on one track and back ON the other. The
two feeders were run from the power
house and joined to the rail at the juno
tion, and the cars which ran along the
Nantasket beach section continued their
journey ON to East Weymouth, passing
from the trolley line to the third rail
without any difficulty. The third rail
operated with absolute success, and the
word was given to equip O new stretch
Of track running from Berlin, Conn.
to New Britain, ON the New York and
New Haven railway, Hartford division,
and from New Britain to Hartford, on
the New England railroad, Springfield
division.
The Importance of this event can
hardly be conceived. If this stretch Of
track, nearly l3 miles long, can be OPP
Grated with success from the standpoint
of the steam railroad engineer, its infiu-
ence upon every other railroad can very
readily be appreciated.
Electricity has this advantage over
the steam locomotive: for every horse
power exerted during one hour i'll an
ordinary steam locomotive from seven
to nine pounds of coal are required, and
this in the best engines and with the
most economical firing. In a central
power house the same amount of power
in stationary engine can be generated
in tho perfected engines of today for
about two pounds of coal, and this can
be transmitted with very little loss con-
siderable distances, according to the
system of electrical transmission en-
ployed.
In equipping the new branch Of his
road President Clark was determined
that the very best obtainable machinery
should be employed. This machinery is
contained in spacious power house
which has been erected at Berlin, few
yards from tho main line running from
New Haven to Hartford.
When the current is generated, it
goes underneath the first floor over ca
bles Of solid copper, we'll insulated, to
the switchboard. This carries the in
struments which allow the electrician
to connect or disconnect the current
from the third rail, the meters which
tell him how much electricity is being
consumed in driving the cars and other
instruments which protect the dynamos
from any accident or short circuit on
the line. From behind the switchboard
four copper cables, each about an inch
in diameter, run underground and are
connected to the third rail in front Of
the power house. This Is the only con-
nection between the third rail and the
lynamos. There are no feeders.
This third rail is shaped like cap
ital a." fiattened at the top. Il Ia
rolled in tho same length as the ordi-
nary rail and weighs 93 pounds to the
yard. It naturally has to be insulated
from the ground and raised 50 high