New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-18
HEATING CARS ELECTRICALLY.

The season is again at hand when the man
ayers Of street railways are considering methods
of car-heating. On such lines as retain capies
or horse power there is little room for choice;
the question Is chiefly one Of coal stoves III y
natural that on elevated roads. where steam Is
used for moving the coaches. the same agent
should he preferred for warming them. Again,
electricity has demonstrated It's ability 10 per-
form both OF these offices in a satisfactory MAIL
ner and there is evidence that il Is growing IN
favor for the latter purpose IS We'll as Tor 'he
former.
In several RESPECTS the electric heater Is con-
sncuousIv s,lperior to the coal stove. - is more
cleanIy r,nuircs less attention. and may no
opcrated without the slightest noise. IL is al
WAYS ready. Ike an electric lamp The neat &C.
velopcd by II can be controlled much more
casily than that derived from n stove. Inc
conductor sets an index. on the end OF me ear
NJ ono Of five different points. and regulates inc
outnut of the heater accordingly. And when, nj
the end of days service the car IS rUr INTO
the barn no live Goals are left in it 10 increase
the fire hazard With these obvious advan-
taces IN It's credit The electric heater WOULD
have become almost universal on trocy-cars
orc ,b,s. no doubt. hat for some question ms 10
It's economy.
Frcsh light on This phase OF the subject Il
shed nv q contributor 10 last weeks Railroad
Gazette" He is not altogether dsintcresicd
himself to be sure: hu: he quotes Witnesses who
oro presumably without bias. summary OF
the answers Obtained from a number OF slree'
railroad companies shows that the average daily
consumption OF coal per car in wnte: j. ABOUT
thir;v.fhree pounds costing Oh an average seven
ioI, % 11nnirO and
bulldino fires and iakins out ashes. and 50
much o' tho cleaning rs could no charged 70
thl, system Of heating. cost about ten cents.
Other items raise the total expense 10 nineteen
and one Quarter cents The Railroad Gazeites
correspondent thinks that twenty or 'weh'y-hV"
cents ought 10 be added TO that amount for loss
of seating capacity. This estimate. however
does not rest on such basis OF aSc"rtained
fact, rs his other figures
In computing the cost OF electric heating one
nav pursue either OF two methods. No add
lional plant or help Is required. apparently.
There are steam engines. dynamos. engineers
and electricians already IN service nj the cen
trail stations II may be assumed. therefore.
with a show Of fairness that only The coal CON
sumed IN generating the extra current should
be taken into consideration. The South Chlrago
City Railway Company, which runs us hea'er'
eighteen hours a day puts this Item nj sixteen
and one-ihrd cents. II the heating system ID"
charged besides with share OF The wage and
interest accounts and also for oil and waste.
then the daily expense would be forty-ro'r
cents. Even the latter estimate compares favor
ably with that just given for the other plan.
provided that the diminished seating capacity
where stoves are employed be held responsible
for the loss Of four or five fares daily: whereas
the showing is still better II the clc irc heater
be charged only with the increased fuel CON
sumption which II call, Tor n tn" power-house.