The Portland daily press., 1897-05-29

The rail used by the New England road
/ is much heavier than that on the Chicago
| elevated roads, and the experiment. Of
| May 10 developed the fact that it was pos
sible to transmit power commercially
over much greater distance of track
than most electricians had ever supposed
was possible, and to do this without the
aid of power houses at intervals along the
road.
The full length of the line on the New
England road which is equipped with the
third rail is nearly thirteen miles, and
the run is made in less than eighteen
minutes. The feature, however, whict
appealed most strongly to the Manhattan
committee was the great economy, com.
pared with the trolley, which they al
first thought would make good system
for the elevated road. The New England
electricians declare that the cost of opera
ton by third rail is only one-fifth that of
| the trolley, and that where the steam en-
| CINE requires between seven and eight
tons of coal in order to develop one horse
power, the same amount of energy can be
obtained by the third rail system of cleo
tricity out of a single ton of coal.
The saving that will accrue to the
Manhattan company from the change to
| the third rail system of electricity is va
riously estimated at from $750,00O to
81 900, 900 year. The interest charge of
81, 600, coo of bonds, at four per cent,
which will probably be issued to pay for
the cost OF the new equipment, would
amount to $3.50, 600 year.
The net saving in operations would
consequently be anywhere from $500, 900
to $3.50, year. The expenses of trans
portation and charges to motive power
and cars for the last fiscal year amounted
to something like $780, s0.
The system to be adopted by the Man
haitian company will partake more of the
character of that used on the New Eng
land road than of the Chicago system,
with view to doing away with supple
mentary methods of furnishing power.
A few words aobut the New England sys-
tenn will, therefore, be of interest.
The third rails are laid between the
running rails, and are banded together
and connected by copper wires. They are
not fastened to the ties, but are laid on
blocks of wood. The running rails are
used to carry back the return current.
The trolley block consists of a flat cast
iron shoe, IL by inches, and weighing
twenty pounds. This shoe is run along
in the flat top of the third rail, ust as a
trolley pole follows an overhead wire. In
side of this iron shoe a copper wire car
ries the power to the motor, which is in
the truck of the car.
The current'used is of 600 volts, leo more
than in the overhead trolley system, nd,
although the third rail, which carries the
current, is exposed, Ia shock cannot be
gotten from it without touching the third
rail and one of the running rails at the
same time.
The intention is to push the improve
ments on the elevated. One branch at a
time will be equipped, so as not to inter-
fere with the operation of the road. 1t is
calculated that the first branch can be in
operation within year from the letting
of the contracts and that the entire
change can be made within two years.
Messrs. Gould and Sage believe that the
third rail system will furnish the key to
rapid transit, and that the early adoption
of electricity will be deathblow to the
under ground system. 1.-The experiment
on the New England road demonstrated
the fact that it is perfectly feasible to run
trains at forty miles an hour, with pos
sibility of increasing it to seventy-five.
This means that New Workers may soon
be able to travel from the Battery to the
Harlem River in fifteen minutes, and
perhaps less, over third track. The ex-
press trains now take thirty-fve minutes
FROM the City hall, when there are no de-
lays
The ripening of the plans of the Man.
haitian company in the way Of introduce
ing electricity has led to conferences be-
tween the directors of the New York
Central with view to considering the
propriety of adopting similar motive
power on the New York and Pullman,
better known as the New York and
Northern Railroad, which extends from
the terminus of the elevated road at 155th
street to Brewsters.
The plan is to make a deal with the
Manhattan company for running through
trains from the Battery to Yonkers, and
perhaps further While officials of New
York Central denied that any definite
plan is on foot, it is stated on high au-
thority that the directors of both COM
panies have seriously considered the mat
ter, and that it will be carried through as
soon as the Manhattan is equipped with
electricity.
A similar arrangement is proposed
between the Manhattan company and the
New Haven road in connection with the
Harlem River branch of the latter and
the Second avenue line.
The development of these plans for revo-
lutionizing the motive power Of these sew
eral railroads has been accompanied by
reports of very big combination which
may result in the absorption of the Man
haitian elevated system by the Wander
bilt interests, to be used as feeder for
the New York Central and the New
Haven railroads.
1t is said that the president of one of