Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-24
COMPRESSED AIR.
The Question of the Reliability of Air
Motors as Practical Machines.

The Question of the Reliability of Air
Motors as Practical Machines.
From the Washington Star.
There is no denying that compressed air,
as motive power, engages the attention
of engineers and street railway managers
as a promising possibility, and evidence
comes to hand with frequency to indicate
the eagerness with which final demonstra>
tionS of the adaptability of this power to
urban conditions are awaited by the prac-
tical operators of important lines. The
Engineering Magazine presents in its latest
issue comprehensive study of the various
uses to which compressed air is being put,
calling that power the young giant
among modern motive energies. Local in
terest centers, of course, in the question of
the availability of air to propel street cars,
and on this point the magazine says:
Economy of operation is the crucial test
from the standpoint of the traction COM
panies.. The features that appeal most to
the passengers and the public in general
are the doing away with poles, overhead
wires, and the continual excavatinS for
cables, pipes or conduitS. No fatal acci-
dents from live wires; no obstructing the
efforts of the fire department in moments
of danger to life or property; no possibility
OF stalling on railroad crossings in front of
approaching trains; no obstructing of the
running of the cars by tampering with the
source or conductor of power during riots
or strikes, and no electrolysis of water
and gas pipes by escaping currents.
These are potent factors from every point
of view in favor of such motor. The En-
gineering Magazine goes on to discredit
the theory that the element of danger
stands in the way of its use, stating that
whereas the maximum pressure of the con-
fined air is but 1000 pounds to the square
inCh-thiS pressure being reduced the mo-
ment the car is started-the Mannesmann
steel bottles have been tested to $3.50 lbs,
bursting then by ripping on the side in
such way as to involve no danger what
ever to persons standing three feet away.
a French electrical engineer was recently
quoted as disparaging the safety of these
motors, asserting that those in use in
Lyons, France were regarded as danger
Gus, and that the pressures in use there
We're but half as great as those required
by the American motors. Thus there Is a
difference of expert opinion that may
possibly be traced to personal predictions
for or against this power, resulting. never
theless. in the utter confusion of the un-
scientific inQuirerS into the subject. Not
withstanding the claims of the Lyons en-
gineer. it is known that the compressed
air cars are popular and successful in that
city, in Nantes, in Berne and in Paris.
Yet a mysterious explosion in New York
air motor is being tested is as yet unex-
plaiEed, and official silence has given
strength to the impression that an air
tank under one of the experimental motors
gave way under the pressure. If this was
the case, the rending metal acted different
ly from that which failed in the test noted
in the Engineering Magazine, for the floor
of the car was driven to the ceiling. The
definite demonstrations other than those
inferentially given by the adoption by
transportation companies of other motive
powers than compressed air after expert
immediate and thorough local test would
be profitable, followed promptly, in the
event of unsatisfactory results. by installa-
tion of the underground electric system.