New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-06
THE THIRD RAIL EXTENDED.
ANOTHER SECTION OF ROAD SO
EQUIPPED IN CONNECTICUT.
THE CONSOLIDATED COMPANY so WE'LL fi-EA'r"
THAT 1T PLANS SEVERAL NE" AP-
PIJCATIONS OF II.

THE CONSOLIDATED COMPANY so WELL PLEASED
THAT 1T PLANS SEVERAL NE" AP-
PLICATICNs OF II.
Whatever conservative railroad managers
may think about the substitution OF e'ec'''c"s
for steam on existing lines. for suburban ana
interurban traffic there can be no question 'na'
the New York. New-IIaven and HARTFORD VI
consolidated" is pretty well satisfied with '"e
system. II has recently been preparing io'
new trial Of II on a portion Of the old New o'N
and ew-England line southwest OF hari'lu'
1t will be remembered that the first venture
WAS made three years ago on section ca the
Old Colony road near Boston. known as the
Nautasket Branch" The Consolidated folk be-
gan onerations with an overhead trolley wire'
and after one summers experience decidod 10
extend the line a little and 10 use steel ran
laid along the track for an electric conductor
in place OF the overhead wire. The latter pan
gave so much satisfaction that when the con-
solidated company wanted to fight riNhi III
Connecticut ii decided TO employ the thi'u rail-
Along the Nantaskct route there was no co'''P'-
tltion worth mentioning. The company was n''
forced to change Its method OF tracu"h' INV
trial WAS made fer variety OF 'eaSo"s' Nv
doubt II was desirable to ascertain whe'her
was practicable to use electricity IN th's way
whether there was any economy In H. ana Wy
cral other things. The enterprise which was
undertaken near Hartford was meant 10 urNe
out Of the field. at least 10 discourage some
people who proposed 10 parallel IN" OF" s'ea'"
road with trolley lire along the adjacent pub
lie highway.
There was already a good roadbed ard
double track incosed by fences from HARTFORD
70 New-Brltain. ten miles away. and there was
comm, cfi nH
with Berlin off 10 the southeast OF New-Hritain'
The company equipped these two bits OF rosd
with new cars and provided part OF them with
electric motors There were enough motm-cars
IN haul the others when more than one was 10
he run. And the line was supplied with cur
rent through n third rail IL is now ABOUT
year since the new system was put mo oper-
alton there OF course at first many people
rode on the electric cars out OF curios'!' Inv
company reduced It's fare. too. "hen IL 'ooh OIL
its old steam cars and began the new service
But when autumn arrived the company WAS
en- we'll pleased with the result that II oeGah
~ Man for n still further use OF electricity
THO Immense enlargement Of traffic that FOL
lowed the change even after allowing LOT
transient effects was TO the company guar
antee OF permanent gain In business ana more
than an offset for the expense of the conNers'on'
The latest extension. now about 70 ne pun ''''o
oo,,,a, ,so is from the New England track at
Britain due westward to Brls'ol' me i"'-
tor MACE had a population OF less than ''oo IN
1870 but probably has over 1o.ooo now. ~
&c seven miles from New Britain. only single
track existed there formerly. and that WAS ade-
ouetc for tho very limited traffic over this line
~, during the last few months another track
hoe haen laid and az a necessary rreiud" 10
that s,en a good deal ~ costly rock-cutths
o.as dore This shows what confidence Inc
Consolidated company places in the result OF
tho ventur, This route now has one iocai Ua'h
from, Bristol and one from the neighboring
town OF Plainville to Hartford daily' "h'h
the electric service begins next month theIe
Will be many more trains. The precise hummer
has NOT been determined yet Neither mas the
fare. but II will be lowered. no doubt Whch
the new schedule goes into effect the Uhns
that now run every alf-hOur from baIUo'p
10 New Britain will make their TIPS twice as
frequently II had been proposed to begin run
rirg electric cars TO Bristol June ! but de-
Law OF a fortnight now seems to be necessary
owing 70 the failure OF contractors TO furnish
some 81 the material Cor the road or its equip
ment time.
Although Bristol is a place Of sufficient size
:, ius,ifv an experiment Of this kind. II ms
bean htnted that the Consolidated company mas
in view the construction Of Its extra "acA
and the adoption OF electric traction on 20
Waterbury twelve or fifteen miles southwest oi
bristol Waterbury is n thriving manufacturing
city with a population exceeding ''1.OOo II al
roadv has single-track connection through
Bristol and New Britain with Hartford but
there are Indications that the proposed change
will paw.
In fact a new era Of railroading now appears
IN he openIng In Connecticut Those Yankees
there seem 10 retain a good deal OF the shrewd-
ness AT n bargain for which their ancestors are
fsmous II is said to be probable. for instance.
that the slngle-track road. nine miles long that
connects New-Haven and Derby VIII sooh De
converted into a double-track electric ROAD
Then in order to meet competition which ~ 10
hc initiated by a trolley road running northward
from, BRIDGEPORT il IL possible that TN" lower
division OF the lire up the NaugGtuck River
may be similarly treated. Several other schemes
~ the same kind are reported 10 he under con
alteration by tie one corporation that controls
nearly the whole railroad system of the Nutmeg
state The third rail. II Viii be perceived. mas
great future before II in this one little state
alone How, long viii II be before railroad man
ayers elsewhere take heart and initiate the ex-
ample thus afforded?
.
YOUNG "PHIL" SHERiDiN.