New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-06
A NOVEL TRACTION EXPERIMENT.
THE THIRD RAIL SYSTEM RENDERED SAFE.
TESTS OF A NEW PLAN TO BE MADE IN THIS
CITY NEXT WIDESPREAD INTER
EST FELT By RAILROAD MEN
AND ELECTRICIANS.

EST FELT BY RAILROAD MEN
AND ELECTRICIANS.
It has been pointed out many times In these
columns that In the judgment OF electrical
engineers. the great field in which electricity IS
next to find it's largest development for traction
purposes is the suburban service OF existing
steam roads This opinion Is entertained by
others than electricians. who might be suspected
of having some bias Practical railroad men.
who have seen how the trolley has taken away
their suburban patrons during the last five
wears and who realize how large and lucrative
part OF their business that was dozen years
ago, have long ago become satisfied that some
thing OF this sort must be done II any OF the
lost traffic Is to he recovered
But anxious these men are to restore. In
measure. the impaired fortunes and prospects
OF the stockholders whom they represent. they
have naturally been conservative about taxing
a medicine In which they did not have absolute
confidence. They knew what success the troll
ley had proved but they were not so sure about
the possibility Of moving heavier cars. especially
In trains They have wanted to see somebody
else try the experiment first. No doubt this Is
an excusabe attitude to assume. Although
every year OF delay In equipping their steam
roads with electricity lessons the chance or
their winning back their Ole customers. they
have a horror OF squandering several hundred
thousand dollars (perhaps millions) In making
change which shall not prove remunerative. Con-
sequently they have been going SLOW ana
waiting to observe the results OF such ventures
as that OF the New-Haven road on the Nantas-
ket Beach branch and In the vicinity Of Hart
ford President Clarke has done the whole rail-
road fraternity and the public we'll great
ho hoe 10 h1c
given a most interesting and instructive demon
straton Of the excellence OF the thrd-rail sys-
TEN.
THE DANGER OF THE THIRD RAIL.
He has shown. for instance. that it is much
cheaper mode Of supplying the electric current
than the overhead wire. He declares too. that
the third rail works amazingly well In rainy
weather in snowstorms and in floods. The Con-
sodated Road has given this plan such
long and thorough tests that little more Is TO be
desired In the way OF investigation.
However from the very start there have been
misgvlngs on one very important point. When
an electric cond ,tor is carried along fifteen feet
above the surface OF the earth, II Is out OF peo-
pies way. and the chance that anybody will
touch It Is reduced to very low minimum. But
when 1t is supported on posts or blocks only
three or four inches high. the situation Is diff
ferent one. Workmen who employed In re-
pairing the track or in other legitimate duties
In the vicinity can hardly fall to touch this rail-
every now and then. No matter how cautious
they are habltuay, how frequently and
strenuously they have been warned, there Is al
ways a chance Of accidents. To be sure, the
votages used on electric roads are insufficient
to kill. but they can shock and temporarily par
nlyze Then. again. there are grade crossings on
many suburban steam roads. And II these lines
equipped on the thirdrail plan the general
public will have to be considered Either some
sort Of protection to the rail must be devised or
else the electricity must be shut off from the
rail and carried under the street
II Will thus be seen how naturally William A.
p Willard jr. came to invent the safety rail-"
with which his name is now so closely identified
In the minds Of railroad men, Mr.. Willard was
for two years In the employ OF the Consolidated
company on the Nantasket branch. and was
the electrician IN charge. He Is no novice. no
greenhorn no crank His relations with the
Consolidated folks were very pleasant He
speaks highly Of President Clarke. But ne Is
convinced It would be an improvement on the
third rail H. instead of being live" for its
whole length it should be dead except d.
rectly under the moving wherever It might
be-
MONEY AND SCIENCE ATTRACTED.
The means by which this change Is effected
have been so fully described in the past by The
Tribune that It Is unnecessary here to indulge
In more than a brief reminder The rail is in
two pieces One is hollow for its whole length,
and Is absolutely stationary, being secured to
the ties The other is a top. or cover. adapted to
slide for half inch or an inch. lengthwise, In
either direction. The electric conductor is con-
cealed within. being carefully insulated both
from the box that incloses 1t and from the
cover. But when the top Is showed along. either
way interior contact IL made temporarily
that leads the current into the upper surface Of
the rail. The showing or sliding Is caused by the
friction between the rail top and shoe which
Is suspended from the car. and is forced down
upon the rail by spring. The shoe picks up"
the current and carries It up into the motive
machinery Of the After the car has passed.
q spring inside Of the rail thrusts the cover back
into its former position. and thus shuts of the
electricity from the exterior Of the rail. Only
one section can be Tive" at q time.
During the few weeks that Mr.. Willard has
had his model on exhibition in New-York he
has attracted tho attention Of capitalists and
railroad men all over the country His financial
hackers strong men In the business world.
and his visitors represent many railroad corpo-
rations both In the East and the West. The lat
ter are anxiously awaiting the result Of an in
teresting experiment which will be tried inside
the limits Of this city within the next few weeks
THE COMING TRIAL OF THE NEW SYSTEM.
An existing railroad which is now operated by
steam and which does immense suburban
business especially in summeo has arranged
vvifh nv ard IN ha mil md halP ~
one Of It's single track branches equipped with
the safety rail- In order TO try the new system.
The rail- will be placed In the middle OF the track.
half way between the other rails. Two passenger
cars will be provided with the necessary shoes