New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07
ELECTRIC ROADS IN LONDON
THE SECOND UNDERGROUND LINE
THERE RECENTLY COMPLETED

THE VENTILATION PROBLEM
Electricity has been more extensively EN-.
ployed for operating street railways in America
than In Europe. But the idea is developing
great popularity on the other side of the At.
iantic. London. the largest city in the world
has evlnced much interest in the subject In the
last four or five years Her first underground
electric road, the City and South london, was
opened for traffic nearly seven years ago The
scheme was experimental. and the managers Of
other lines waited to see how 1t worked before
following the example thus afforded. This road.
nv the way passes under the Thames and Is q
short
The second underground electric road to 60
into operation will he the Waterloo and City,
formally opened in July, four years after
active work was begun on II. The third enter
prise OF this class the Central London. will not
be finished for a year or two yet. but VIII then
have the longest underground road in the world
that has been operated by electricity from the
outset Rapid progress is being made in con-
structng this seven-mile tunnel, and IN
many ways the achievement will be a remark
able one from an engineering point OF view
Still other underground electric roads have been
projected In London. but up 70 date they nave
been rather nebulous affairs
The Waterloo and City Railway is a mile and
a half long It has only two terminal stations
one thirty-eight feet below the station Of the
London and Southwestern, a steam trunk line.
and the other in the vicinity OF the Mansion
House This road. like the City and South Lon
don passes under the Thames. and that fact
was turned to advantage while the tunnel was
under construction. The removal OF excavated
earth and rock is always an important part OF
the work Of tunnelng. In the present instance
shafts sunk at the rivers edge to intercept
the tunnel. and through these was hosted up
the excavcted material which was then trans
ferred 10 badges.
The Waterloo and City line is a doube-track
road and has a separate tunnel for each track
Hence there were about three miles OF tunnel to
construct The hole Is twelve feet in diameter
and is circular. Most of the way the two tun-
nels lie side by side. but at one point II became
necessary to bring one UP over the other. In
some places the line is fully sixty feet below the
surface OF the soil. At the Mansion House ter
minus hydraulic elevators will carry passen-
gers up and down. TO and from the street
ROLLING STOCK MADE IN AMERICA
The cars on this road will closely resemble
those on the New-York elevated road. but the
one At the head Of the train will differ some
what from the others In design. just as the
motor-cars do from the trailcars OF the Chicago
elevated roads. Besides being equipped with
machinery most of it hung under the body OF
the COACH the motor-car will have a separate
compartment at the end 70. the motorman. All
the rolling stock for the Waterloo and City Will
be made in the United States This line Is liKey
TO begin business In the near future.
For many years London has had two under-
ground railways, operated by steam power-the
Metropolitan and the Metropolitan District the
latter being usually called the District for
short The managers Of these lines could hardy
fail to recognize the superiority OF the new trac-
ton agent Electricity emits no gas or smoke
to make the walls OF an underground passage
foul and 70 st.he the passenger Although the
electric roads were coming into direct compeu-
ton with the older lines TO only limited de-
gree the difference In the systems has peeh
growing more manifest every day. and puohc
sentiment: OF late has been strongly arrayed
against the antIauated methods OF the Metro
politan and District companies.
1t has seemed probable for years that these
corporations would he obliged TO adopt cleo
trcity, and signs Of an impending change nave
not been lacking. But when road has once
been equipped with steam locomotives 1t Is
costly matter to throw them away, and 1t Is not
an easy thing To sell them The managers OF
the New-York elevated road are aware OF inns
embarras sing fact.
Nevertheless. progress is being made in Lon,
DON THE Mall OF that city said, only
few days ago. The Metropolitan and DisUic.
Railway companies have finally decided upon
the principles OF the experiments which are :.
test the efficacy of suppanting by electricity
the present motive power in use upon their ilhes.
The trials will be conducted upon the Irn
Circle. between Highest. Kensington ana E ai.
Court. with the especial object OF ,,nrs
what form of electrical traction will be the moe
expeditions. The directors Of the two com.
panies are divided between the ADVANTAGES .. ia
motive power for each terminal carriage az 49,.
the more expensive method OF attaching ''e
motive force to each vehicle
COSTLY EXPERIMENTS
THE trials will embrace all the resources III
the field Of applied science, and srm app'oa'"
ing in the aggregate nearly 10000 has peen
voted for the preliminary experiments. VINE"
the result Of this costly undertaking has oe.''
sa tisfactorily established the ttirteeh-"
radius OF the Inner Circle will be selected TOT w
inaugural introduction of the new system u Wv
public ,or ,he
The present annual running expenses iTi "a,
locomotive power OF the Metropolitan nMisted
Company exceed 10000. and It Is ca,cu u.nra
that the institution Of electricity wouo ,.f less
sent depreciation In this one item oi iii
than 30 per cent Then. again. the ins. r 80 the
OF electricity would mean a great saving 10 We
rolling stock. as well as an ASSURE - tor the
ment in the condition Of It's maintenance . ~,
public service Once the results OF ma Conversion
ments are shown to be feasible, the con- liant
Of the necessary locomotive STOCK IL, Ia With
adapted to the purposes will be conc'u'e"
out delay. ..,ion re-
The main reason for the decisive ae ,ss two
solved upon by the managing BODY % mode
companies is the present unsatisLaes":. parts
Of dealing with the ventilation r Oh beneath the
surface But now that electric tracuon r,,smeut
well assured, and the sanction OF l.ntiiauon
obtained the question OF artnc'si
tA~r tasA