The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-23
FROM CABLE TO TROLLEY.
THE SHIFT IN UPPER TBIRD ATRNUE
MADE IN HURRY.
Electric Cars Will Run To-day North of
sixty-sixth street-UneIpected DimcultieS
a.. n..,tn. a.. n6ioInla Over tho Route

| Electric Cars Will Run To-day North of
sixty-sixth street-UneIpected DificultieH
In Getting tho Officinls Over tho Route.
From O'Clock yesterday morning until the
hour for beginning to carry the early-risng
workman to his labors to-day. the section OF
tho Third Avenue Railroad from the power
house at sixty-ffth street to 10th street was
shut down and the work OF finally installing 1t
as an undet-troley electric rond instead OF a
cable road was done This work was OF an in
tricato and delicate character. involved the en-
poyment OF q great number OF men. and
put to the test tho accuracy aud general quality
OF the work that has been done for the last
year. Late last night Sunt. Robertson de-
clared that everything would be finished at
midnight and that electrically driven cars
would begin to run over the section at A. NJ.
When this became a settled fact he expected to
get to bed. after having been up and looking
after the work constantly since Friday morning.
The work which has been in progress for the
past year has boon OF double character. Part
OF 1t only was necessary for changing tho road
from cable to electricity tho rest was an i'm
provement In general construction. The
old road was bunny Tho new ono
carries the cars as II they wero sliding
on a creased way. TO accomplish this.
the old rails. which were in 30-foot lengths
and weighed eighty pounds to the
yard. were taken up and replaced by 100
pound rails each sixty feet long. and then
those were all Joined into a continuous rail
by means OF cast welded joints. Under each
rail at each supporting yoke. at distances OF
five feet apart are what look like simple plates
OF steel. but what are in fact springs. each OF
which gives little as the cars pass over IL and
prevents tho hammsring which would come
from an unyieldinR roadbed.
The necessary work for the change OF power
was first the laying OF many ducts along the
roadway for the power wires, the building OF
handholes every fifteen feet beside the slot
rails. and the boiling fast to the yoke or frame
work OF the roadway. at every handhole OF in
suators for supporting Trails TO carry the
electric current. Electric generators had to be
established to supply currenttemp ora-ily while
the roads big power house is building. cars
had to be converted and mounted on new
trucks. wires drawn through the supply ducts
and the feeder rails strung In the conduit and
fastened 10 the insulators. The placing Of the
7 rails was but temporary. for In their final
position they could be but u inches apart.
while to permit the ears still to be operated by
the cable they had TO be kept inches apart.
Special provision was made for this by having
the bolt holes In the insuator frames oblonR
and with freedom enough to let each rail be
pushed back ! i inches from its proper line
This was the condition Of things along the
line at midnight on Saturday. At that honr
Mr.. Robertson started out 500 men to open the
haudholes. loosen the insulators on ono side Of
each slot and move the feeder rails on that side
70 within one.half inch Of their prorer place.
This left Just room on that side for the cable
grips OF the cars TO pass. Cars were run of
the section from that hour or. until the rond
both feeder rails TO- their place aud
fastened ithem. and the electrical equip
But the had TO BE- its w ssa ss
the cables Each q the ca bes on that section Of
the roai was $1,000 feet long. or about seven
miles. and !. inches in diameter A section is
almost as stiif as F. croTbar and to handle II 70
was taken to q pair Of big rollers through which
it was passed. Then the big eng ines were started
eonda the "ers Pulled it Sonr rom
tube into Sixty-sixth street, and here nfty men
second cable the iolIo~sd the ir,t The road
aMi ia at Es
Hart and u number Of others got into a car at
129th street to take the first electric ride over
Wei. we had al sor.s OF luck" said Mr..
Robertson last night, somebody had neg
GSSa5 IN ths dark ana then it was pulled e
and we stopped. A bar had been left, in the
slot by some careless workman and when We
hit it It short-clrcnnited the current and
another section and were off again. Then
there was volcano in front OF US
and We fetched up again. Some boys had put
= piece OF hoop iron, across tho feeder rails.
Then we were showed along to another section
by truck and started again. We got down to
Sixty fifth street after while. but ! concluded
not to try to open the road until we had tested
1t all over"
Mr. Robertson said he hoped to be ready to
convert the noXt section. from Sixty fith street
to y 'xth street. next Sunday. but 1t might take
until q week later. Within week after that
he expects to change over the section from
Sixth street to the Post Office. This will lie
the most difficult J ieee OF work, and NAV be
delayed longer for lack OF special steel work
for the curves. Until the whole road 10
equipped with slsctriei IT,, passengers will
have to change cars at tho lower terminal OF
the electric part OF the road.
For the present he electric cars to ba used will
he tho regular Third avenue cable cars RENTED.
The now cars that are to be put on later will DO
iorty-one feet long and " Ill have cross seats
with reversible backs. and windows that let
clear down 80 aa to make the cars available for
summer and winter.