New-York tribune., 1901-12-01
THE n. Y. G. TUNNEL PROBLEN.
IT Is BELIEVED THAT EXPERTS HAVE
FOUND a SUBSTITUTE FOR STEAM.

IT IS BELIEVED THAT EXPERTS HAVE
FOUND A SUBSTITUTE FOR STEAM
The officials Of the New-York Central still
graphing with the problem of substituting electric
fly for a motive power in the Park-ave.
tunnel. They much encouraged by tests made
recently, and hope IN the future TO be able to
announce something definite in the way Of relief.
So far fixed plan has been determined on, but
the work of experimenting has been pushed for
ward steadily.
The trouble is said ". H Newman, president
Of the New-York Central yesterday. that this is
problem that will admit Of careless experiments.
We must be absolutely of ground before
we make a move. We running trains through
the tunnel under such short headway that the
slightest bad block. We cannot af-
ford TO try anything that may choke up the tunnel.
No is anxious for a change than we are.
No one will work ndefatigably for this result
than the officials Of the NewYork Central but we
go off half cooked. The change to some
other system and a break down would mean endless
trouble and delay. So we must move slowly and be
sure of ground"
The New-York Central is at work the recon-
structfon of the tunnel The side chambers have
been abandoned. and all trains being
directly through main tunnel in the centre This
has been a help. The clumsy masonry Is being
pulled cut and structural steel substituted. This
is going to help materially in clearing the at
mosphere of the tunnel.
Few people have any idea Of the amount of
thought that is being devoted 10 this problem by
the New-York Central officials. Hundreds and
thousands Of letters received bearing on the
subject Whether the writer is q famous engineer
or a man who lives farm and never has seen
a tunnel the letters carefully read in the hope
that some one might evolve suggestion that would
be valuable The most eminent engineers in the
country have been asked for advice.
One trouble is that The trains under such
short headway that the possibility of coupling and
uncoupng a motor within the yard limits appears
to be hopeless What the engineers have been look
ing for is motor that will haul a train over
division-that is pick up train in Albany and
haul this city, pick Il here and haul IL
to Albany without uncoupling the motor. Hundreds
motors Of all descriptions, have been tested. Hot
water liquid air compressed air. electricity and all
forms power have been tried All of the
reports these various systems carefully tabl-
lated and put away, but nothing as Yet mas been
found that appears to be satisfactory III every de-
| tail.
Recently tests have been under way at the plant
of the General Electric Company in Schenectady. 1t
is believed that the experts who have been condct-
ing these will report favorahiy on the system
under trial and viii recommend that II be adopted
on the Central. In this motor meets all re-
uuirements the NewYork Central viii at once pro-
the tunnel and place large order with the General
Electric Company for the new system of motors.
! The experiments have been of the most exhaustive
/ kind The motor has been tested against
! an classes of engines in the Central from
small engine to the large locomotives
of the latest pattern weighing us tons, OF which
weight seventy IS the driving wheel. 1t Is
said that the motor proved itself equal to the
taS nut upon A formal report Will be probably
! made 70 the Central officials this week once this
| report is hand the operating ofhcials viii make
| decision viii he reached about changing the mo-