Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-10-18
LITTLE FALLS. MORRISON COUNTY, MINNESOTA.
The Struggle Between the Trolley
:. and Steam.

The Struggle Between the Trolle,
and Steam.
Chicago Record Herald: The eucl
eessful preliminary trials made upon
the long distance trolley system OF
electric railways, recently completed
10 the region of Lake Como, Italy;
have attracted the attention of elec-
trical engineers and traction experts
all over the world. 1t is believed by
MANY that the successful operation
Of this system is the forerunner of a
general application of electricity to
existing railway lines, and hence a
solution ONO smal! number of trac.
tion problems in this country.
This system of heavy electric trac-
ton, which consists of 81 miles of
main line IL the north Of Italy, run
ming from Lecco to Colico along
Lake Como and from Colico to Son.
drio and CHA VIENNA, is the first in
stallation of what is known as the
CAM systen' of polyphase traction.
The company which installed this
great plant was compelled to study
the electrical equipment and opera
tion of railways with a view to uti-
lising the water powers that abound
so pientifully in Italy, and with the
hope Of solving the problem of the
economical operation of secondary
railway lines in that country.
According to the Electrical Review
to which we are indebted for a de-
tailed description of this the most
interesting traction experiment OF
the century, the trials that are now
being made are of two kinds, each of
which answers particularly the con-
ditionsimposed bv the regions in
which the lines are operated. For
lines comprising u considerable
freight traffic and carrying numerous
passengers the system of a central
generating station, with distribution
OF energy by fixed conducting sys-
TEN, has been adopted For lines
where the movement Of freight
is smaller, but where the passenger
service requirs greater frequency OF
trains, d system of storage battery
traction was installed.
All the electric power Of the three
branches of the line is produced di.
rectly as a three-ptase current at
10000 volts in the water power
station at Morbegno. which is fed by
a canal from Lake Como. The nee.
essary power for the operation Of the
entire system i> $500 horse power
normal and $500 maximum at the
power house, the installation telng
designed so as to be able to take
care of the simultaneous transporta
tion of $50 tons of trains at any
point, a weight that may be distri-
buted between five passenger trains
or two passenger and two freight
trains. Freight trains are drawn by
an electric locomotive Of 600 horse
power, capable Of handling $50
ton train at speed OF 20 miles an
honr on a 10 per cent grade.
The preliminary trials of this sys-
tenn have surpassed expectation.
The operation of the turbine machin-
cry and the various automatic cleo.
trio appliances; devised especially for
this system, appears to be perfect.
There is little doubt that it's success
paves the way for the gradual unfit:
cation of the vast network of inter-
urb ban lines in this country. In many
parts of the country it will bring
about conditions where the only re-
medy left for the steam railroads
will be to eiectTify their own tracks
and to convert them into vast troll
leylines.
Midland Advocate: A farewell re-
ception was given to Rev. Geo. R.
and Mrs. Geer at the home OF C. E.
Kreis by the members and friends of
Forest Heights church. Mr.. and
Mrs. Geer were presented with a tea
service and a cut-glass berry bowl.
end Mr. Geer with solid silver
shaving mug. =.
| Attention, W0odmen. -.
| little Falls Camn NJ. w. A M