New-York tribune., 1901-12-31
FIRST THIRD RAIL TRAIN.
IT Runs on THE sECoND-AvE. ELE-
WAITED LINE-PRONOUNCED
A SUCCESS.
A SUCCESS.

The FIRST train Of the third rail eiectrical
system the Second-ave. branch Of the Manha'-
tan Railway Company was run over the line yes
terdsy from South Ferry TO One-Aunoreo-ahu-
iwenty-nInth-st The train run from 10 a. m.
Until p. m Oficials OF the road said the opera
ton was a complete success.
With the installation OF electricity as motive
po1er z heavier car and truck required. The
new cars are much larger and heavier than the
present ones They handsomely finished. ano
will hold more passengers than those now IN use
on the steam trains. The train run yesterday con-
sisted OF the motor car and three others
The new electric power house Of the Manhattan
Railway Company. occupying the entire black
between Seventy-fourth and Seventy fifth sts.'
and extending from the East River to Exterior
ST. is completed. Within six months the entire
system will be equipped with electric trains. ana
locomotives on the elevated road will nave De-
come thing of the past. The electric system
is designed TO supplant 30 steam locomotives
used for hauling 200 cars and carrying ap-
proximately 200,OO0000 passengers a year.
Under the new system. the railway company
will be able TO operate six-car trains at higher
rate of speed than would be possible with the
heaviest locomotives available for five-car trains
on elevated structures. Maximum speed will be
attained quicker, more effective control will be
secured and more powerful brakes used. There
VIII be an elimination of smoke, steam. cinders
and the noise in operation that could not be
overcome while the steam locomotives were
used Another great advantage that will be en-
joyed by the management and patrons of the
road will be the electric lighting Of the cars
stations and platforms. yards. offices and shops
and the heating of the cars.and operation Of the
shops by electricity.
The new power house is 2o4 feet wide. 81
feet deep or one side and SIS feet on the other
It is an imposing structure. of Roman arched
wit details
gre OF granite. brown brick and red tile. with
buff chimreys and copper faced monitors.
There are six Thousand tons of iron and steel in
the framework approximately the same amount
as in the Brooklss Bridge, exclusive Of the
cables The building is divided by a wall into
two parts. one being used boiler house. with
the usual accessories, and the other occupied
by the engines and dynamos There are also
eight sub-stations containing rotary converters
and stationary transformers. These are at con-
venient points along the line of the railway. and
the current used for propelling the cars will be
transformed at these points from 11.O0O volts
at which il is sent out from the power house,
20 625 volts az which il is delivered TO the
motor cars
The power house is equipped with the most
modern electrical apparatus. There VIII De
eight big Westinghouse generators. the largest
and most powerful that have ever been built
Each is rated al a normal capacity OF 0.oOO Rllo-
watts or 500 horse power, but is capable OF
delivering during the hours of maximum trafflc
1900 kilowatts or 10000 horse power. Two of
these machines are now completed and ready
for service and the others are in various stages
of building and will be completed as quickly as
possible. They are 40 feet high each weighing
approximately 100000 pounds and the diameter
Of the revolving field which weighs $4,000
pounds is So feet They are driven by 5000
horse power Allis-Corliss engines of special de-
sign The engines are provided with two pairs
of cylinders one of each pair being placed ver-
ticaily and one horizontally. This makes the
turning movement uniform as possible The
connecting rods Of one Of the cylinders are at
tached TO a crank at end of the dynamo
shaft and the connecting rod of the other pair
of cylinders 10 crank at the opposite end or
the shaft. The rotating part OF the generator
is placed midway between the two halves of the
steam engine The latter had no fywheel, as the
rotating element of the dynamo is heavy enough
TO serve for that purpose.
Foundations for these engine dynamo units
were constructed with special care to provide for
the great weight and the proper distribution Of
strains. They are 10 feet square and Il feet
deep. having archway through the middle
feet inches wide.
One of these machines. IT is said. will generate
much energy as could be produced by five
hundred thousand men working continuously.
This system Is the same that adopted by
the Rapid Transit Subway Construction Com
pany for the equipment of the subway system.
The generators 1t is said. will exceed in capacity
the famous generators at Niagara Falls.