The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-10-05
TESTS OF SPEED AT BERLIN.
The Fast Electrical Traction
Trials Soon to Begin.
Means of Travel Between POpuIOus
cities of Europe Expected to he
Rev oIUtiOnfzed-CHrs That VIII
Make 80 TO $50 Miles an Hour.

Rev oIutionized-CHrs That VIII
Make - TO 100 Miles an Hour.
Frank r. Mason. the United States
Consul General at Berlin. has written to
the State Department that the prrpara-
lions for the high-speed electrical traction
tests on tEe military line between Berlin
and LosSeU are now practically complete.
and it is expected that the trials will be
sin soon As the time approachcs. both
popular and scientific attention becomes
more closely centred upon these expert
mcnts, the result Of which viii have such
an important meaning. not only for Ger
many, but for all civilized countries. and
among these probably first Of all the
United States
If an electric-motor car taking its cur
rent from overhead wires and running
upon an ordinary standard gauge rail-
way track, can carry with safety fifty or
sixty passengers at a speed Of from so to
$50 miles an hour" Mr.. Mason writes
then it is evident that the first ten
years Of the twentieth century VIII see
the means Of travel between populous
cities and districts. in America as in Eu-
rope, practically revolutionized.
The success Of the electric car in
and descending easily grades which en-
tailed all but hopeless difficulties TO horse
cars, and in general adapting itself TO all
the cNigeuCiCs and requirements of in
tramural and suburban traffic has led the
nou-technical public, here rs in America.
to expect an easy and prompt solution
Of the high-speed problem. From the pop
ular standpoint. all that seemed noces-
sary was straight, clear track, an ade-
quate current of high potential turned
into a car motor Of sufficient power. and
the result would be- achieved.
only the experts have realized that
speed Of even eighty miles an hour with
a single car involves questions Of air re
sistance, weight and form and balance Of
vehicle. electrical transmission al high
voltage and conversion to lower potential
al some point between generator and mo-
tor, and dozen other equally important
points which are new and uutried in ac-
tual practice, and which have 10 be APP
preached with caution and experienced
knowledge in order TO avoid danger Of ac-
cidents that would discredit the whole
enterprise at its outset. As the associa-
tion which is undertaking at its own ex-
pcnse this most important demonstration
includes a number Of the foremost cleo
d
process Of preparation for the coming
tests IS watched with intense interest by
the engineers Of other countries. and pas
senEer railway construction may be said
TO have paused 10 await the result OF
these experiments The following add
uonal Specifications viii make clear the
nature Of the problem which has been at
tackled, and the means by which il is
hoped, IL may soon be solved.
The scene OF the experiments IS
stretch. 1923 miles In length. from Mari
enfelde TO Zossel, on the military railway
line which runs southwark from Berlin to
the place last named. The line e Of
standard gauge, singIe-trackcd. level. and
nearly straight there being but one slight
curve, 100 yards radius near the south
ern extremity. The rails are OF steel.
weigh about siXty-tve pounds TO the
yard and are laid on wooden ties. Dur
lnE the past summer. the track has been
carefully surfaced, defective Joints RENE
died, and ties and baIlasting put into per
feet condition Along this line have been
set at intervals Of 100 feet stout poles
twenty feet in height. al the top OF which
is set In a vertical position and fastened
by bolts bow or arch Of angle Iron ten
feet In length. the chord of which sup
ports the three brackets for iusula -Ors
from which the three lines OF conductors
ar" hung. The conductors are ordinary
in thi ,kness. Sc hung that The. trolley
can make full contact from beneath
These VIII carry thrce-Inase alter
mating current Of 10000 20 lz"p volts, 70
be generated al the works Of the General
Electrical Company at Oberschonweide
on the River Spree. about five miles
northeast from MaTieufelde. between
which two points a special overhead line
for transmission has been provided. One
OF the conditions Of the problem is that
tins high voltage, so essential for effect
i've transmission shall bee reduced 20 a
sale and practicable pressure by trans
formers carried IN the motor car Itself
The measure Of speed 20 be- attempted is
IA TO l55 miles. approximately. per hour
and the electrical apparatus must b- sui
hgl,4iy strong and heavy so that a run
Of laJ miles can be made at extreme speed
without danger Of oVrrheaJiug
For this purpose. two third-class pa s.
senger cars Of the standard type used on
the PruSsian State railways have bceq
built BY Van der Zuypen & CharIisr at
Cologne, and turned over TO Clemens Il
HdlSky and the General Electrical Com
pauy Of Berlin, respectively. each Of whom
have furnished the electrical equipments
uf one car according 10 their own ideas
-H,It VIII Dc lneIeIore Two ComPCuuFe
machines, each representing the highest
scientific skill OF two leading electrical
manufacturers OF Germany.
The cars are l2lS feet I'm length and
weigh SG5metTic tons, Of which s. tons com
prise the body and running gear. namely
two siX-wheeled spindle trucks Of the
American type. and 42.j tons are made up
by the motors. transformers. and other
details Of the electrical equipment Each
car is designed To accommodate nifty pas
sengers. who with the driver and con-
duCtOT VIII add about four tons 20 the AK
RreRate weight Of the carriage. The mo-
tors are four in number, with an agEre-
gate energy Of ! 900 horsepower. and are
attached 20 the front and rear axIcs Of
each truck the middle pair Of wheels in
each group % three running free.
In the car equipped by Siemens & Hal
Slle the motors weigh 1884 pounds. the
transformers. which weigh J. tons are
hung centrally beneath the floor and a
storage battery Of G}l pounds weight sup
plies current for lighting purposes. The
ends Of the car are pointed TO minimize
wind resistance. and II runs Of course IN
either direction. The wheels are ~ inches
IN diameter. and are rugged with pueu-
matte brakes Of the Westinghouse type
il Is expected that the current will be re-
duced by the transformers carried under
the floor Of tho car from the initial volt
z e Of 10000 or 1000 20 potential rang
ing from $50 20 1900 volts which il is
assumed, viii be sufficient 10 attain the
proposed speed without danger 10 ma
ChiucTy or operatives"
A TICKET AGENT FoILs THUGS.
Three Robbers Try TO Take the
nuy,s Rrrefufs Fran Hin,