New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-23
ELECTRICITY on 4 STEAM ROAD.

Railroad men and electrical engineers viii
watch with peculiar interest the experiment
about to be made by the NORTHEASTERN Rail
WAY Company of England. That corporation
plans 10 adopt electricity certain limited
norton of its system, which is now operated
hy steam. and has invited bids for the neces
sary installation. The Northeastern line is
not engaged in carrying people from one part
of a city to another like the Metropolitan and
District underground roads of London, and
the Manhattan and Brook yn elevated roads
of New-Yo It ministers to an essentially
rural region, although one town on the route
Tynemouth. has a population of nearly
10000 In England the venture is practi-
cally without precedent. Even in the United
States the out of town steam lines on which
electricity has been introduced. such as the
Nantasket branch of the Old Colony and the
New-Britan section OF the New England III
Connecticut are much shorter than the por-
ton of the Northeastern on which the new
traction agent is 10 be used. According 10
the present plan thirty-five miles Of double
track four miles of single track and two
miles of four-track line of that system are
TO he adapted to the use Of the new motive
power Nowhere in the world has greater
mileage of steam road been converted into
an electric road. except in Northern Italy.
In its invitation for bids the North Eastern
Company has left great deal OF liberty TO
contractors Provision has already been
made for current This will be OF the alter
Mating TYNE and will be furnished at a pres
sure of 5000 volts, by the Newcastle-upon-
TYNE Electric Supply Company. Limited;
and II is required that the voltage be re
duced 10 go for actual use. The particular
mechanism for the reduction is optional.
Several other important details are also left
TO the contractor. A preference Is expressed
for conversion into direct current, but even
This is not insisted upon. The way is thus
left open for the Introduction OF some one
of tho alternating current traction systems
which are now attracting attention When
tho time limit for the presentation of bids
expires. as it Is expected to do on October {.
the comnanv NAV call in special advisers 10
assist II in reaching a final decision. Per-
h.,,s Tho MANAGERS expect the bidders TO
uaro a camnaign Of education after the lat
tor flo ,heir napers But whatever he the
trua exclamation Of the policy pursued, 1t
was wise plan to allow a good deal of
Latitude in the proposals for what is really
pioneer enterprise.
Whatever uncertainty there may have been
in the minds of the Northeastern Company
managers concerning some of the technical
details Of their project, there seems TO be
none whatever as to the desrability of the
proposed change nor in their main purpose
Indeed there is something admirable in the
energy which they display Possibly they
have been stimulated by the establishment OF
competition by trolley lines along the lyme
But If So they are not waiting until their
local traffic has been stolen. Nor nave they
postponed action until American capitalists
could come III and purchase controlling In
terest It is significant that the movement
has been initiated hy Englishmen, and that it
is being pushed with vigor one stipulation
of the programme is that the work shall he
completed in one year from the time When
the contract is closed If this conditlon Is
complied with. it Is not unlikely that the
Tyneside line will he operated by electricity
before either the New-York Central or the
Pennsylvania road has its new terminal IN
this city ready for service The Engilsh prop
osition is not so formidable as those OF the
! two American companies just mentioned
| Newcastle is city of less THAI 25oooo IN
| habitants. and. as has just been mentioned
| the greater part Of the Northeastern line runs
through country districts All the same. Eng
land will be outdoina America In depart