New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-27
FIRES ON ELECTRIC CARS
PAST AND PRESENT CAUSES
OF PREVENTION.

PAST AND PRESENT CAUSES-METHODS
OF PREVENTION
An electrical engineer in this city who has had
occasion to watch the working of trolley and ee-
waited railway questioned yesterday
corning some O. the accidents which have recently
occurred in this and other cities. Some of these,
especially the wrecking of runaway surface cars,
he said, were entirely independent of the form of
motive power. 1t is not quite fair to hold cleo
trcity responsible for broken brake chain for in
stance. defect OF that character Is purely me-
chanical. and it would be discovered Il there was
a proper inspection OF rolling stock.
On we'll ged roads there is a systematic
animation OF cars after they into the
barn. when necessity for repairs is re-
ported by motorman conductor. But there Is a
great difference in railway companies in the thor
oughfares with which they have that sort OF work
done. When heavily loaded a steep grade
becomes unmanageable, and either jumps the track
Overtakes and strikes another car the fault -
usually with the brakes. 1t is fair inference that
these have either been carelessy inspected or not
inspected at ALL
Brakes. when IN good order. though. are not
equally efficient. One who has noticed the abrupt
with which cars the Metropolitan Street
Railways principal lines brought to halt
and the more gradual way in which many subur-
ban cars are stopped might be puzzled by the DIFF
ference. In both cases, no doubt. the brakes work
on the same general principle. but the leverage
may be made greater in one than In the other. and
hence the same expenditure of muscle gives quick
results. Many attempts have been made TO per-
electric brake. Devices Of the latter char
acter are not uncommon, but they not alto
gether satisfactory. One which is in service over
in New-Jersey operates only while the car Is NOV
ing The current from the overhead wire having
been shut on by the motOrman. and the electric
brake having been brought into play. the cleo
ricty necessary 10 make II adhere to the wheels is
developed by the mechanism under the car For
the time being the motor is converted into dy-
namo. and the dynamo IS driven by the rotation
OF the car wheels. The instant the car stops, OF
course the supply OF current from this course
stops. and the brake loses its grip II the car is
on a bit of level track IL will remain stationary,
but on a grade the electric brake will not keep IL
still All original momentum having been checked
tho car would alternately start ahead and stop
through a resumption OF activity In the brake
This alienation would continue until the foot or
the hill was reached. The electric brake Is not a
useful resource in emergencies. and is usually sup
plemented by ordinary hand brake
The chief reliance when sudden stop is neces-
sary is reversal Of the motor that drives the car
The moorman first shuts off his power In the usual
way moves a separate lever on the controller
box before him and then turns on his current
again. He is instructed to employ this plan at
critical moments. but he is also familiar with the
order to be careful about applying power TOO sud-
denly, lest he thereby overhead and rum MS
motors Hence he may be too cautious IN re-
versng. Again, the success or that practlce Is ue-
pendent on retaining connections with the overhead
wire. If the trolley is thrown on. reversing Is
without effect. II the brake falls too the car De-
comes hopeless victim OF the law of gravitauon-
The most common type of accident on electrically
operated elevated roads is probably the burning OF
a car or train. The most disastrous case or this
kind occurred in Liverpool a year or so ago on
Christmas Eve. The OF that particular acci-
dent Is known with some degree of accuracy. The
motors under the which first took fire were oid'
and had been repeatedly repaired Owing to some
fault in the insulating material the eectricty was
one The new channel permitted more than tne
amount Of to pass n are o SG
To meet danger from that source & sr are ro
clad Further protection is being 1 Afforded Mo f 70
liverpool to Brken6ead by sheathng the wooden
car floor Just above the motor with asbestos
Sr0of ide hese embodied may Yet be deemed
wise Mr. oHo s fepro so This Of
course would not be necessary II w nrs ReIT pe
Now danger Is to be antlcpatsd from E Gre IN !,
the motor is all right. fuse may be blown out by
generated here which may or may R95 ers howe
does sWay with the fuse and substitutes what
Is called a circuit breaker. This performs the
Sent automaticaiy in case Of excess But 1t is
incIosed with metal that one spark at that point
Although two OF the most important causes Of
" reduced trouble nevertheless occurs every now
and then In star.ngy fb seSan cannot always
he discovered Sometimes the most that can De
known is the point OF the outbreak, which is sener
oily in the machinery But the precise nature or
the defect cannot always be told with certainty
The fire destroys the insulating material so com
pleteIy that cannot say just how II looked De-
fore. , A.. x,,,.
In a general way. it may be assumed that S as
terious fires of this sort produced by trinlhs
imperfections in the workmanship OF what is prop
nesses can he discovered IN time to prevent harm
is an interesting question Some electrical engl-
neers think that n proper Inspection by the railway
company will detect them The repeated occur.
renee Of this type of accident. though. shows that
the inspection careless. or else that the utmost
Vigilance will not always secure the desired result
one exDert i'm particular. who was questioned on
mis- Doint Yesterday said; 81 viii not so far as
10 saw that thorough inspection OF the electrical
/ eouipment would entirely avert the mischief, but
I am sure that IL would minimize II.
n then after little time. II is found that the
evil is not reduced sufficiently. then the public may
insist on a wider use of freproof material In the
cars Themselves so that the latter cannot burn.
ried is steadily falling OFT But the possioilty OF
horror like that which Liverpool witnessed has not
vet been absolutely precluded IL may De necessary
Ia adont Mr. Westinghouse's idea, after ALL
Finally there Is a group OF fires on electric cars
which result from collision or wreckage This hap
pened last Sunday at West Farms. A runaway
trolley car struck an electric light pole and
badly damaged Generally. under such circun-
stances the electric machinery is also dfsorganzed,
the Insulation impaired and the current enabled 10
reach combustble material. IL careless inspection
OF brakes is going to lead 10 that sort OF thing.
> there may he n popular demand for hreproof cars
a1at Cd