New-York tribune., 1902-01-10
FINAL ELECTRIC TRIAL.
NEW SERVICE TO BEGIN REGULARLY
ON THE SECOND-AvE. ELEVATED
LINE ON MONDAY.

An official demonstration Of the new electrical
equipment of the Manhattan Railway Conpany's
hnes was made yesterday afternoon when a train
OF SIX cars LEFT South Ferry al o'clock for
trip over the Second-ave. HLe There was no inter-
ruption or the regular train service. About two
hundred financial men, electrical engineers and
representatives Of traction companies were passsn
gers Among them Herbert H vreelaud
president OF the Metropolitan Street Railway Com,
pany; John d. Rockefeller. jr Joseuh q EIs,4-tx
president OF the National Bank OF Conna-ca.
Samuel Sloan. Edwin Gould Howard Gould ard
Samuel G. Bayne, president cf the Seaboard Ma
tional Bank.
The start made from South Ferry ar ,-as
O'Clock. three minutes behind the schedule time
and One-hundred-and-twenty- -ninth-st was reached
al z'S2 o'clock Thus the from the Battery was
made in twenty-nine minutes. The train was
started and brought 10 stop with exceptional
smoothness and speed There was none OF the
P3unging and lurching which is so characteristic
OF the steam driven trains The cars are larger
than those now in and ase well lighted with
lneandescent lamps The arrangement OF seats is
the same in the new in the old. The roofs
OF the new cars are higher than those OF the old
ones. and the floors have wooden racks instead OF
mats Ihere are Just as many advertisements in
the new as in the old. There are no mirrors
Nlce-PresdenV Skitt, OF the company. said that in
the rush hours six trains instead OF Ave car
trains would be run. thus increasing the carrying
capacity Of the electric line rush hours per
cent Describing the mechanism of the train TO the
passengers. he said:
Each six car train viii consist of four motor cars
and two traers, each OF the four motor cars being
equipped with motors which will develon s9
horsepower. the total weight OF motors for each
power train loo. The old style locomotive weighs
OF the eight motors. and develops only about 900
or o9e-quarter OF that OF the motors
ordered These motors take the place OF about 400
trains higher average speed thus giving nnoTs
satisfactory service TO patrons OF the line Each
system
1t is interesting that the nnotornan of the
train is protected from the weather. He stands at
the head OF the train inside the first car. From
this point he controls all eight the four
motor cars OF a six car train Each OF the motor
cars is fitted with the General Electric Company's
train controller, the main controller consisting OF
number OF switches operated by magnets.
The company has thus far found difficulty In
securing enough motor cars. Mr.. Sktt could not
say yesterday how long it would be before the
entire system would be equipped with electricity.
The first regular electrical service the Second
ave line will begin at 10 o'clock on Monday morn
ing The power for operating the new electric
trains on the entire system of the Manhattan Ele-
waited Railway. including the Second, Third Sixth
suburban line north OF the Harlem. will be gen.
Grated at single power plant, located the East
River. between seventy-fourth and seventy-hfrh
After inspecting a new summer car at one-hun-
dred-a twenty-ninth-st- which much like
those used by the Metropolitan Street Railway
Company though much larger, the guests OF the
Manhattan company Inspected the powerhouse
This is the largest plant which tn Westing ghouse
which is finished stands forty-two feet high. and
Reghs Rai s9 pouns GaRaeY b Of @ % yer t Il
engines IS pumped from the ground foor TO the
hour After being used the oil IS retuTaed sufo an
maticaly 10 the cellar where it is filtered and used
The boilers are equipped with mechanical stokers.
by means of which ninety men are able to do the