The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-30
Cornelius Vanderbilt Discusses
Question From Practical
Standpoints.
POSSIBLE UNDER coRDIT VS..
These Relate Entirely to Financial
Status of Proposition, 1t Being
Entirely Practical From En-
gineering Point of View.
SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York. Nov. g.-Cornehus VANDERBILT
has contributed to the current number OF
the North American Review an article on
Electricity as a Motive Power on Trunk
Lines" In which he demonstrates the FEAST
biity Of electric power as a substitute Tor
steam on trunk lines, both for long and
short hauls and gives In detail reasons Tor
the conclusion. he says, in part:
"When one considers the enormous growth
Of the trolley systems IN this country. II
seems to the layman-using this term In
contradistincton to that OF engineer-auite
natural to suppose that a slight extension
will result In equipping the present steam
roads with electric locomotives or motor
cars run In trains.
II. Is the object OF this short paper to
consider IN a general way the reasons for
the extension or noneNtension Of the troll
ley system ard to draw certain conclusions
from an examination Of the principles
which underlie the question
POINTS OF COMPARISON.
There are five points of comparison"
Mr.. Vanderbilt saws, 'for a road to consider
in determining the question of a change OF
motive power; first. the cost OF q unit
amount of fuel: second. the amount of use
full work realized from this fuel at the driv-
ing wheels; third. the cost OF operation, or
handling trans; fourth. the cost Of repairs
to the machinery, fifth. the cost OF repairs
to the roadbed.
Tn comparing the present motive-power
system with the proposed system of electric
traction we should, therefore, make sepa-
rate comparisons Of each of these points,
and thus arrive at our conclusion"
After considering the cost Of fuel, he
says:
discussion The steam locomotive system Is
q direct acting mechine'-thst Is to say.
It obtains the power at the drivers by
means of a single conversion of energy;
use a double of multiple conversion Of en-
ersy before the power is obtained at the
motor wheels. 1t is an axiom in physics
that, In. any conversion Of energy a loss
must take place. and. therefore, il the first
conversion--that from coal or oil to steam
lis equal in both cases, there viii be a
lower total efficiency in the case of the
double than in that of the single CONVEX
sion"
PowER-HoUSES.
After dealing with the subject Of electrical
power-houses and their disposition along
q line, this conclusion is drawn:
TT is possible. under certain conditions.
total efficiency from the fuel to the power
at the wheels will be obtained equal to
y sns aIs ooI noIsiS,d In "a a steam ioGomotive; and II
obtain an efficiency slightly in excess Of
Cost of handling trains. Of repairs to ma
chinery and roaGbed. he considers would
be about equal on steam or electric roads,
although there is no figure for cost of re-
pairs to electric motors and equipment,
tfnues: !
comparative hrst costs. There viii be a
greater first cost for any electric traction
system. due principally to the cost of pow
the cost OF rolling stock equipment would
be approximately the same as in steam To-
equal net return to the road in both cases
We would decrease the fuel cost to the
point where this saving will pay the inter-
the amount of capital required for this sys-
TEN over that required for steam power.
n. Ths O o0 sss ssn Of doing in ,s this depends e. DIS Psa.
and the further we extend the principle and
cost the more difficult it is to find a rail
road with the required trafic density"
HIS CONCLUSIONS.
Convenienee Of electric transit for pas
many cases more than compensated for In
creased cost OF transportation Continuing.
Combining this with the fact that. after
q certain density Of traffic Is realized. the !
fuel cost may be reduced. We have the
tenn and for the addition of electricity as
cuburban roads" ~
In conclusion, he saw: !
..Tnat 4 Is impossible to use electricity as
s Ssihuersa; II no Is entirely at possible from the
financial point Of view it is an impossib,liIV.
above. Aen.oheo
How long 1t WIN remain SO is naturally
guy OF the province of this paper to predict.
D1t me possibility of certain improvements
winch would decrease the fuel cost I'm cleo,
Lie .racIon. can be imagined. such as the
rsess1ui Morking Of oil in engines in large
nne ioss. etc; while. on the other hand. i'm
pLcvements that would produce equal eff
tjvess. may Do imagined for steam locomo-