The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06
THE TRoLLEY's ANNIVERSARY.
Progress of the Electric Railroad in
Its First Quarter Century.
New York Sun.


The year 1904 brings us to the quarter
century mark since the Siemens Company
of Berlin first connected an electric motor
to a truck and initiated the electric rail-
way. The car was crude and the railway
small affair. $50 yards long, and of three
feet three inches gauge the third rail being
used. A species of sliding trolley on an
overhead rail was invented two years later
In 1885 Van Depole invented the under
running trolley wheel, making feasible the
use OF overhead wire conductors, and We'll
lington Adams mounted the motor directly
on the car axle-the practice up TO that time
having been TO mount the motor on a sep
arate frame and connect with the axle by
chains or belts.
trolley and the direct connected motor-are
perhaps the only features in electric car de-
signing which have survived the contest Of
changes and improvements in the equip
ment of electric lines.
In the early cars couple of fifteen-horse-
power motors were thought TO be ample
ton on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad pro-
PEELED by eight 225-horse-power motors, a
total of 1880 horsepower. The first cars
built had q seating capacity of sixteen. Sixty
is the number of passengers that can be
seated In the latest designs.
In arrangements for long distance trolley
lines the middle West States are taking the
lead In Indiana five roads, each over one
hundred miles in length, are finished or in
course of construction.
A aO-mile road is in operation between
Columbus, o., and Indianapolis, equipped
with sleeping and dining cars of the most
advanced type. Extensions Of this line are
being pushed through to Wheeling, w. Va.
and to Pittsburg, and plans are being made
for connections with Cincinnati. This serv-
ice in another year will cover stretches in
various directions of from zoo TO 500 miles
in length.
Solid trains are run. consisting of sleep
ers, dining cars and day coaches. all of the
most improved design and construction, the
seepers costing over $4,000 each. State
rooms with two berthS are used, instead of
open compartments.
The roadbeds and tracks are built as
substantially as on steam roadS, and a
speed Of sixty-five miles an hour is regu-
Chicago, Elgin & Aurora Railroad is plan
ming an equipment capable of 100 miles an
hour for everyday schedule.
Trains leave the Indianapolis and CO.
lumbus terminals at 1880 o'clock every
night, and finish the 200 mile run at 6
o'clock in the morning. The operation of
the road has shown that there is no smoke
sengers will be able TO open their windows
in summer. The charge for a berth and
fare between the two cities is 50, which is
less than the day coach fare on the COM
peting steam railroad.
Although in the Eastern States the de-
velopment Of the electric railway has not
yet reached a stage where sleepers and
dining cars are in use. still the improve
ments in the equipment and fittings of the
ordinary service cars are keeping pace
with those of lines in other parts of
the country. The Fonda, Johnstown &
Gloversville Railway has put on new palace
cars, which are said to be the largest and
most expensive ever seen.
They are fifty-five feet in length and
weigh forty-three tons. High back rever-
sibe seats. finished in plush. with roll head
rests and footrests increase the comfort
of the passenger Each car seats fifty-six
each Is al light
and the electric pushbutton keeps the pas
senger in close touch with the conductor.
A telephone connects both platforms. so
that the motOrman and conductor can talk
with each other and also with the general
Off -es OF the company. The cars are geared
to forty-fve miles an hour.