Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-07-22
Tackles Railroads.

was system VI NNuiiAhHs "HNA vi
abled IL TO run over ordinary roads OF
through streets. each ear following the
same curve as the locomotive. track
less railroads have been established in
various parts of Europe. The latest
one to be built is only Of a length OF
two aud one-half miles. II is 10 be
located in Prussia. the first one Of its
kind in that country.
The main line will serve for the
transportation OF persons, baggage,
mail and freight An extension Is pos
sible at both ends. The roadway Is
about twenty-three feet wide, with a
good basaltic cover about tftten feet
in width, running almost in an air line,
with the exception Of few curves.
A special contrivance for coupling is
provided in order TO keep an exact rut
of all the cars, which takes the place
of wheel fianges in ordinary rail trains.
The buildings to be erected for the use
of the railway are a power house, car
barns. repair shop and offices. For the
running of the railway a current OF
about $50 volts will be furnished. The
power will be conducted TO and from
the cars, which are provided with cleo
tromotors, by means of two rotary
poles, placed on the top of the cars,
and sliding blocks enabling the train to
give way from ten to twelve feet.
The wiring will consist of two hard
copper wires, with hard rubber insula-
tors, carried by iron poles about eight
cen feet above the middle of the road.
For entering farmyards lying close to
the road there will be used, instead OF
the regular wire, a connector and hexl-
BILE cable fifty TO seventy feet In
length, by means Of which the current
will be transmitted to the motor car.
Ordinary electric cars have but one
pole, and the second pole Of these rail
less cars serves for conducting back
the current, which Is otherwise done
through the rails.
When these trains pass each other
one viii remain standing under the
wires and disconnect its/ current until
the other has passed. The trains will
consist Of an electric locomotive for
drawing two or three cars, driven by
two electric motors Of from twenty
five to forty horsepower, and will be
furnished with the necessary illuminat-
ing apparatus and brakes. The con-
Quoting crew has its place on the loco
motive. The cars for carrying freight
have capacity Of about five tons.
These cars will be coupled in such a
manner that the wheels of the car fol-
lowing run alongside the rut Of the
forward one, thus making wide rut
and avoiding the damaging Of the road
on wet days. Some Of the cars will be
open and some closed, and all will BIO
fitted with the necessary brakes.
Farmers wagons can be attached to
the end of the train, provided the ordi-
nary tongues are replaced by shorter
coupling tongues.
For the passenger service motor
omnibus, having a seating capacity Of
sixteen and standing room for eight, is
provided In case Of an increased pas
senger traffic similar car, but OF
lighter construction than the motor
omnibus, will be added. Five or six
double trips at the rate of eight or ter
miles per hour will be made daily or
schedule time. For the accommodation
Of the workingmen, in the morning and
evening, two labor trains consisting OF
motor car and one or two passenger
cars will be added. Freight will bt
carried on week days only, as condi
tons may require, and during the inter
walls between passenger trains. Tit
fare for the entire trip will be cents
For carrying freight the charge will b.
$23S per carload of ten tons. Sub
scribers and parties doing larg,
freight business will be allowed dis
count.
There seems little doubt that tn
trackless railroad is the beginning O
revolution In transportation tn
world over. 1t takes no great stretcl
of the Imagination to picture tim
when trains of similar construction
will be carrying freight and passen
gers over the piked roads of America
For this reason every detail Of the new
system is interesting.
The Renard train, by the way, raj
by storage batteries and relay system
md did NOT ranuira anu ouarhaad uiras