New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-20
MANY SEE MOTOR TEST
Expected to Change Present Method
of Trolley Propulsion
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE rRIBUNE.l

Schenectady, y. Y. Aug. ia public test
was made to-day or the tracks of the Science
tady Railway Company by the General Electric
Company of 81 system of trolley propulsion
which is expected TO revolutionize present meth
DDS. 1t is what is known as a single phase
alternating compensated motor system. in which
alternating current is used instead of a direct
current. The test was witnessed by large
number of prominent electrical engineers and
representatives of the technical press.
The used equipped with what are
known compensated motors, which allow OF
using a direct current OF six hundred volts or an
alternating current Of two thousand volts The
need OF a higher voltage has been felt for some
time especially for tnterurban lines BY the use
of this system the alternating current could be
used between cities and the direct in the cities.
where high voltage is dangerous 1t would
also result in great saving in equipment ana
the necessity OF transformer stations and power
houses. The alternating current motor. with its
inherent advantages Of high voltage distr1pu-
ton. is adapted to replace the steam locomotive
on either high speed passenger or heavy freight
work, and must be considered large FACTOR III
future suburban railway systems. The test was
satisfactory and demonstrated the practical ility
Of the system, IL Is declared
Practically all electric roads to-day operated
by a direct continuous, current. and the motive
machinery under the is designed with special
reference thereto. For lines not a few miles
ones 1t is customary to supply aterua ting cur
rent for transmission the line and TO employ
'Converters' the sub-stations to change 1t into
direct before 1t is admitted to the motors.
That is the plan followed with the Manhattan eIe-
waited roads. AS alternating current is neces-
sary for long distance transmission numerous ex-
periments have been made OF late years 10 en-
ploy II in driving the motors too. Thus converters
and sub-stations could be dispensed with.
In some OF these trials three alternating cur
rents were used in combination This is the So
called three phase system One OF its most famous
advocates is the firm OF GAM & Co.. of Budapest.
1t was adopted on road In Northern italy. Mr..
Yerkes. after inspecting IT, decided not to Introduce
it on his underground roads IN London. The ex-
periments made on the Berlin Zossen line q year
or two ago also utilized a three phase aftermath
current 1t worked well in some ways, but calls
| Tor three overhead wires-a complication open to
objections. Efforts have been made, therefore 20
devise motor which could be driven by a single
alternating current The Finzi motor. tried last
year in Milan, Is one OF that class. So is the
Winter Eichberg motor which IS being tried In
Belgium third has been tested In the suburbs
or Berlin within year. Several have attracted
attention In this country In the last year
II is too soon to say whether any OF them fully
meets all the requirements Of practical service.
but electrical engineers watching ell tests
with lively interest