The Washington times., 1904-09-25
Trolley Trains Which Are as Comfortably
Equipped for Night Travel as the
Present Pullman Service.
One of the Principal Features of Coming
Railroads VIII Be High Rate of
Speed to Be Attained.

terms shall be established between them
and their employees Tho second and
more important one IN Belmonts eyes.
IS the establishment Of Z precedent that
the brotherhood win use against the
arrangements or the electric roads
which are row being formed
Competition Fierce.
During the first few years OF the new
system the competition against the
steam roads VIII be exceedingly fierce
The electric companies win be obliged 10
use very many more motormen than the
number Of locomotive engineers en-
Dioyed by the steam roads. Their trains
would be lighter and greater IN number
II these moS0rmen are to receive the
same scale Of wages as that paid to the
brotherhood, the cost Of operating the
new roads would be enormously in
creased. and competition with the old
roads seriously handicapped.
n The progress In the work OF converting
steam roads into electric is being carried
on rapidly IN countries OF Europe as well
as in America. At present Germany
seems tn be leading all others. The
/ German companies have gone into the
question very thoroughly, and the re-
suits they have obtained are most sat
isfactory. At the recent anniversary OF
electric railroading. commenced tReutv-
i've years ago. some important figures
We're given out. Il was shown that
there existed In Germany. October n.
1908, lS4 main centers (cities Of distrfcts)
for electric roads. against a August ].
1896 At the same time the mileage had
increased TO 2,3aS miles. the total length
Of single track being 3,4sS miles. The
number Of motor cars In use had in
creased 70 s.7o2, with $40 trailers.
Results in Germany.
The Germans are using the trolley sys-
tenn At some places, notably Dresden,
the mixed system-trol1ey and accumuIa-
tors-is st1I IN vogue. In the Palatfnats
and on one line ct Bremenhaven. the ac-
cumulator system prevails. but II is ex-
| pected that It will soon be done away
with. On the Berlin-Hanburg steam
railway preparations are being pushed
TO electricige the entire road.
One or the principal features OF the
coming railroads Of the country viii be
| the high rate Of speed that can be at
IA ned with A powerful electric motor.
! The best speed that could be gotten
from the steam roads does not seem
impressive compared to the motor rae
ing on open roads IN France and Ger
{ many III LAlG CAANEu states we nave
| one road, the Reading between At
i Iantic city and Philadelphia, that main
tains a schedule of about eighty-th-ee
miles an hour
The New York Central has made
[ greater speed for comparatively short
runs. At some points their engines have
probably run over hundred miles an
\ hour, as claimed. West of Chicago at
least two Of the connections for the
| West claimed to have reached and main
tanned a speed OF from ninety to one
hundred miles an hour for long runs
! across the plains.
/ One OF the engineers told a maya
zine writer about o trip, during which
/ his engine had exceeded a rate Of speed
that could be shown by his gauges, but
that must be taken on faith and with
la great deal Of faith.
! But the recent tests Of the motor We
hicles have undoubtedly developed
| bursts Of speed Of nearly 10 miles an
hour. II that can be done on open
! roadways. what is the limit of the new
/ style motors built for fast running on
/ heavy steel rails laid along rock ballast
/ road beds? II the predictions of the
/ electrical engineers are justified. we
/ may expect TO see the dav not far dis
tant when travel from Washington TO
/ New York viii be a matter OF a couple
Of hours. and when one can dine in
! Washington and wake up TO breakfast at
/ some point along the Indian River IN
! Florida.