The Washington times., 1904-09-25

Lacl1awanna and Wyoming Valley
roads. owned by the Westinghouse
company. have experimental on the
relative cost OF electricity as compared
with steam. having in view the sub
stitution OF the former II practicable
The actual tests showed an economy of
80 per cent in the use OF the electric
motor as compared with the steam sys-
TEN
Long distance electric roads are rapid
~ extending. The Lake Shore road is
paraIleied by an electric road from
Cleveland to Toledo. Toledo ia con-
nected in the same way to Detroit. The
electric road between Buffalo and
Cleveland Is rapidly nearing completion.
so that in a short time there viii be a
continuous electric road in operation
from Buffalo through Erie. Cleveland.
and Toledo to Detroit.
Even in Mexico.
From every direction come reports OF
the substitution of electricity for steam
on railroads The oldest line in the Re
public of Mexico. known as the Queens
Own has decided to do away with the
steam locomotive. A thorough investiga-
ton Of the industrial and financial as
poets OF the situation convinced the Eng
z
was not only perfectly practicable. but
highly desirable
The plan provides for electric traction
for the entire line from the capital to
the seacoast. Two plants are planned.
| one at Atoysc to furnish power for
I trains between Vera Cruz and Esperan-
"a and The other at Mecaxa for service
/ between Esperanza and Mexico.
/ The power plant at Atoyac viii be
run by water power and will supply
/ sufficient power for the propulsion Of
j trains along the mountain division Ne
! gotiations are pending with a Mexaca
| company for power along the plateau
division which has scarcely any grade.
4 The system recommended is the troll
ley system and IL is estimated the COM
psny would save approximately 500, 00o
| annually IN coal.
Electric Car Service.
And the electric trains that are TAX
ing the place Of those propelled by
steam are not merely a number OF
motors and trailers strung together.
/ They are thoroughly equipped passenger
( trains built for speed and the comfort
/ OF the passengers. On the road from
/ Columbus. Ohio. TO Pittsburg spIendidly
/ equipped parlor and sleeping cars are
! being operated with absolute success.
! They are built TO afford as much COM
/ fort for night travel as the present Pull
man service. and in addition are lit by
: electricity, which Is not the case on
most railroads in the country. More
I over. there is no trouble from SCOT
/ smoke and cinders.
/ The problem OF high speed for pas
| senger service and greater power for
/ freight traffic has been, il is generally
/ believed, solved by the experiments re
! Gently made on the BalIston extension
Of the Schenectady Railway. where cars
are run with alternating current equip
ment just perfected.
Application of Power.
The motors used can be run either
from A 1000 volt alternating current
stepped down IN the car TO 400 volts. OF
from a COO volt direct current The
electric railway motors in general use
are operated. as is we'll known. by q
direct current with a trolley voltage Of
about 600 volts.
u is claimed that the new motor
which can use direct or alternating
currents Of widely varying voltage. has
cleared the way for the adoption Of
electric power for light or heavy trains
freight or passenger, on lines OF any
length.
Just at first, the travelling public vii