The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-22
LONG DISTANCE ELECTRIC TRANS
PORTATION.

IN an article whose special purpose Ia
70 note the influence OF electric railway
INES on the ira @ Of steam roads, the Rail
"ov 'oseae presents some interesting in
lormatlon on the growth and development
OF tne electrical system. 1t states that
III iSo5 81 per cent. Of the "a, 58l miles Of
street railways in the United States re-
operated by electricity. The horse, the
dummy engine and the cable have now
only small representation and their total
uisaPpearanoe is only matter of a short
time.
but the electric line Is extending its
sphere OF operation. 1t is no longer con-
hhed TO transportation within the bounda-
TICS OF cities and towns. 1t has become
interuroan. and is now we'll on the way
70 becoming interstate. The conclusion
reached by the Gosets Is that in localities
where there Is number of prosperous
cities and towns OF size less than the first
magnitude and situated within radius
OF from 10 to 30 miles of each other the
steam railroad cannot compete with the
electric either in service or In fares. 1t
indicates the foroe of the electric COM
petition by citing reports OF passenger
Traffic OF the Lake Shore and Michigan
southern Railway between Cleveland and
oberhn in 1895, before the installation Of
eiectnc competition. was represented by
total OF 2O3,OA passengers, or 1908
per month. In 1902, with an electric line
ior competitor, the passenger ira TO on
TINS route fell to Oh ,78l, or 7,G47 per month
Inc distance between these points is "a
miles
Between Cleveland and gainesville, 20
miles the difference In railway travel was
even greater. In 1895 the steam roads
carried lss,2e2 passengers between these
points and the intermediate towns, an
average OF l6,o0s per month. In 1902 they
carried only 2S,103 passengers, or 1882
per month. This result followed in spite
OF a reduction In fares. Before the trolley
line was opened, the average revenue per
passenger was 90 cents. In 1902 it was A
cents.
The special advantage OF the electric
road is its ability to give a more frequent
service for the same or for less money,
For the sum that it will cost steam road
TO run train every hour. the electric line
can send out car every four minutes.
quency OF despatch lies decidedly with the
electric The advantage Of speed may lie
with the steam road, but this Is a minor
factor except on lines of considerable
length where the time saved by the more
rapid transit on the steam road would JUS
ufy passengers in waiting for the departure
OF train. Yet the distance which would
give steam road this advantage must be
considerable, as the average speed on what
may be called the long distance electric
roads OF the country is 20 miles per hour.
Local traffic on steam roads, including
stops, will not average very much more
than that. Another advantage for the
electlios is noted in the fact that their ter
minals are the doors of the places where
most people wish TO 60. A steam railroad
lands its passengers at central station
from which it may be necessary to take
an electric to the special destination. The
electric has its terminals wherever a pas
senger wishes to alight.
The article in the Railudy Gazette pays
special attention to the development OF
long distance electrics. The longest through
line now in operation runs from Indian
apolis, Ind, to Lima, Ohio, by way of Day !
ton, an interstate line Of 1853 miles in length. |
This il far from being bee line" route, |
and is covered by combination system. |
But its average speed is 2s miles an hour,
and through train is run daily The aver
age rate Of lowest fare is ~ cents per mile.
Second in the matter OF length stands the !
Lake Shore Electric, from Cleveland to
Toledo, l2o miles. The average speed on
he run is rs miles per hour. But the
through service on this line is not success
n competition with the steam roads. The
over fare for five hour run on the electric
s not sufficient offset to the much quicker
ime made by the steam road. In this case
lot only is the running time of the steam
Dad much less than that of the electric
'ut the service is more frequent.
Following these. in the matter Of length
VI interurban lines, there are four from
s to 30 miles in length eight from so to 10
niles; five from 40 to so miles; nine from
% to 40 miles; and four from 20 to 30 miles.
)ut of the total Of thirty-two, TWENTY-FIVE
Il these lines are in the middle West; five
re in New York State, and one each in
iassa chusetts, from Boston to Worcester,
miles; Missouri, Oregon. Texas, Wash
ngton and Canada. The New York State
mes are the following:
Niles.
uusoh 'ohVS 90
colchester and Eastern Rapid.
International Buffalo to Olcoiu .............,,N
lbany and Hudson.. ....-...-..... ........ ~
onda. Johnstown and Gov-rs,tle ..............ss
The conclusion OF the matter seems to I've
nat where an electric road parallels steam
Dad for thrty or forty miles the traffic
ill &c to the electric. For longer distances
he advantage at present is with the steam
BAD On the other hand, the steam road
decided gamer where the electric runs
ivergently from ite route. The electric
len becomes a feeder to the steam road
y bringing to it the traffic of the back
ountry.
Wit of the YOUNG Collesians.
From n. Ci.rr,and Leader
ALLIANCE. Ohio, May lp-Three newly n,d.