New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-28
PROGRESS ON THE NEW-HAFEN ROAD,

PROGRESS ON THE NEW-HAFEA hOAD'
Tho no,,,s tbo+ electric engines have at last
been ordered for use at this emo Oh 'ne
Haven road indicates that IT'S ohcelS e
fact less conservative than they nave recen''S
appeared to be- The New-York Centrdl hopeS
TO begin its electric service next summer Oh iail'
but it will provide only for hauling lis o"',
trains in and out of the city. It's THRU l.,,
below Woodlawn and a supply of current Will
be available for New-Haven trains, Dut lhotl'e
machinery for the latter must be furnished Dy
the company which operates them. Inasmuch
as heavy locomotives, such as are needed lor
expresses are not built in day, the puDnc las
been wondering how long the managers or the
New-Haven road were going to wait but acuNe
steps have now been taken to meet all require
ments and 1t looks as if the substitution OF
electricity for steam would simultaneously ar
feet all trains coming into and leaving the
Grand Central Station.
Under the new system inward bound expresses
on the Hudson River will exchange one kind OF
locomotive for the other in the vicinity of Gro
ton Similar trains the Harlem division VIII
do so at White Plains. Where the electric eu-
gine will replace the steam engine on the New
Haven road has not yet been announced 1t
will not be necessary at the outset to go further
away than WOodlawn for the purpose; Dut
should electric traction be adopted on the SUD
urban branch that DIVORCES from the MAIN Tue
at New-RochelIe, it may be thought judlclous
to exchange engines at that point. 1t is prop
able that within few years much more extern
sive application of electricity to trunk line rail-
way service will be made. Notable as are the
changes now planned by the New-1ork Central
and the companies which are following it's ex-
ample. it is not rash to believe that they are
only preliminary TO a still more comprehensive
transformation Hence 1t would seem to matter
little at what point on the New-Haven road the
substitution of one engine for another is first
made.
Possibly the delay in ordering motive mach1n-
cry for that read was due TO wish to learn
what rival builders of electric engines might
have to offer It is interesting to notice that
the contract given last year by the Central went
to the General Electric Company, whereas the
Westinghouse company has received the order
for the New Haven engines. Outwardly. no
doubt the two kinds of locomotives will he
practically identical; but there is little differ
ence in their design. The Central will use the
direct or continuous, current, whereas the New
Haven company is said to mediate the adOp--
ton of the alternating current for parts OF its
system not directly adjacent to NeW-York. In
order to take advantage of the Central S terml-
nal facilities. therefore, the New Haven com
pany will employ a type of motor which can be
actuated by either form of current. A fine
chance for comparison will thus be afforded.
Practically all of the American and European
railroads which are operated by electricity at
all rely on the direct current, certain objections
to the alternating current having long existed.
1t is asserted by the advocates of the latter that
the drawbacks have been overcome, and if that
statement is true the experiment about TO be
made on the NewHaven road should prove in
structve.