The Glenwood post., 1905-09-02
SATURDAY. SEPT. .. 1908.
ELECTRICITY vs.. STEAM


American Institute of Electrical En-
gineers, says in The Century Maga-
zine for July and August:
"There are indeed nearly thirty
thousand miles to the credit of the
electric railway in the United States
alone, but the character of the traffic
and the house to. house service per.
formed by large portion of it is es-
sentially distinctive, and reason
enough for its creation irrespective of
the conditions and requirements of
trunk line operation. Save on elevat
ed and underground roads of short
length, it has been essentially service
of single cars at frequent intervals and
convenient stops. Bnt it is hardly
necessary to point out that trunk line
operation as at present conducted con
sists largely in the despatchiug of
heavy units at infrequent intervals
over long distances, and this is main
tained in the United States on over
two hundred thousand miles of road,
or fully half million miles of track,
with terminals, routes, and service in
the main we'll settled, and on which
exists system of train make up and
interchange of cars, both freight and
passenger, which cannot be readily
changed.
"Yet right in the metropolis of the
United States we are confronted with
grave and complicated problems Incl
dent to local conditions which are
calling for an expenditure of nearly
eighty million of dollars, supplement
ing the electrical equipment of the
surface, elevated, and underground
lines, all made possible chiefly because
of the electrical development. And
the solution of these problems will
demonstrate that, so far as speed and
power are concerned, the maximum
capacity of any steam locomotive will
be more than equaled. If so, then it
may be asked, Why does it not settle
the trunk line problems2 Largely
because the conditions are special in
character, and must be solved, simply
because they can be. without too great
regard to cost.
SIT should be stated however. that
despite the difference of opinion among
electrical engineers as to the best
method of doing it, there is not rail
road in the country which cannot be
operated electrically if we are con-
cerned only with the physical possibil-
ity of achievement. Energy of any
amount can be transmitted economi-
cally any distance required CONNER
cislly. Motors of large power and
aggregated in combinations to capaci-
ties greater than those of any locomo-
tive can be built and perfectly con
trolled. And with great power there
is of course the possibility of high
speeds; but well -ba LASTED track, free
from curves, grades, and grade cross
ings, reserved right of way, perfect
brakes and signals, infrequent stops,
equally essential to steam or electric
traction of the first order. 1t is sus-
tained, not extraordinary, maximum
speed which is required in practical
service, and sustained speed is a mat
ter of finance.
What, then. will determine the
future. Chiefly this financial factor,
as it must ths future of. any other
great industrial problem. When
savings in operation and the increased
return from traffic on any road will
more than pay fair diidvend on
money invested for electrical equip
ment, and more perhaps than may be
earned by the control Of competing
electric lines with valuable franchise
and esta blished business, then, and
then only, will trunk lines be operated
As have often stated,