New-York tribune., 1905-08-19
ELECTRIC TRAINS SOON.
ON NEW-YORK CENTRAL.
Fast Improvements To Be Made
Within TscelUe Months.

Electric power for the movement of trains will
be installed on the New-York Centrals Harlem
Railroad between 42d-st. and Woodawn on
August 15 Of next year, at which time the coal
burning locomotives will be dispensed with
Chief Engineer wilgus has informed the Cen
tral directors that the change in power can be
made within twelve months The company has
made arrangements for complete equipment OF
all-steel. non-infammable cars, sixty feet in
length electric fans for the interior of the cars
TO insure proper ventilation while the trains are
stationary, and an improved third rail for the
transmission OF power
The improvements contemplated by the Cen
tral, including the new terminal at 42d-st, the
new electric power plants and the Transmission
OF the system the lower end Of both the Hud-
son River and Harlem divisions. viii cost the
company close to S40o00,000. according to the
latest estimates OF the engineers.
Everywhere in the electric the road will
have at least four tracks. in some places six
tracks. and at one place Mott Haven, where the
two four~track systems come together, there will
be eight electric tracks side by side in everyday
Along the line TO the north ffty-hve grade
crossings being elmina ted, four-track tun-
mel has been built at Kingsbridge. which has
shortened the line from New-York to Buffalo
by one mile. and there has been practical
construction OF the line in many places.
Meanwhile work is steadily going forward
the new terminal and building The building it
self VIII an area of eight acres, and the
tracks iifty-siX acres. north Of 42d-st. The ter
minal viii be able TO store altogether about 169
cars An important feature OF the development
now under way is that ali the cross streets.
from J0th-st. down 10 4Jth-st will be opened
through from west. In anticipation of
this land values have risen largely in that neigh
borhood.
The plans for the new station at i2d-st. call
for a two story structure for the entrance Of
trains. Thirty feet below the level OF the street
viii be the terminal for the suburban trains.
There will be four tracks for this service ana
they viii be depressed below 5Tth-st.
In the terminal the tracks spread out to ff-
teen platform tracks with double track loops
and storage yards. The loops will facilitate the
movement Of the trains. on the upper floor will
be the through traffic station.
The through trains viii drop their coal burn
ing locomotives at Croton. on the Hudson River
division, and at North White Plains on the Har-
lem division. and be drawn into the terminal
with electric locomotives thus doing away with
all smoke The time limit for the doing away Of
the coal burning locomotives is 1903. but the
compaay's engineers are determined to make the
substitution within the next year.
The new terminal station is being built in sec
lions, and the company. for the present is busy
with the first third. on the East Side, toward
LeXinGton-ave. AS soon as the necessary exca-
walton is made tracks will be laid for both the
through and suburban service. and work will
then begin on the other two thirds. When the
old station is torn down the business offices now
in IL will be moved the new office building
the company is putting UP in Vanderbt-ave. at
a cost Of about S.,50olo
The company's decision to use all-steel cars
IN the future for trains running into NeW-York
CITY terminal means lot TO railroad men.
who are watching the development of the
Centrals plans with the greatest interest
Many railroad men believe that it marks the
beginning OF the end os wooden cars on the
more important railways / the United States
The record OF the more disastrous wrecks shows
that very great loss Of life is Occasioned by
the cars taking fire The all-steel cars are
stronger, non-infiammable. just as easy 20 keep
clean, ana are believed by many TO be better
in every way than the wooden cars
The Of electric fans IN the cars is new
idea OF the Centrafs engineers When tunnel
cars are in motion there is little or no need
OF additional ventilation, but when they come
10 a stop the discomfort is at noticeable.
Chief Engineer Wflgus believes that the electric
fans should be kept going all the time in the
cars.
This plan is likely 10 be brought to the at
tention Of the InterboroCgh Company, whose
embarrassment from lack of ventilation became
apparent as soon as the warm weather in.
If IT is good thing for the tunnel cars on the
New-York Central il is likely TO be tried,
early day, by the Rapid Transit Commission
and the lnterborough people in the subway cars.