The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29
SsSSssS51o-I

Cottier suction ventilators in the top
of the car sucking all air out and
fresh-air intake drawing air from the
top of the car and distributing it pro-
portiOnately from front to rear.
The trucks are said to be the light
est and strongest ever built and mark
a decided advance in the design or
passenger-car trucks. Even the wheels
are of special rolled steel design, of
great strength and limited weight. The
driving wheels are forty-two inches in
diameter and the other wheels thirty
four inches.
But McKeen IS special pride and hob
by is the lighting plant. Acetylene gas
is used and there are twenty five opal.
escent panel lights, making it one OF
the most gorgeously Illuminated cars
ever built. At the same time the light
is of such mild and diffused character
as not to be Objectionable or weari-
some to the eye. No matter in which
direction the eye is turned, the direct
fame Of the illumination never strikes
the retina.
The absence Of dust and smoke and
the opportunities for inhaling the fresh
air, make a ride on these cars particu-
larly attractive.
A distinctive feature of the car is the
outside steel she'll and there is hint
contained therein that should not be
wasted. That is. that all passenger cars
should be built of steel; it is lighter,
more durable, stronger and better In
every way Should wreck occur, there
is no burning. and the car does not crush
like a wooden car does.
The field of the motor, to start with.
is in branch-line service, but its scope
is SO broad and the requirements so
great on many roads, that it will be
many years before the demand for them
can be met.
A larg, number of branch-line rail-
roads that are now operated at a loss
could be put on sound financial basis
by using gasolene cars instead of steam
trains. Instead of a high-priced engi-
neer, fireman, conductor and couple
of brakemen. as are required on passen-
ger trains, one man Is all that Is re-
CURED in running gasolene motor.
The vast saving made possible in wages
alone attracts attention from managers.
And in addition. instead of big loco
motive, eating tons and tons OF coal.
the new motor uses only about three
quarts Of gasolene to the mile.
In many cities where electric cars are
running in direct competition with the
railroads, these gasolene motors can be
operated on the steam tracks, lntermln-
gle with the steam trains and can give
the same frequency of service on the
steam roads as do the electric cars on
the trolley roads.
+ /. +
The inventor of the car, w. r. Nc
Keen, Jr., is superintendent of motive
power and machinery of the Union Pa
cifc, and is head Of the. inspection de-
partment of all the Hartman railroads
He has given much time and thought
to the motive power of means of trans
portation, and was working on a gaso-
iene motor car many months before he
began building one. But so well had
he figured that the plans were complete
in detail. even to the paint on the car.
before work was started. Not single
change was made after work was begun
and altho it was an experiment. every
thing worked just as planned. and the
car moved off when the proper levers
were manipulated.
McKeen is mighty proud Of the car
: and from the praises showered upon him,
by machinists, fnanciers and railroad
men in general, he well may be proud Of
his invention.