The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-01

niety, except at short intervals, because
any known system Of signals would be in
sufficient or ineffective for trains running
at q maintained speed In Excess OF a mile
q minute. The engineer, he said, could
not see the signal in time to stop the train
Nit is going at a high rate Of speed.
4 should say said Prof. Steinmetz,
that it is largely a question of roadbeds,
and that signals have little or nothing to
do with it. OF course there is danger from
high speed trains, and probably there al
Ways will be-, but the tendency is not
only to increase the speed but to make the
nilroads safer. This is illustrated by the
rsdual abo lition of crossings at grade
and the elimination Of sharp curves. I
resume that the time will come when
fmde crossings will be done away with
: entirely and the railroads 30 ballasted
and Strengthened out that a speed Of 12o
to $50 miles an hour can be maintained.
The feasibility Of very high speed with
electric motive power is no longer a matter
Of conjecture or experiment. 1t is an
established fact. Repeated trials Of elec-
THO locomotives have shown what can be
done. No new machinery would have to
b invented. The efficiency Of generating
md other electrical machinery is now
mctically 100 per cent.
IA l have said, 1t is all a matter Of i'm
poving the roadbeds to stand the addi-
tonal strain and the abolishment OF grade
crossings to make safer life and limb. I
believe that the day will come when all
nilroads will be equipped with electricity;
but the change will be made gradually.
The amount Of money invested
h steam locomotives will be responsible
for this.
The tendency is all toward higher
speed, as is shown by the gradual lowering
Of the time between New York, Chicago and
other points. As this speed has been in
creased the big railroads have had to make
improvements in their roadbeds and ma
thinery. When the limit Of steam lie
reached they will turn to electricity. Az
Z matter Of fact they are doing go now, az
b shown in the cases Of the New York
Central. the Pennsylvania and the New
Haven roads. All the electrical work that
b being done for these companies has beer
planned with a view to it's extension in the
future. The zones Of electrical propulsion
viii be gradually widened until the entire
gstems are equipped.
In time it may be necessary to change
The shape Of the engines in order to over.
come the great resistance caused by air
They will probably be built to cut the all
u boats are built to cut the water
Referring to the fact that some years ago
electricians predicted the building OF ar
electric railroad, four tracked and without
curves and without grades, from New Yorl
TO Philadelphia, by means Of which rams
p~orstion between the two cities could b
oried on at the rate of more than a mile {
minute, Prof. Steinmetz said:
The plan is a perfectly practical one
and there would be no special trouble Ia
making it a good commercial proposition
out on account of the enormous outlay tina
would be necessary and on account OF thu
hd that the territory is already occupied
BY the Pennsylvania and other great rail
roads it would be difficult to get the capita
required for the enterprise. 1t is bounc
70 come sooner or later. especially now tina
the Pennsylvania is ready to show what
an be done with electricity.
teiounu say tndu tTdilb oH eucu q ioaS
could easily be run at 100 miles an hour
winch. allowing for starting and SLOWING
oown at the end Of the journey and poesibl,
ssopat Trenton. would make the trip aRou
,orty five minutes. II is true that the buih
ne OF such a road would be very expensive
indeed but I feel confident that 1t could b
run at a profit WITHOUT putting fares highe
tmn they are now. It 10 also true that tn
cost Of maintaining a railroad increases a
- speed is increased, but increased spee'
.v'o TOW for many more trains chan ar
aow rua.
Such a road would have to be built an
~las.cd in the most perfect fashion an
q Tree from sharp curves and crossings q
snde.
Asa precaution against collisions It woul
ave to be built in fifteen or twenty mil
seaons with sections a mile or two long 1
stween which could not be crossed by
van while another train was In the sectiol
snsad. These short sections could be D
squpped that the power would be cut oil