The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-09
Motor Cars Are Still in an Ex-
perimental Stage.
Interesting Consideration by
Railway Age of Several Types.
ARE NOT PERFECT YET.
Machines May Be Developed to
Accord With Local Conditions.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Motor cars are arousing a great deal
of interest at the present time among
railroad men. not only in this country
but across the Atlantic. says the Rail-
way Age. It has been questioned
whether this is not a sporadic case of
enthusiasm instead of the outcome of
well digested experience.
These cars are practically confined
to three different types or methods of
operation, viz, steam, gasoline Cor
similar fueI) and gasoline and cleo
tricity.
The first type consists practically of
a steam locomotive and a car and has
the disadvantages of both and. prob
ably the advantages of neither, as it is
very doubtful whether in the long run
it will show any more economy than
the light locomotive and the passenger
car. AS an engine it is certainly more
difficult of access and repair than
would be regular locomotive, and the
boiler Washouts and and other fire.
uuent messy" work to which a loco
motive is subjected are hardly suitable
to the very close proximity of pas
senger car.
If there is trouble or disarrangement
with either the car or the locomotive
portion it practically ties up the train,
and if the crews are smaller now than
could be used to operate a one-car-
and-engine train. 1t IS questionable
how long railroads will be permitted
to operate with such a reduced crew
Such combination steam locomotives
and cars cannot well be run backward,
at least until there is some one to at
tend to the boiler at the opposite end,
and their use compels either a loop or
s'Y'' or a turntable for reversing the
direction of the car at the end OF its
runs.
the place in which to do repair work
on the locomotive, and some special
housing or other terminal arrange
ments would have to be provided to
take care of such equipment satisfac-
torily The coal and water supply is
necessarily limited, thus largely reduc-
ing the radius of action of the steam
motor car.
Objections have also been offered as
to other classes of motor cars. The
gasoline or internal combustion engine
does not offer the same objections that
can be made to the equipment above
described. At the same time it is liable
to have troubles of Its own.
A wholly satisfactory method of
varying the speed of a. ear driven di
rectly by internal combustion motor Is
vet to be found, as the use of clutches
and other speed-var ying mechanism is
hardly in accord with modern ideas of
ADTdCllCS. Fl IGS may =WOIk
very we'll in automobiles, but even in
that service there is complaint among
the owners of such machines as to the
disastrous effect upon the machinery
of the automobile when 1t is necessary
to run at a greatly reduced speed.
The cost of the internal combustion
motor is still very high, normally from
$40 to $50 per horse power, whereas
locomotive can be purchased including
its tender. from $40 to $40 a horse power.
There are few sections of the country
where gasoline and other liquid fuels
are as cheap as coal. and while they
Will produce less smoke and annoyance
to the public, they can hardly be CON
sidered an economical investment from
a fuel standpoint.
The gasoline-electric combination
seems to be without Faison d'etre, as
the expense of installation would GER
tainIy be prohibitive for anything like
general use. This system requires
prime mover an electric generator, an
electric transmission system and an
electric motor or motors
With this type not only must an ex-
pensive fuel be used, but the attendant
electric losses between generator and
motors, which at least will amount to
Is per cent of the brake power of the
engine. must be taken into considera-
ton To this must be added the interest
on double the investment.
When this figure is compared with
light locomotive and passenger car, with
its flexible qualities of operation, 1t ap-
pears as if the opponents of the view
that gasoline-electric motor cars can
ever be seriously considered for extend
ed use on steam railways have at least
such arguments as leave the question
open to discussion. Yet under certain
combinations of local conditions one or
other of the types named may be found
to perform satisfactory limited ser
vic