Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-02-18
WORK WILL BE HAST
ENED IN SOUTH.
WHAT THE FUTURE HAS IN
STORE. STEAM RAILROADS
IN CENTRAL LOCALITIES.

The following from the Manufac-
turers' ecord is of interest Just now
in connection with the Burks Gar
den trolley line:
Step by step the introduction OF
electricity into railroad service TO
perform certain kinds of work
hitherto done by steam is being ac
complished, with the prospect that
the next few years will witness its
advancement in a much greater ra-
ito than is apparent
Several months ago the Penn
sylyania Railroad Co. began operat-
Ing one of it's Atlantic City lines
with electric trains, and still later
the New York Central started the
operation of suburban service out
of New York city with electric en-
gines. Now the Pennsylvania shows
signs OF following in the path of the
latter, as it contemplates, accord
ing to report from Philadelphia. OF
equipping one or two of its subur-
ban divisions out OF that city with
electric trains, probably like those
in use between Camden and the
seashore.
Ihese Developments at New York
and Philadelphia are Indicative q,
what the future has in store for
steam railroads in Genital localj-
ties of the South, districts having
large population and demandinr.
frequent train service. Thus II IS
likely that in few years conditions
prevailing about such centers as
Baltimore, Washington, Atlanta.
Birmingham and New Orleans will
demand that the steam railroads
serving them shall adopt electric
trains to perform the fast and fire.
quent service necessary in suburban
passenger business. Cleanliness is
one OF the chief characteristics of
electric service which has recommen-
ded it not only to the transportation
companies, but to the public, and it
has had it's efforts in Fastening the
movement to dispense with steam
locomotives around terminals as
much as possible.
The Introduction OF electric SER
vice upon steam roads in the South
will perhaps be fastened there. as
it has doubtless been in other sec
tions, by the activity Of street rail
ways in extending their service into
country districts surrounding cities,
thus robbing steam lines OF much
suburban business. In some places
this loss Of businss has been so
great as to cause steam roads to
close stations, patronage at those
points having been practically all di-
rected to the electric street cars. Not
only are the street railways pushing
for such traffic, but the "interur-
bans are growing more and more
frequent, and their progress will be
wonderfully fastened by the utlli-
zation OF water-powers, so many OF
which are now under development In
the central South
While the future is expected to
bring about a gradual application OF
electricity to railroad service dis
pensing entirely with steam, such a
result must necessarily take many
years to accomplish on account OF
the magnitude Of the development
Wherever possible electricity for
such general railroad work will be
generated by the use OF WATERPROOF
or, but in localities where sufficient
water-power is not at hand steam
power-houses will be established
Yet it will be long long time be-
fore the world sees the last OF the
steam locomotive, which has served
so well ever since its application to
railroad transpOr