The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-24
RAILROAD NEWS.
Two Motor Cars for l.. Il. q w.
in a Short Time.
Will Replace the Passenger
Trains by Coming Fall.
SCHEDULES THE SANE
u. p. Officials Have Been Con-
sidering Plan for Months.
other Items of Interest to
Railway People.

Ieavenworth, Kan, Aug. 24.-The
Leavenworth, Kansas & Western Rail-
way company is to replace all passen-
ger trains with gasoline motor cars OF
the type used by the Union Pacific. TWO
motor cars will be installed on the road
displacing trains Nos. Al and AZ, run
ming between Leavenworth and Garri-
son. They will run on the same sehed-
ule, giving the same service as the pres
ent equipment. The cars will be put in
operation by the coming fall
The adoption of the motor cars lot
service on the L. K. & W., has been
under consideration by the operating
department of the Union Pacific which
controls the L. K. & W., for several
months, or in fact since the gasoline
car has proven success on other
branch lines. In the past month the
project has been pushed more rapidly:
The problem now before the railroad
engineers is that of designing salts
factory baggage car. The ordinary
trailer, such as in use on motor No. 8,
now in operation on the Leavenworth
and Lawrence branch, is incapable of
accommodating the express, baggage
and mail traffic. on the l. K & w. A
car of far greater capacity, but con-
forming to the same general design
must be constructed, The prime NOV
err or motor car proper, to be used on
the L. K. & W., will be of the most
powerful type, carrying 200 horsepower
motors
Train No. Al, which leaves Leaven-
worth at 5:35 p. m, arrives in Garrison
at 1:15; a run of III miles in I'VE
hours and 20 minutes. Passenger No.
AZ, leaving Garrison at a. M, and ar
irving in Leavenworth at 1880 a. m,
makes slightly better time, five hours
make this time with the greatest ia
cility. An example of the capabilities
of these gasoline cars is afforded in
the performance of motor No. z, which
d. &c nrror- IL r1d
Limited on run of 1886 miles between
Omaha and Grand Island, Neb., attain
ing a speed of SO miles an hour.
The passenger service from Garrison
TO Miltonvale on the L. K. & w, viii
be continued by the present equipment
a mixed or accommodation train.
There has long been a growing con-
viction among transportation engineers
that the gasoline motor car is the only
practical competitor of the interurban
trolley which has in some parts or the
east and middle east threatened TO
monopolize the local passenger traffic
aggT essive in the transportation OF
freight. The motor, on account of its
high power generated by compare
lively light and compact engine and the
high degree of elasticity in the medium
of power production, is better fitted to
the purposes of local runs where many
stops and a frequently changing load
form important features of the trans
car can be started and stopped with
greater facility and much less expense
than a steam train drawn by ponder
Gus and compiled ted locomotive. The
endurance of the motor car has been
demonstrated to be in no way inferior
to that of the best locomotive.
1.-The modern locomotive and steam
car, with high steam pressure and the
attendant flue and file box troubles, the
troubles due to formation of scale, brok-
en- stay bolts, 1eaky front ends, defect
i've drafts. poor coal and kindred neces-
sary evils Incidental to the use of
separate power-generating unit, such as
q boiler entails" says w. r. McKeen,
Superintendent of motive power and
machinery for the Union Pacific, ARE
much more complicated and vulnerable
pieces of machinery than the gasoline
motor car in which. technically speak
ing, there is nothing present but vehicle,
prime mover and transmission; the mui-
titudlnous parts likely to give trouble
are absent here. 1t necessarily follows
that a gasoline motor car properly con-
structed and built with the same skill
and care as a locomotive, is a much less
vulnerable machine than a locomotive
and will undoubtedly give more contin-
uous service without failures.
There is a great demand for a low
cost-of-operation, self propelled passen-
ger car" continued McKeen- There are