The Washington herald., 1909-02-21

What Ii Involves and what May
he Expected TO Result.
Il appears that for several years Ger
man engineers have been engaged in pre-
Eminary studies for the ultimate change
from stesm TO electricity as the motive
power in ordinary railway transportation
These engineers have gone about the task
with the usual thoroughness Of the Ger
man nation, and according 10 informa-
ton now IN the possession OF the Bureau
Of Manufactures IN this city the problem
is fast nearing solution.
The technical problems connected with
the safe and economical transmission
and application Of the electric current
have, one after the other, been satisfac-
torily solved. The decisive experiments
In 1903. conducted by the PrUssian rail-
way authorities in connection with the
General Electrical Company. on the lint
between Niederschonweide and SpInd-
lersfeld. showed conclusively that the
proper motor had been devised to Use ef-
fectively the alternating current which
alone can serve for the transmission Ui
a single conductor OF high-tension cur
rents
New Motors work Well.
Since then no material advance hs.
been made from the mechanical stand
point. nor has much been required OF the
electrical inventor. The new motors have
rendered admirable service when utilized
for urban and suburban trafic. and wher
applied on short lines. L IS now a purely
economic question whether the time hal
arrived 10 discard the time-honOred steam
locomotive after its eighty years of faith
fui service and replace il BY the electrica
locomotive as sole motive power for ex
Jensive railway systems
Il is essential for the economical trans
mission OF the electric current IN connec
tion with railway use that II leave III
/ power-houses under tension Of 500
volts. and that this be lowered 20 15.o9
volts when directed into the conductors
which supply directly the locomotives o,
are located most advantageously az dis
tsnces OF twenty-five miles along a line
I On q double track a 5.e10 kilowatt equip
ment Is required. OF a single track one O
I 3.00a kilowatts suffces. The cost Of trans
I formers per mile is calculated at 81.
/ FOR dOuble-traCk lines and at SSs- fOT sir
gIe-track lines. The total cost for trans
/ formers and accessories on the entir
. - =
. s.. .00ae00
Overhead wire conductors cost $3.50 pe
mile OF single track. This amounts Z
F Sls15C0,010 for the entire network % 40
+ miles Of single track.
The cost of cables for distributing III
current from the power-hOuses 10 "a
/ transformers depends upon the location O
Z The plants Assuming distances apart o
( Is miles. the entire system would reduir
thirty generating plants. This distanc
allows a mutual rendering Of sssistanc
I in case dynamos are disabled Upon thi
basis there would be an average cost p
mile for distributing cables of $3.50 =
+ Single-traCk lines and ~ $50 on double
I track lines. The entire equipment wOul
/ involve an outlay Of 81 -5oo.o-o Tbes
three items constitute q total investmer
railway lines OF So 800 00G-
( Fewer Motors Needed.
IN calculating the expense OF chazgin
/ 10 electric locomotives Il IS not assume
/ that each existing steam locomotive mus
1 be replaced by an electric counterpart q
equal power Much time IS required
/ the case OF the current types OF locomc
+ lives for a variety OF operations. whic
/ disappear completely when electricity
employed These operations are takin
( on water, heating up the boiler, al
/ changing direction on the turntabl,
/ Evidently fewer electric locomotives AZ
/ required 10 accomplish the same amour
Of work.
On the entire system in question. dur
/ ing 1904 q. .576 men we're employed in loc'
motive service. As each man has or
day Of rest every two weeks, the EUmbJ
would suffice to man simultaneously lis
/ locomotives. assuming that 3.o0 hay
double crews. During this year l4f7O ,,
COmotiveS we're in use This indiCat;
that on an average 225 per cent OF n
I total number Of locomotives are not
active use at a given time. As, hoveve
! the average daily service Of a lOComOuy
is 1es hours. and four hours are cor
sumed in the cleaning. heating, &c. 2
described, il Is plain that but = per Ger
/ CT the total number Of locomotives a.
simultaneously engaged IN moving train
/ This percentage gives a basis for calc,
lsting the required number Of electric J,
/ cOmotives. Allowing Is per cent for q
average number Of locomotives temp,
rarily withdrawn from service for repair
Il would be necessary to replace but
per cent Of the present stock by electr
locomotives.
For maintenance and repairs OF cabl,
and wire conductors an annual expen,
OF > per cent on the original cost mu
{ be expected. OF $4,000. For the tran
/ formers these charges amount to ) .,
cent. OF S1.250.o0o.
/ Per contra material economies on Gu
\ rent sources Of expense are TO be expec
ed. These result from the elimination
all existing outlay in connection with Il
supply Of water and coal 10 locomotive
Diminished cost Of maintenance for tu1
nels. stations and engine sheds con
also into consideration. All told. the,
4 economies are estimated at Sl.25aO00 D
annum. The total increase in cost
maintenance wosld hence be S4.2J0.000
Quite different are the figures showir
the cost OF running trains and maintai
ing the rolling stock in good conditio
Each locomotive is now in the hands
its crew for l2S hours daily on an ave
age. OF this time. four hours are devot,
to cleaning. taking on coal and waite
heating. &c. In the case Of electric I0c
motives 81 per cent OF the cost OF lab
is eliminated.
| or the locomotive crews numbering 8
as men, three-eighths are engineers AT
, five-eighths are fremen. Engineers ea1
annually $50. firemen $412. The total Al
nual earnings Of this staff are sl5.s50 q
The saving of g per cent would rea,
s. eco 0o0 per snnum-
Fewer Employees Needed.
4 stin more important economy is a