The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-02
SUCCESSFUL MOTOR CAR.

Inc Vlnton Eagle prints picture
of the new gasoline-electric motor car
which has been placed on the Sioux
Falls branch of the Rock Island run
mig west from that city. From the
accompanying letter-press it is learn
ed that the car makes the run to Iowa
Falls in three hours and half. It is
claimed that it is practically perfect
IN construction and operation and
meets every need of strictly local SER
vice, Interesting details are given by
the Eagle as follows:
In general, the car consists of a
car body of suitable design, mounted
upon boyle trucks. The forward truck
is equipped with two standard rail-
road motors of 100 h. p. each, and In
the forward compartment of the car
is located the power plant consisting
of gasoline engine and an electric
generator of about 125 h. p. capacity.
There is no mechanical connection be-
tween the power generating plant and
the power truck the power being
transmitted by electricity and con-
trolled by a device similar to the con-
troller on trolley car, whereby the
car may be started, accelerated. stop
ped and reversed by the operation of
controller handles, giving great fleX-
Utility of control and ease of opera
ton, this control being very simple
and economical, and in its effect be-
ing equivalent to mechanical con
nection with a practically infinite
number of gear ratios but without
change gears.
The car is now run at a rate OF
twenty-five miles per hour including
stops This is about the same as the
passenger trains. 1t is however
speeded to point of fifty or sixty
miles per hour In case it should get
behind the schedule time it would be
an easy matter to make the time up
The car can be started, stopped and
reversed without stopping or changing
the direction of rotation of the gas
engine
The frame of this car is construct
ed of steel, suitably cross-braced
consisting essentially of / beams. The
outside sheathing is of steel The roo
is dome shaped and of galvanized
/ steel. The floor of the car is of two
/ thicknesses of wood flooring with pa
I per insulation between. The interior
/ trim is of oak or California redwood
etained as desired with suitable fin
j ish. The windows are equipped witt
! plate glass to open upward or down
ward as desired The seats are O
/ substantial construction, bench tyne
upholstered and spring bottoms. The,
/ are covered with plush, wicker or nan
tasote, The car is handsomely finish
ed throughout and presents hand
4 some appearance.
The car is electrically lighsed b,
twenty-five volt incandescent lamps
The current is supplied from the ey
otter when the main engine Is runnin.
and from a twelve cell storage batter,
located under the car body when In
engine is shut down. Automati
means are provided for switching tn
lights from one circuit to the othe
and also for charging the battery from
the exeter.
The car body will be heated nv
system of hot water circulation a,
! the thermo siphon principle, the bea
being obtained from the exhaus
gases.
The car has been making regula
trips since it started and it has bee
loaded both coming and going. It
anticipated that the company viii b
compelled ere long to substitute
larger car.