The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-08-26

which are for distribution by the ag-
rinuIturaI department. and the re
mainder by senators and representa-
tT"s in congress. each having a
Thousand copies at his disposal
Tracki"Ss tr"Il4H cars. which are. in
operation in Vienna. Austria: Milan.
Italy. and the Rhine valley. Germany.
are described in Il report To- the state
department by Consul Hamm. In ap-
pearance he says the cars de- not
greatly differ from the familiar sin
gI"-d"ck motor omnibus. exceut that
they have il means Of collecting cur
rent. such as a fishing rod from the
roof to the electric current suDrIv. as
in tn" cas-, Of ordinary electcric trans
worked from overhead cables While
III ordinary electric tram is able to
let its us"d-Up current return To the
earth through tn" metal Wheels. the
rubber tired traCKloSs tram has to let
that current return by means Of A
second overhead cable running parai-
let with tn" supply cable. The cars
ar" operated on two cables. one for
going and II" other for returning.
over e mIradamiZed rpadbed- The
cars carry y pass myers and l. ad-
diti"nHl ar allowed t. stand even
on the platforms front and back The
entrance is at the mctorman's end.
he attending To- all the duties Of
conductor pS we'll as driver Two
members IF IN" I.'ads. England. city
council inspected the Vienna road.
which is a mile and Il half long. of
sWitchback character. The consur sa"s
the committee was particularly
struck with the smoothncss and COM
fort Of riding. the spring base of the
truck being very well arranged. The
brakes were ample. and spraggS fitted
to prevent running backward if the
ear ia stopped ON a hill The motors.
which are 20-h"rsepower. form the
hubs Of the back wheels. and the cur
rent is collected from the supply cable
by a pair nf wheels running on the
ton of the wire. a similar pair trans
ferring the used current to the return.
4 weighted pendulum slung from
frame carrying these two pairs of
wheels keeps them well pressed upon
the wires. and the current is conveyed
to the motors by pair of cables
which allow the car to pass any part
of the road in the avoidance of other
traffic The car empty weighs two
and half tons.
The consul says the Italian system
of cars each carry 30 passengers. This
route is four and Il half miles long,
and the committee found these cars
well able to reverse. turn around.
and maneuvcr without the trolley be
f,, taL IL
tents over bad and muddy roads with
out difficulty. vibration or noise" The
operation of the car was similar To the
Vienna system. as IN also the German
system of cars. This latter car car
ries seated passengers, and oaly its
front wheels have rubber tires Caus- .
ing vibration and noise not noticed in
the Others The single motor drives ,
onto the front. axle. 50 that the steer
inl is heavy.
The consul reports that on all the
three systems very few bitches have
and owing I" the compare
tive lightness of the vehicle. each be-
ing slightly over two. tons. the surface .
of the road suffers less than in the d
case of cars carrying their own petrol
or other engines. 1t is generally con-
coded tn he very adaptable tn suhur-
han. interurban and thinly populated 4
districts. n