The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-20

| interest in the electric locomotives Just
coming to Baltimore for use on the COM
panys belt line tunnel. urban and sub
urban trolley lines, not to speak of those
connecting towns almost everywhere,
have naturally stimulated observation OF
the wonderful advances being made. and
the story of what the Baltimore and Ohio
has done in the Introduction and main
tanning of electric transport where such
is feasible repays study.
In 1898 municipal requirements as well
as considerations of safety and conven-
fence demanded the use of some type of
motive power other than steam loco
motives for operation of the tunnel
through the city of Baltimore. AS a con-
sequence a contract was closed for sup
plying such.
/ 1t is difficult to appreciate to-day the
courage required to make this decision
at that period In the history Of electric
development Only seven or eight years
had elapsed since the electric railway
motor had emerged from the experiment.
al stage and had first been applied 20
the actual operation Of street railway
cars. The modern development of cleo
trio motors and equipment was unknown
The determination. therefore, to use cleo
trio locomotives in the Belt Line tunnel
and the construction OF this power
marked a most important epoch In cleo
trio history.
Were of GearIess Type.
The locomotives for this pioneer install
lation were Of the gearless type and Of
ninety-six tons weight. Each unit con-
sisted of two four-wheel sections coupled
| permanently together. both carrying a
section of the cab mounted upon it. and
was equipped with two motors. The
characteristic feature OF these motors
was that they were gearless The ordi-
nary railway motor is built independent
of the driving axle and transmits its
power directly to the driving wheels. In
this respect these original Baltimore and
Ohio motors were prototypes OF the
heavy electric locomotives built since
1907 for passenger service around New
York City.
It will be easily realized that unique
problems presented themselves in this
innovation and number OF new features
had to be Incorporated, but the success
met with continues to be demonstrated
in the running Of the original locomotives
to-day and their satisfactory service in
hauling passenger trains through the
tunnel. These locomotives have a ca
pacity of 2s.o00 pounds tractlve effort, or,
otherwise expressed and for purpose Of
comparison, have approximately 1900
horsepower. and can pull up a ~ per
cent grades feet TO the mile-a train OF
800 tons is TO % miles an hour.
About ten years later the extension OF
the tunnel service and its Increased re-
quirements demanded additional locono-
lives, and it was decided 10 adopt a type
particularly suitable Tor freight haulage.
Heaviest Yet Introduced.
Those thus coming into being in 1903
are to-day the heaviest electric Iocomo-
tives in operation. Each weigh $50 tons
and is built in two seton halves coupled
together and capable of being operated
BY one engineer. Each half unit is
equipped with four motors geared TO the
axies, A complete lotion unit is capable
of exerting q maximum tractIve effort Of
5000 pounds at starting and tractive
effort of 10000 pounds, representing 1900
horsepower, at a speed Of 81 miles an
hour. One such 16O-ton unit takes trains
up TO 800 tons through The tunnel and
over miximum grades Of 1s4 per cent, or
~ feet 10 the mile
To compare the capacity Of this loco
motive with steam locomotives of stand
ard types, It may be noted that In the
absence OF the electric locomotives three
steam locomotives weighing. with their
tenders. $40 tons are assigned to this
same duty and have difficulty in pulling
trains Of this weight over the same Sec
ton of track.
During the present year the service OF |
the Baltimore and Ohio tunnel has de-
manded a still further enlargement Of |
the locomotive equipment, and a new
contract was placed for two additional |
locomotives to meet the requirements |
These are capable of handling either
freight or passenger trains and are OF a |
somewhat different design from either of |
the older types, representing as they do |
the latest development One OF them has
been received in Baltimore and the other
is expected soon.
New Type Described
In general the new type has a flexible |
wheel base consisting Of two trucks con-
pied together and surmounted by a Mat |
form carrying a steel cab and running |
the whole length OF the locomotive. The
two trucks are permanently linked to- |
gether with heavy hinge and carry the
draft gear and bumper on the outer
and FT0p
hauling and pushing stresses are trans |
mitted through the truck framing on ap-
proximately the same horizontal line and |
are not carried through the center min /
into the platform framing. This relieves |
the platform Of all stresses EXCEPT sueh
due to its own weight and that OF the
apparatus on It.
The principle embodied in this type Of |
locomotive construction is not new. Int |
Is one whose success has been demon |
strated by its practical application to |
steam locomotives for a number of years.
The Baltimore and Ohio MaIIet com |
pound locomotive, the heaviest type of
freight steam locomotive I'm use, resem- |
bles the new Baltimore and Ohio electric /
type, in that 1t has a wheel base made
in two halves hinged together and TAX |
Ing the hauling stresses directly through |
this hinge. The success Of this tyne of |
steam locomotive and it's adoption bv q /
number of important railroads on their
steep-grade divisions may be considered
as a proof of its suitability for heavy /
service.
Export OF British Horses.