The San Francisco call., 1910-02-20

/ engineering ability can render them,
and the depots and terminal facilities
are substantially built For the con-
venience and comfort of its patrons the
Western Pacific has constructed a num-
Der Of hotels and eating houses along
the route. The buildings are large and
for the most part built of brick or of
concrete
1T is a good railroad. Nothing more
can be said" was the expression OF
Chief Engineer Virgil G. Bogue a few
hours after the last rail had been laid.
\ portion Of the operating depart
ment has already been organized.
Charles H Schlacks. vice president of
the Denver and Rio Grande, the parent
line, has been made first vice president.
c. NJ Levey, formerly general manager
Of the Northern Pacific. has been made
second vice president and general man
ager; I. NJ Schumacher has been made
third vice president in charge of traf-
fc, and W. J. Shotwell his assistant.
T. J. Wyche has been appointed chief
engineer. vice Virgil 6. Bogue. who
viii leave for the east in a few weeks
Several other appointments. such as di-
vision superintendent. have been made
and the road is already hauling trans
continental freight. Passenger service
viii be inaugurated about April Is.
A work Of great Importance which is
nearing completion is the electrifica-
tion Of the suburban lines of the
Southern Pacific company. This pro-
ject, which viii cost s10,000,00O. was
undertaken early in 1909. and it is
expected that early this spring passen-
ger trains will be operated at least
from the Alameda mole.
Electricity for Power
As soon as the other work is COM
pleted the Oakland and Berkeley lines
will also use electric power.
The power plant for the electrifca-
ton OF the suburban lines is about
completed. It is located near the Oak
land estuary. The main station will
have four turbine units of approxi-
mateIy 10000 horse power capacity.
It is designed 10 use fuel oil. but may
er and turbine rooms are parallel. Cir
cuiating water tunnels viii be fed by
gravity from Oakland harbor. -Four
tube generators viii supply three-phase
twenty-five cycle alternating current
at 1900 volts when running at 1900
revolutions minute. These units viii
each weigh 323.OOO pounds. A part Of
this power viii be transformed and
into direct current for the
Of trains in the immediate
vicinity. Remote divisions viii be sup
piled by local sub stations.
Surface condensing units are connect +
ed directly to each turbine and are
designed TO maintain twenty-eight /
inches Of vacuum. There is a circu- !
lating pump of 10000 gallons, high |
speed. centrifugal type. driven by a /
steam turbine. Each condenser has 4
i, 600 feet of cooling surface. II the 1
tubes of these condensers were placed /
end TO end they would extend dis
tance OF thirty-six miles There are
sixteen boilers. with total heating
surface OF l05.o00 square feet short
stack provides natural draft II is
large enough TO give economical results
when burning OIL and should coal later
be substituted. provision has been made
for the installation of mechanical
draft system. A local substation
has been buiF, and is a part of the
main station
Great Repair Shops
Tie conversion apparatus and op-
Grating gallery are at one end of
an extension of the turbine room. The
sub station is equipped with 1000 horse
power convefaing units, each unit be-
ing supplied with power BY oil in
sulated transformers. It's switchboard
IS set on the gallery at right angles to I