The Washington times., 1910-07-04

I no question LLdL II VIII De Duh a
comparatively few years until Amer
lean railways eIectrify their sys-
tens This viii be necessary he
contends, because the limit Of power
been attained while the demands Of
traffic call for still greater speed
and still greater hauling ability
I These can and VIII, be electric loco
motives, according TO Mr.. WestinS-
house
Uniform System Favored
Concerning the desira biIity OF q
uniform system IN the use Of electric
/ power and electric equipment. lIr
/ Westinghouse said
Having been Identified with rail-
way operations for more than forty
+ years and with the development Of
the electrical industry for twenty
I nVe years, 1 feel the time Is ripe for
the selection OF an electrical system
Tor universal application. unless we
are willing TO regard with COmpla-
cency the extension OF the ClVe-sI-
! ned systems and the creation Of con
dIUOnS which viii prevent the gen.
eral use or The most practical meth
DDS Of operation
/ In support Of his plea for the adoption
[ OF uniform system OF electrGcaIiJu,
I M " Westinghouse cited tire experience
Of the American railways IN arriving al
a uniform gauge he said
In ISIS there were in the United
states eleven different gauges of rail-
road tracks IN addition 10 the standard
gauge OF 4 feet So iucEeE. The ahSO-
3 lutte necessity for uniformly of the
{ gauge OF tracks both in the United
States and Canada became SO apparent
I that in due course Of time all The roads
that had gauges wider than feet 81
inches changed to The present standard
I The losses e1Jailed IN the changes OF
I gauge and Of equipment have ever since
I been serious burdens to most OF those
E railways, III That Lne costs were IN most
cases covered by capital charges
{ Mr. -NeEtughOUss argued 1Or the
Z adoption Of any one Of The three e1ec-
{ tTical railway systems now IN use 20
Z the end that when electTlflcatlon be-
comes general railway conn .aE1Es may
use each others track and equipment as
I the needs Of commerce demand. 1uSt as
they do at present under steam motive
[ power Unless g uniform system IS In
/ stalled now. -TeaL lIcCn-=F2leflce 10
/ roads and shippers and huge expense
I 10 the railway companies VIII iuTh ID
Speaking on the general question Of
1.-THE identification OF American steam
I railroads. Mr. westinghouse said IN
THE use now made Of electricity in
steam railway service has been brought
z about, generally speaking through
COuDUlsiOl. The steam locomotive mas
+ reached It's limitations ana mas Deen
. found unsuitable and Inadequate 10 tun-
E nels or terminal service Electric To-
+ COUOIives should be capable OF eZ-
. eaaE7u-- the steam locomotive II power
I Capacity- It should be able 70 haUule
{ heavier trains and loads 70 operate ~
3 higher speed and in general TO exceed
. the ordinary limits OF the steam loco
( motive
Changes Necessitated-
/ The complete identification Of a rail
way VIII necessitate rearranEemenI
OF ideas and practices in regard to
( operations. CoaIinE and watering
places VIII not be needed; passenger
{ trains viii be differently composed.
some classes being OF less WelSnt5 and
they viii operate more frequently thus
promoting travel Ctner trans VIII De
[ heavier than al present. or VIII operate
at higher speeds, branch lines, BY the
I use Of electrically fitted cars, can be
{ given a through service not now en-
{ loved The movement of freight VIII
! undergo great changes, due 20 the fact
I that electric locomotives can be con-
StTuCIed with great excess caPaclty, en-
abIinz them 20 move longer trains al
I schedule speed on rising gradients.
1 The railway companies can combine
! upon some cooperative plan for the
/ generation Of electricity thereby effect
Ing large savings IN capital eXpendl-
! lures and can utilize their own rights
1 OF wav for transmission OF current not
{ only for the operation OF trains but Iol
many other useful purposes
| notwithstanding the great strides
/ that have been made already IN cheap
/ enfne the cost Of generating electricity
! bv steam engines foreS6er from tht
] r7~oe~ess made in the development Of
! Gas and oil engine power a still further
I reduction in cost which viii acCeieratt
I1he work Of eIeCtrifyinE existing rail
M Westinghouse took Up and de
/ scrfbed in detail the experiences Of th'
/ Sew york New Haven and Hartford
Fbe New York Central ana the Grand
Trunk in the use Of electric mOtiv'
power. declaring that these roads have
found II superior TO steam power bOrl
as IN service rendered and expense.
J In conclusion, AIr- Westinghouse SalC
one Of the most important aspects O.
the question Of uniform elecJrihcatioT
is the military necessity for such
system in time of war To those upoT
whom the problem of eleCtrihcatiOr
viii be seriously presented within tht
next few years M Westinghouse ex
tended the following advice
{ It earnestly recommend to the ser
fo71s consideration Of railway engineer
and those IN authority the pressing
need Of q prompt selection OF thos'
standards Of eleCtTifCatiOn which VII
render possible q complete interchsng,
Of traffic. IN order To save expense Il
the future and avoid difficulties and de
LAYS. certain to arise unless some com
mon understanding Is arrived at ver1
shortly"
AIr. Westinghouse talks on steam
! railway eIectrifcarfon here created
/ great deal Of comment. and his insist
enCe upon uniformity Of equipment has
/ started those present to thinking ser
iouSlv. His views are given especia
weight from the fact that he is inter
! csted in the mauufa cture Of apDaratu.
for all three electric railway systems
now in use and IS not therefore
moved by a desire to urge the adoption