The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10
SUPPLANTS STEAM
ON ONE RAILROAD
Success of Electricity on a
New England Line.
DESCRIBED BY WESTINGHOUSE
Electro Locomotives in Operation
Five Years Demonstrate Their su-
periOrity over Old Form of Power
Draw Heavier Loads and Cost of
maintenance Is Reduced.

''The most important installation OF
the single-phase system is that OF the
New York. New Haven & Hartford Rail-
road, leading out of New York CITY,
says George Westinghouse 10 the Ameri-
can Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Practically all the railroad service be-
tween New York and Boston, as well as
the New England States, is over the four
tracks of this railroad.
THE trains pass into the Grand Central
Station In New York City over the lines
Of the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad, which is electrically
equipped with the third-rail system for
operation by direct current at $50 volts.
Selection Of the system for the New
Haven Railroad was restricted by the
necessity OF operating the New Haven
trains over the New York Central tracks;
but the decision was in favor OF the
single-phase system. Notwithstanding the
Limitation that the locomotives must
operate successfully both by single-phase
current and direct current.
1.-The trains of the New Haven system
leaving the Grand Central Station pass
over twelve miles of tracks Of the New
York Central system, operating from
the third rail by direct current. They
then pass TO the New Haven tracks at
full speed, receiving alternating current
at 1l,O9e volts from the overhead trolley
wires which extend twenty-One miles 10
Stamford, a total distance of thirty-three
miles from New York. this being the
end OF the initial installation OF the
sinsle-phase system
Power House Described.
The power house is located near the
Stamford end OF the electrified section
and contains four IL O00-volt turbo-genera-
tors having an aggregate capacity Of
over 1900 XIV. The current passes d.
rectly from the generators to the trolley
wires,
There are forty-one locomotives In
regular operation. and also four motor
cars with six trail cars operating on the
multiple unit system in suburban ser
vice The alternating current is taken
from the overhead trolley wire by a
paragraph which presses a shoe against
the wire. The direct current on the New
York Central zone Is obtained from the
third rail by means Of ordinary sliding
contact shoes Both the paragraph and
the contact shoes are manipulated by
compressed air.
For reasons of economy in operation
the locomotives were built under the re-
quirement that each should be capable Of
hauling a 200-ton train from New York
TO New Haven. making all station stops
IN accordance with the regular schedules, !
or an express train OF go tons, and that
the locomotives should be so arranged I
A.. l.
a single engineer for the movement of
heavier trains. The particular size Sc
lected permits about 70 per cent of the
trains to be operated by a single unit
No Serious Difficulties.
THE early fears as 10 difficulties in
Communication Of current have been dis
PEELED by the records of performance.
as many Of the motors have operated
over 10000 miles without turning or even
sand papering the Commentators, and the
brushes show an average life of 10000 TO /
$500 miles.
Most Of the locomotives have run about |
10000 miles, but there is seldom more
than one (Which Is 2k per cent OF the /
whole number). out OF service for re- /
pairs. record said by the officials OF /
the company TO be much better than for /
the steam locomotives which We're re- |
placed. These officials also say that the /
cost of maintenance per mile and the /
number Of miles run per electric locomo- |
tive are far more favorable than with 1
steam locomotives. even with the present /
very short run OF thirty-three miles
The cost Of maintenance Of the dlstri- 1
button system is relatively small COM
pared with that Of the low-voltage third /
rail- system. The delays due TO the trans
mission lines and overhead construction. /
though few IN number. include those /
brought about by extraordinary condi- /
tons, such as steam from switch engines |
and by wrong operation Of switches.
These locomotives have now been
running two years and have made about |
10000 miles each, averaging about 100 /
miles per day. or twenty-five trips of /
four miles. 1t has not been necessary
TO use steam locomotive since the regu- 1
lar electric service was started MAY. /
1909 and during the last twelve months I
the service has been responsible for but /
one train deiay-of eight minutes"