New-York tribune., 1911-01-16
TEST FOR AUTO TRUCK
Nonstop Run Arranged IN a'
Effort to Fix Reliability.
START AT THE GARDEN SHOW
Novel Contest Sure To be OF
Value to Makers of Com
mercial Vehicles.

Ono Of the most interesting features III
connection with the show OF motor trucks
which will be opened at Madison square
Garden tonight will be nonstop run OF
thrce-ton Alco truck, made by the Amer
lean Locomotive Company, which VIII
start from Madison Square Garden at L
o'clock to-day.
Such an undertaking has never betore
been attempted by any truck. and all trucH
manufacturers and merchants contempiat-
ing the purchase OF truck equipment VIII
watch the results with keen interest.
The run has been officially sanctioned oy
the contest board OF the American AUTO
mobile Association. s. VI. Butler, cnalf-
man Of the board, has appointed three oo-
servers, who will accompany the truck our :
ing every minute OF it's performances. Inc
observers will be divided into three Shifts
each observer being responsible Tor eight
hours Of the twenty-four. The drivers VIII
also be divided into three shifts Of eight
hours each.
Fred Wagner, the well known starter OF
automobile contests, will send the truck
away on its long journey at noon. II WI!
carry a full load Of three tons and VII!
be operated under exact service conditions
The route will be substantially the same
as that Of the first commercial vehicle con-
test in this country, which was run by
the Automobile Club Of America in May,
1906. This route leads up Madison avenue
10 Soth street, TO Fifth avenue. to 10th
street, TO Central Bridge, to Jerome ave-
nue., 10 232d street, and down Broadway 70
the Automobile Club OF America, where
the truck will bs weighed morning ard
night.
The truck will report at the Garden on
each round. An announcement will be
made at the Alec booth sufficiently In ad-
vance Of the arrival OF the truck so that
those who wish to sec It when it reaches
the Garden will have ample opportunity to
inspect II.
Careful records Of the cost Of operation,
the amount OF gasolene and oil used, will
be kept The cost OF operation per ton
mile will be also carefully figured, and both
drivers and observers will be men trained
in this kind of work.
The motor will be kept running during
the entire period OF the test, Tho car. OF
course. may stop. but the motor must be
kept running day and night
The announcement OF this test has caused
a great deal of interest and comment
among the motor truck makers who are
gathering at the Garden.
Supply stations have been esta bllshed
along the route, where fuel will be taken
on. and this fuel will be most carefully
supervised and measured, so that the data
gathered shall be accurate and valuable.
The American Locomotive Company, one
OF the pioneers in the building Of motor
trucks, feels that this contribution 10 the
mass Of knowledge on the subject OF motor
truck performances is distinctly its duty.
Finding available a great deal OF In
formation concerning structural details, ac-
cummulated through over a half century Of
the building OF locomotives. the company
has no data pertaining 10 the nonstop"
run, and has organized this test as much
for the general knowledge OF the entire
business as for It's own information.