The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-09
NEW RAILROAD OPEN
TO PAMUNKEY RIVER
CONTINUED From First Pace)

pany breathing spell. and i; will be
put In nr.t-class shape before the
stream Is erected. and the nrst rail-
laid on the King William side
GASOLESE- ELECTRIC
ENGINE Is USED
Owing TO cleanl!ness and freedom
from smoke and cinders OF the cleo
trio engine, the company has decided
no, 70 operate steam trains for pas
senger traffic. although the freight
Will be hauled h. regulation locomo-
tives. gasoicne-electric plant has
been Installed on the hrst car 70 be
put In operation
There Ia one ninety horsepower six
cylinder engine. which is run by saso-
lcnc, ana operates an electric generator
which supplies the current 10 drive
touf motors The. whole OF the ma
GhineT,a we iS ,ro 5h,ee tons and Is
car, which VAS built in the railroad
shops about a mile from the city. The
car can be run AZ speed in excess OF
thirty miles an hour.
These easolene- electric motors are
used extensively in Europe and in the
OF Oklahoma, The chief advantage OF
the new type OF motive. power is its
oheapness Of operation. 1t obviate,, the
tho overhead wires and trolley. An
other advantage Is the auietness OF the
engines. Persons sitting in the pas.
scnSer end OF the car do not even hear
the purr OF the machinery. The cars
s ,t without me CUSTOMARY jerk and
comfort Of the passengers.
CAR WAS CONSTRUCTED
IN LOCAL. SHOPS
The car We: built in tho local shops
! and is OF the regulation size. The front
end carries the motors. and a partI-
ton cuts on portion OF tho car FOR
| baggage and express. The rear end
provides seating capacity for thirty
persons. with standing room for al
, most AS many more. Trailers can be
attached without difficulty.
In addition 10 its sixteen and two
thirds mile OF main line. the Richmond
/ and Rappaha nnock River Railway
operates the Seven Pines line. OF eight
miles In length. and has completed a
spur track OF one and one-nalf milea
from its line 10 the Chesapeake and
/ Ohio Railway. which Will he used for
the transfer % carload lots az treic ut
in The city. or 10 other roads 70 rtranS-
portation "a distant points. The com
pAny has also huilt car shops and ha.
/ complete equipment for freight ser
vice. consisting OF steam engines and
/ box and fat cars. Although officials
hope II will never be needed, a wreck
ing outfit has also been purchased.
For the next month the passenger
service VIII consist OF two round trips
day. hut after the schools begin,
other trains may be operated. II is
not expected that passenger traffic
| Will be heavy, but II Will pick DIP
gradually. as many persons living
north OF the Pamunkey will come to
Richmond by the now route. The
tourist travel out of Richmond may
he developed. the line passes
through two OF the most important
battlefields I'm America
I'M
IMPORTANT RATTLEFIEI,DS
The battle OF Gaines Mill and Cold
Harbor were both fought in this Sec
ton. and brcastw orks can be seen on
| both sides OF the railroad. Al the
point where tho line passes through
Cold Harbor, three desperate charges
were made by the Federal troops, and
$4,000 men laid down their lives in
a brief space OF time.
The road crosses Powhitc Creek.
mentioned prominently by Mary John
atom in her novel. The Long Roll"
The now road will also go directly to
the National Cemetery, where thou
sands OF Federals are inferred
1t is the intention OF the company
10 construct road 10 the town OF
J Uroanna. on the Rappahannock River.
/ The line will be seventy-fve miles in
| length. and il penetrates virgin terri
! tory every foot of the distance. Tn
! der its franchise. the company has un-
| til 1918 to finish the work, and have its
trains in operation.
After the Tamunkey River is crossed.
| the line will be run TO Aylctts and
| trains will then be operated TO that
! point which is about half the distance
| to Crbanna. The next lap after pass
| ing Aylctts will call for the heaviest
| construction work, as the road will
| run on the ridge of a waterfall. and
| it will call for some severe grading.
| The people in the new territory are
greatly interested in the Richmond and
| kappahannock River Railway, but in
spite of the advantages OF such a road.
some difficulty has been experienced
in setting the right OF way.
Land values through the territory
| TO be tapped BY the new railway have
Jumped several notches. and sales are
brisk In some quarters The ground
is very rich, and good crops arc har-
vested each year.
In the Pamunkey River bottoms are
some Of the richest farms in the State.
Water is close to the surface, and
| the country, 1t Is claimed, will
eventually become the dairy centre OF
! this section. Some Of these farm lands
| are utilized for grazing nine months In
the year. and A crop OF alfalfa or
timothy Is then harvested,