The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-16

lives, ana the current is Supplleu 70
the locomotives through an under
ground contact system. A specially
designed contact pillow slides between
two ct" conductors and transmits the
power to the locomotive. This contact
plow also passes through the slot
opening in the conduit cover and IS
f1exibly connected to the locomotive
in such a manner as to follow all ir-
overs, and therefore insures contin-
uous supply of power.
The Locomotives.
The working parts of the locomo-
tives are supported by two longitud-
inal upright side frames of cast steel,
connected by transverse beams. The
locomotive is thus mounted upon four
wheels, carried on two axles, the
wheel base being II feet, and the over
lall length of the locomotive over 80
feet. Each axle is driven by it's own
motor, independent of the other; AMI
the construction is identical at both
ends of the machine. The motor is OF
the three-phase type and it is geared
by pinion and spur gear to the coun-
tershaft.
The two traction motors are COZ
trolled by suitable controllers Install
ed in the cabs at the ends of the Loco
motives. and the circuits are such
that both motors can be controlled
from either cab and can be operated
singly or in multiple as desired. Cur.
rent is taken from the supply conduc-
tors by special current collecting
device.
In connection with each motor !
powerful brake is installed; and, as
during operation the motors are at
times geared either to the axles IT
to the cog wheels, the truck wheels
are not provided with any brake rig
iging. In addition to this automatic
brake, means are provided for apply
ing the brakes manually in order 10
supplement the action of the auth
tscending a grade or approaching a
rack rail.
Passing now to the features which
render the locomotive peculiarly
adapted for towing purposes, it Is OBJ
served that the drum. on which the
towing cable is wound, is located mid
way between the ends of the locomo-
| tive and cbove the upper member IT
the side frames, so that the cable caa
be led off on either side Of the ma
chine and through wide range OF
angles to the line of travel.
A motor with bevel gear pinion is
used for driving the drum at high
speed when coiling the cable that has
been cast off, and it remains per-
manently in gear. Another motor with
worm gear drive is used for taking
in the cable when it is under load, and
the drum operates as windlass o.
capstan. The drive Is cut out py
means of a solenoid-operated jaws
clutch.
Each of the two main traction mo-
tors has rating of h. D., and is OF
the slip ring, induction type, operated
by system of contractors with master
controller in each cab. The motors.
by means Of the change in gearing
from straight traction to rack rail
towing previously described, drive the
locomotive at a speed of two miles
per hour when towing and FIVE miles
per hour when returning idle. These
motors act as induction generators
running above synchronous speed
when the locomotive is passing down
the steep inclines and thereby exert
retarding brake effect to keep the
Ispeed uniform.
The towing locomotives possess the
following operating characteristics:
While towing, the speed can be ac-
CELEBRATED from zero to two miles per
hour
While running idle, the speed can
be accelerated from zero to five miles
I per hour. permitting return trips at
increased speed.
The windlass will pay out or wind
in cable at the low rope speed and at
the full tow line pull of $4,000 h.,
either when the locomotive is running
or at rest.
The windlass will pay out or coil In
cable at the high rope speed with the
tow line taut, either when the loco
motive is running or at rest.
The windlass is equipped with
safety friction device, which is ad-
Unstable for any predetermined value
OF the tow line pull.
The locomotives have net weight
of $4,000 pounds and a gross shipping
weight of 92,500 pounds They were
mounted on specially designed skids
and shipped from the Schenectady
plant of the General Electric company
by rail to New York, where they were
Ioodad ~, hoard tho chine nc dacl