Middletown transcript., 1915-10-09
THE ELECTRIC TRAIN
Will be Operated on Townsend
and Clayton Branches
CONTINUE STEAM FOR FREIGHT

AANOA "a LAM CON ENEIkIfll
Following the general line of advSnce-
ment and Improvement adopted by the
pennsylvania railroad thesline between.
Chestown and Townsend and Centre
vile and Townsend will in a very short
time be operated by electric trains. Bv
experience the railroads have found
that electric trains can be operated more
economically than those run by steam
and at the same time the comfort of
travel is greatly enhanced.
Electric cars would. no doubt. have
been rtnning in this section of the
Eastern Shore long ago, but for the
heavy expense of building the overhead
wires to furnish power to the motors.
Now, however, it is possible to run cleo
tric trains by huge storage batteries,
and the batteries may be charged daily
at the terminus of the road. A recharg-
ing depot would be constructed at the
Pennsylvania Railroad yards and power
would be turned into the batteries before
midnight. By moring they would be
ready for another days use.
Just what the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company proposes to do is, of course,
not definitely known. 1t is understood,
though, that they have been figuring
for some time on the heavy operative
cost of running steam trains on lines
similar to that between Chestertown and
Townsend. 1t is reported that the COM
pany's efficiency men have reported to
the executive officials that electric cars
are the solution of the heavy cost prob
lem, and that not only could the cost be
reduced but better service insured also.
In the event the company decides to
adopt electrically driven trains the
same tracks could be used, and there
would be practically no additional ex-
pense except in the purchase of differ
ent type of passenger coach.
1t is said that in the event the change
is made, the freight trains will remain
as they now are. Only the passenger
service will be affe .ted. 1t is probable
that the company proposes to run cleo
trio trains between Townsend and Ches-
tertown, and down the other two branch
roads to Centreville and Easton. These
electric trains will meet similar trains
running to Wilmington, where the
steam cars will again be used.
1t is argued that with a system of
electric cars the Pennsylvania Railroad
could give the Peninsula much better
and faster service. The IN and out
trains could easily be doubled. Trains
could leave Townsend and Chestertown
simultaneously, and instead of train
from the North in the morning and
evening, there could be two trains each
half of the day
Each car will be so constructed as to
be able to propel itself or Joined with
several other ctrs. One man will con-
troll the motive power of the entire
train, whether or not it is composed of
one or more cars.
1t IS also SAID the company is figuring
on giving Philadelphia patrons better
service for shipments of milk. Now, all
milk is shipped on passenger trains and
prompt delivery is often impossible in
view of slow service. With electric
trains better time could be made and
the hundreds of tons of Eastern Shore
milk could be gotten to Philadelphia on
possibly morning milk express.
1t is extremely difficult to obtain in
formation concerning just what may be
done. When the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company is planning an innovation it
usually keeps its own counsel, and this
instance is no exception. But the fact
that officials are already investigating
the purchase of electr city is taken as an
indication that the great railroad organ
ization is actually contemplating
change that has been eagerly awaited
by Eastern Shoremen for several de-
cades.
While in Chestertown the Pennsyl-
vania r. r. official was in consultation
with MIR. Frederic H. Russell, maeager
of the local electric light plant.