Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1915-11-11
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1918.
5000 Volt Direct
Current Locomotives

identification OF steam railroad lines,
the undertaking Of the Chicago, Mil
waukee & St. Paul Railway in cleo
trifying 44O miles of its transcontin-
entail system between Harlowton,
Montana, and Avery, Idaho, in con-
nection with it's through service be-
tween Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul,
Minneapolis and the Pacific north
coast, discloses many interesting fea-
lures. Harlowton is 1 1853 feet above
sea level, while Avery is at an elcva-
ton of 2,494 feet. Two mountain
ranges of $500 and 500 feet, re-
spectively, are crossed by this section
of the railroad.
Although the railroad placed its
initial order for the necessary equip
ment only in September, 1914, it is
announced that the electric locomo.
tives will enter active work some time
this month. The overhead construc-
ton, which will include $50 miles OF
single track, has been completed for
a distance of more than 200 miles.
The 10O,0OO-volt transmission line
which is being erected to parallel the
electrified tracks has been completed
for an equal distance, while the tie-in
lines from the 100, 00O-volt system OF
the Montana Power Company are
ready for service. The trackage now
available for train operation includes
extensive yards and sidings at Three
Forks, Deer Lodge and Piedmont,
and passing tracks at other points.
The rail bonding crews have followed
the overhead construction gangs,
completing the ground circuits.
While the electric locomotives are
undoubtedly the most interesting fea-
ture of the electrifcation, neverthe-
less few facts concerning the trolley
construction and transmission lines
are worthy of note.
Wooden poles are used throughout
the system, both for cross span and
bracket construction. The twin No.
OO0O trolley wires are suspended in
dividually and separately from the
same steel catenary, and the hangers
of one trolley wire are located at
points mid span on the other. In
the switching yards only one trolley
wire is used.
The current for operating the loco
motives on the opening stretch of the
electrified railroad is derived from
Montana water power. This current
is sent over the transmission line at
potential of 100000 volts to the
seven substations designed to supply
power to the first half of the 440
miles of route. The substations trans
form the 100, OO0-volt three-phase al
ternating current into 3,OOO-volt di-
rect current through the agency of
step-down transformers and rotary
converters.
The initial number of electric loco
motives for the railroad will be forty
two, OF which twelve will be geared
for passenger service and thirty for
freight. The locomotives are said to
be the most powerful ever built and
have a continuous capacity greater
than that of any steam or electric To-
connective in existence. Although
each locomotive weighs but "a per
cent as much as combined Mallet
steam engine and tender, which it is
replacing, it has tonnage rating of
23.5 per cent greater and a speed
with drag tonnage of approximately
57.5 to 96.S per cent greater than
the latter.
The electric locomotives are each
112 feet 8 inches long, and in reality
comprise two distinct machines per-
manently coupled together and used
as a single unit. The capacity of one
locomotive is rated at 3,44O horse.
power; the entire tractive effort be-
ing brought to bear on eight drive
wheels, each 50 inches in diameter.
In order to save the track from wear
and tear by minimizing the vertical
and horizontal blows, the drive wheels
are fitted with separate motors, in
dividually -geared to each of
eight pairs of drivers.
Perhaps the most important feature