Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-10
IF STEAM FAILS
BURN GASOLINE
Washington Railroad Train Is
Replaced by Big Motor
Truck.

The motor has produced profits on
n certain stretch of railroad in the
state oi Washington, which had been
operated at a loss with steam loco
motives and then abandoned until the
gasoline propelled cars We're Installed:
The 50-milc route runs thru ruSgeu
country of remarkable scenic beauty
over n road that was blasted from the
rocky mountainside above the Stilla-
guamish river and that is no waccess-
lille to thousands of travellers. In fact'
the lumber company that operates the
road is planning to develop the section
extensively to make 1t more desirable
for tourists. building new trails and
improving the old ones, so that the
end of the line may become conte'
for many excursions afoot or on horse
back.
The railroad connects the town OF
Hartford with the Monte Carlo mine,
once the center of industry, specula-
ton and excitement during the days
of big production. The bonanza passed
how ever, the miners. adventurers, the
gamblers and parasites sought other
fields OF endeavor. and Monte Carlo
became memory Traffic grew slack
and finally the railroad was aban-
doned. The Northern Pacific Railway
company made an attc ipt to bring
back the old road, hut the few hun
dred people living along the route did
not afford enough business to pay the
cost of maintaining the service, Sc
once more the road was idle.
I,Imbcrmcn Bay Track.
Then somotimber land owners oi
Everett. Wash, bought the unprofit-
able "strcaks of rust" as they had
many square miles OF forest along the
line. 1t occurred to Rucker Bros. that
i'm addition to their logging trains they
might develop n passenger service II
something cheaper than steam opera
tion could be found.
The motor truck solved their prob
lem very effectively. A one and half
ton chassis was adapted to this pur'
pose by eQuipping II with steel-flanget
wheels and a body with n capacity OF
% passengers. Few changes were re
quired to make the standard chassi:
serve as "A railway bus. The steerini
wheel was removed and the from
wheels adjusted to follow the rails
The addition of three steel trusses tt
support the unusually wide body, anC
the fact that the wheel base Is eXtri
long constitute the only points of diff
ference between this car and the sam,
truck used on the highway
New System Made u Hit.
The new transportation system
made "A hit from the start and daily
service was begun with one car, fol
lowed during the summer by double
service as "A second machine was in
stalled. II was found that wher'
steam had failed to operate profitably
the motor could earn money as th
expense was very slight. The drive
is also conductor, collecting the fares
and doubtless acts as brakeman, fire
| man and baggageman in one. Thi
pares down the payroll to the mini
mum, and the other expenses are no
formidable. The hundred miles roun'
trip with a full load consumes onl,
seven gallons of gasoline. Depreci
alton is slight, as the steel rails Gu
down undue jar, and the cost of rub
| Der tires is eliminated
While the ordinary motor truck
slow-moving vehicle, the steel rail
and easy grades make IT possible 70
| this railway bus to travel as an aver
age of 30 miles an hour. just fas
age ~ thirty miles an hour. Just fas
| for enjoyment of the scenic wonder
OF canyon and deep -shadowed fores
-OrgonCan.