The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-05-03

To bring this subject much Heaiei
home, 1t has recently been announced
that the Lehigh Valley railroad has
under consideration the electriication
of its main line from Jersey City to
Wilkesbarre, about 176 miles, besides
similarly equipping a branch DIVISION
extending an additional 81 miles. The
idea is to utilize coal at points near
the mines and thus save the expense
incident to transportation.
A similar system has been profit
ably employed by the Norfolk
Western railway upon section ~
miles long between Bluefield and WV
ian, W. Va This line runs through
an important coal district, and the
stretch in question involves some
physical difficulties in the way of very
troublesome grades and a tunnel upon
sharp slope 800 feet long. The tun-
mel caused a great deal of inconven-
fence when steam engines We're used,
especially when three great locomo-
lives were putting and painting their
way up grade with a heavy train.
| The substitution of electric tractors
has achieved striking results and has
effectually done away with the nox-
ious atmosphere and dangerous con-
ditions under which service was pre-
viously maintained through the tun-
mel. The electric locomotives are do
ing their work better and faster, and
| II is said that they have handled up
Elkhorn hill in a single day SO per
cent more freight tonnage than was
handled by steam locomotives in a
maximum record day
| It is reported by the chief electrical
engineer of the line that "the move
ment of heavy tonnage trains by elec-
tricity has been effected with ease and
smoothness, the trains accelerate
promptly and without shocks and
jerks on the heavy grades, and it has
been found that the full trains can be
controlled smoothly by one head en-
CINE on the 25 per cent down grade
| by electric braking alone and lat a
uniform speed slightly above that of
the regular running speed.
1.-THE acceleration of one of these
heavy trains is impressive as regards
the amount of power required. Tests
indicate that getting a train in mo-
ton up the grade requires as much as
II, 900 electrical horse power and
when running at uniform speed up
grade 5000 electrical horse power is
delivered to the train"
Waste of Water Power.
BY converting coal at the mines in
to electrical energy the losses incident
to many separate steam plants, in the
form of a great number of locomo
tiyes, is reduced to a minimum, be-
cause the central station can be OPP
Grated far more. economically by
means of mechanical stokers and 9TH
er labor saving apparatus that cut
down running costs At the same
time coal is conserved and the vast
| age and labor due to repeated handl-
ing are enormously reduced. These
are things that ultimately concern the
entire public because sooner or later
the consumer of goods hauled or the
passenger must foot the bill
| The public is gradually awakening
to the general neglect heretofore of
water power resources. Right here in
New York state we are allowing to go
to waste potential energy in this form
fully $250,OO0. Plainly, if this water
power motive force is turned to the
driving of industrial wheels, the light
ing Of homes and great variety of
services, then many thousands of tons
of coal could be saved or utilized at
lower prices where hydroelectric. en-
ergy is not within reach.
In the whole United States, con-
sevatively estimated, there is avail
able for development economically a
matter of quite 25,000,000 water horse
power. Assuming this to be valued at
an average of but $40 per horse pow
err per year it means that we are neg
lecting a natural source of wealth
worth $500000,000 annually. Again,
allowing 6 tons of coal for the pro-
duction of one horse power per year,
by using instead energy obtained from
water power we could accomplish a
saving of 150,O00000 tons of this fuel
every - months