The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-05-03
Railroads Turn To Electricity---W Would
Utilize Water Power Running To Waste
New York SUM


axles, which produce motive force
of 3440 horse power. Outwardly, the
locomotives appear to be two because
they are divided in the center; this Is
done in order to insure greater flexi-
bility in handling and when round
ing curves.
Because these tractors can be con-
trolled with equal ease from either
required at division points. From
end to end the huge engines have a
length of 112 feet There are AZ of
them on the Avery Harlowton electri-
ed in line they would cover a distance
of nearly mile Each Of these trac-
tors weighs 6 tons more than the
mammoth Mallet compound steam To-
comotives used elsewhere on the Chi.
cago, Milwaukee 4 st. Paul railway.
The electric locomotive does the
work of four ordinary steam engines,
and is capable of handling its full
| a.
to 16 miles an hour as against the 8
to 10 miles an hour possible with Of
it's steam rivals. On l per cent
grade, or a rise of 52.S feet in mile,
passenger train of 500 tons at rate
of rs miles an hour, while on level
stretches it can do mile a minute.
This Is a very considerable gain over
the speeds obtainabe under similar
conditions with steam traction
1t must be remembered that each
steam locomotive is a self-contained
power plant which may or may not be
men in charge of it. 1t takes a long
time to start an ordinary locomotive
that has been standing in the round
house, and this work calls for the at
tention of the engineer and fireman
from the very beginning of steam
raising More than that, certain
amount of coal is burned at low eff
oiency in raising the water to the
4
ed operating pressure. There is no re-
turn upon this outlay
Furthermore, all the time during
which the locomotive is waiting in the
yard or station and not actually en-
gagged in hauling represents an un-
profitable period. and finally there are
the halts for fuel and water along the
run and the protracted attendance al
CINE Is again returned to a round
house. One might cite other condi-
TONS such as leaky valves, changes
of altitude and the effects of weather
en- route, which have very decided
bearing upon the working and the cost
of operating steam locomotives.
Advantages of Electric Power.
See, then, how different is the story
in the case of the electric tractor
Each of these electric locomotives is
entirely Independent of coal pockets
along the way, for it needs neither
fuel nor water, and therefore does, not
have to drag along behind it bulky,
burdensome tender. Further the man
at the lever has nothing whatever to
do with the generation of energy, and,
accordingly, all of these tractors can
be operated exactly alike.
! No matter what the grade, the mo-
torman knows that his supply of mo-
tive force will remain constant, and
equal to the tax on 1t, his locomotive
meeting each changing condition cas-
lily and without wracking stress. 1t
can run 1000 miles without overhaul
ing, and for" that reason can cover
several steam railway divisions at one
flues to clean and no boilers to in
spect. 1t can be started out of it's
roundhouse at an instant's notice; it
can be housed at the end of its run
for these reasons the cost of supervi-
sion and maintenance falls far below
that Of it's steam rival.
AS one of the experts has said:
"ihtcit ab'Ne al, NeiiicHStiateS ltie
efficiency of the electric locomotive. Its
great driving power gives it a marked
advantage over its steam competitor
in pushing through heavy snowdrifts.
OF even more importance. however Is
the fact that while the steam tractor
experiences most trouble in bitter cold
weather, through slow fires, loss of
heat by radiation and frozen pipes,
the electric locomotive is actually at
its best under such conditions
Not only are electrical conditions
favored by the dry, cold air of winter
but since practically the only difficulty
with electric motors Is their tendency
to heat when working at maximum II |
follows that the colder the weather !
the less the coils will heat"
Many Difficulties to Overcome.
Lest the layman imagine from the |
foregoing recital Of virtues that cleo
trification of trunk line railroad Is
an easy task 1t may be we'll to let the
already quoted correct any
misapprehension. He says:
ITO the superficial observer, famil-
lar with the simplicity of electric
traction as 1t appears to him in his
daily travels on street cars, it might 1