The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-07-25
Railways Saving Fuel by
EleCtrifCatiOn

In European countries, where the high
price of coal and its scarcity have furnished
added incentive. railway arrangements are
vigorously pushing plans for identification.
In Italy and Switzerland the coal situation
is acute, and plans are we'll matured for the
utilization of the vast water powers in order
to become independent of foreign coal sup
ply in emergencies such as the present war.
These plans contemplate not only the ele-
trical operation of the railroads but the ele-
trifcation of industrial plants as we'll.
In addition to the actual saving in coal
resulting from identification of the existing
steam railroads, the experience of main line
railroads now operating electrically demon
strates that an increased capacity of tracks
is made available by the increased train loads
and the greatly increased operating speeds.
Furthermore, under steam operation the fuel
coal has to be transported over the road as
non-revenue tonnage from the mines or from
the point of delivery of the right of way to
the various coaling stations. thus occupying
the tracks and the engines which might
otherwise be used in the production of reve-
nue.. A non-revenue movement which is
much more difficult to reduce to actual fig
ures, however. is the haaling of this same
coal in the engine tenders. This movement
of company coal in cars and on tenders, to-
gether with water for steaming purposes, is
estimated by Mr.. A. H. Armstrong in the
case of mountain divisions of trunk line
railway SECTIONS in the most immediate need
of identification as fully 10 per cent of the
total gross ton miles carried over the rails.
Under these conditions the electric locomo-
tive, due to freedom from coal and water
requirements, is inherently capable of haul
ing 10 per cent more average train tonnage
with no increase of weight upon the driv-
ing axles.
Data is now available for several railway
systems showing that the cost of conversion
to electrical operation in the case of roads
with reasonable amount of traffic is amply
justified from the financial standpoint. The
Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway, which
was electrified in 1913 at an initial cost of
ST, POI 1000, showed total net saving per
year over steam operation of $242, 800, ex-
ceeding 20 per cent upon the entire cost of
identification. In addition to this definite
money saving the road secured greatly in
creased and great Improvement in the SER
vice. These facts being well established it
is quite within reason that the Federal
Government should take steps to conserve
the existing supply of coal and fuel oil by
assisting to finance such identification as
competent engineering authorities should be
able to show will make the greatest saving
in fuel.
In order to establish definite ratio of
comparison between the efficiency of the
steam locomotive and the electric systems
showing data from various roads have been
compiled that as an average figure seven
pounds of coal on the steam locomotive
tender is equivalent to a kilowatt-hour of
electricity on the alternating current switch
board at the power-house. A kilovAtt- hour
of electrical energy can be produced in
modern power plant with two and one-half
pounds of coal. This means that it requires
seven pounds of good coal on steam loco
motive to haul the same amount of net tom
mage as could be handled with an electric
locomotive by burning two and one-half
pounds of coal in an up-to-date power house.
1t is necessary to use net tonnage figures to
secure fair basis of comparison, since there
is much greater percentage of non-revenue
freight with steam than with electric haulage
owing to the handling of company coal for
the steam locomotive.
= These assumptions are based on a good
quality of coal on the locomotive and in the
power station. Experience has demonstrated
that there is no economy in attempting. to
use low grade fuel on the locomotive, but
with stationary boilers and equipment it is
possible to materially reduce the cost of
power by burning low-grade coal. For
purposes of comparison, the ratio of to
d is a conservative figure. Selected.