The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-04-01
ELECTRIC SYSTEM
TO THE PACIFIC
MILWAUKEE HAS ONLY SHORT
GAP TO CLOSE BETWEEN
MONTANA AND COAST
Success of Experiment Started in
Montana Will Undoubtedly Cause
Eventual Identification of Every
Railroad in the United States; Big
Saving.

Eventual DISQUALIFICATION Ol 1fcIl
Railroad in the United States; BIZ
Saving.
When the gap between Avery
Idaho, and Othello, Wash, is closed
a distance of 235 miles, the Milwau
kee railroad will be operating mail
line trains from Harlowton, Mont.
to Tacoma with hydro-electric power
Entering Montana in the northwes
corner of Mineral county, passing
through Butte to Harlowton, the
Milwaukee has had nearly 500 miles
of it's line electrified for a number
of years. Two divisions in the Roc
kies have been operating electrically
since 1916, and the Pacific division
is the third link in the electrifica-
ton system of the Milwaukee line,
The intent of the Milwaukee to sup
plant its steam engines with electric
power was demonstrated in January
this year when massive new electric
engines were given test trips through
Butte from Deer Lodge to Harlow
ton.
Coast Service Begins
These new Milwaukee electric en-
gines have 1920 horse power and
weigh 275 tons. One of these en-
gines can handle the heavy transcon-
~tinental trains oYer electrified sec
lions between eastern Montana and
the Pacific coast, including the in
tervening mountain ranges. The
newly electrified operation on the
Milwaukee was begun Friday, ex-
tending from Othello, Wash, to Seat
tie and Tacoma, a distance of 22O
miles, in addition to the other cleo
trio zone, including Butte, as the
Rocky mountains n crossed.
''These are the most widely
known sections of railroad track in
the world" said F. H. Sheppard, dir
ector of heavy traction of the West
inghouse electric and manufacturing
plant. 1.-THE eyes of the world are
on them today and for several very
important reasons:
First Electric Road
cit is the first identification of
any considerable stretch of railroad
on which the operation is exclusively
electric, that is, not combined with
steam locomotive operation. 1t is
the first extensive railroad of cleo
trio operation to use hydro-electric
power.
1.-THE nations throughout the
world are all intense in their desire
to utilize hydro-electric power and
to eIectrify their railroads to con
serve coal. Small wonder, there
fore, that the example of the Chi
,ago, Milwaukee & St. Paul exerts an
influence on their con-
in this respect alone. Con-
some time in the future the re-
of % per cent of the country's
of fuel, the amount used by
the railroads. Consider also the di-
of movement necessary to
haul this fuel to revenue tonnage
and its effect on the railroads them
selves, and eventually the capacity
released due to this fuel being haul
I'd behind the steam locomotive in
It's tender.
Commissions or representatives
rom England, France, Italy, Poland,
Belgium and eve South Africa, Bra
Ill, Java and Japan have officially
the Milwaukee identification
n the interests of railway electrifi-
cation in their respective countries.
"This demonstration of great pow
IT suggests, in fact, the solution of
he railroad problem in America. The
demand for traffic movement seems
nsatiable, it having doubled gener-
lily about each IL years, and we all
the country must not stand
till. There comes with this increas-
ID demand the necessity for great
,ower to move trains in order that
he utmost from track capacity and
ABILITIES may be realized"
The greatest actual electrical OPP
of the Pacific division of the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul rail-
Dad, the first road in the northwest
electrify its lines, took place Fri
lay when the transcontinental Olym-
,ian left Seattle for Chicago, pulled
a gigantic electric locomotive, the
irst to push aside the "steam horse"
N the Pacific coast.
Preceding the electrically-pulled
)lympian on it's trip across the Cas-
.ade mountains was a special cleo
demonstration train carrying
transportation officials, electrical
authorities and press representa-
ives. This demonstration carrier
peeded In advance of the Olympian,
its guests an opportunity to
the big electric locomotives
negotiating the sheer grades in the
cascades. The demonstration pro-
.eeded as far as Gle Elum, while the
)lympian continued It's t~ranscontin-
trip.
War Delayed Engines
Thus was inaugurated electricity
8 a motive power on the Pacific d.
-ision of the Milwaukee. Test runs
lad been made every day for a week
before the big flyer started on its
initial transcontinental trip. The
rolleys, transmission lines and sub
equipment had been complet-
ID for several months, but construc-
ion of the locomotives, each of which
las as much pulling power as
steam locomotives, was delay