The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-02-11
/ IdCIS 3C IIUICyO
Likely to be Popular

The indications are that there will
be very general use made in this
country of the trackless trolley as
means of extending and feeding the
railroads and trolley lines. In the
countries of Europe the trackless troll
ley has been in successful operation
for many years. In England, today,
according to the Electric Railway
Journal, there are twenty companies
with more than 100 miles of trackless
trolley installations operating or au-
thorized, with Italy has eight COM
panies comprising total of AZ IL
miles of route, and Germany has
eight installations for passenger and
freight traffic. France, Sweden and
Austria have a number of installations
which have given satisfaction.
In view of the present high cost of
electric railway construction and OF
the competition with the motor bus,
it is desirable that consideration be
given to the trackless trolley in con-
nection with the proposed extension
of railway lines and the furnishing OF
TRANSPORTATION to communities not now
served by street railways. The track
less trolley is promising in it's small
required initial expenditure, as COM
pared with the electric railway, and in
the reasonable operating expenses.
In comparing the operation of the
trolley bus with the gasoline-operated'
bus, it would seem that such items as
maintenance of way, transportation,
traffic, general and miscellaneous &C
counts would not differ greatly as be-
tween the two. However, by substi-
tuting an electric motor for the gaso-
line engine, collecting the current
from overhead wires, great reduc-
ton should be made in maintenance,
power and depreciation. The first cost
of the installation would be very little
greater than if gasoline-propelled
buses were used.
The Mercedes-Stol system is prob
ably the most used in Europe. The
chassis is of pressed steel and weighs
approximately three thousand pounds
and all four wheels are drivers. The
collector is of the over-running or
carriage type. The current collector
at the trolley end is composed OF a
frame having two small grooved
wheels with ball bearings on each side,
one for running on each wire. A
cable with a double wire hangs from
the center of this frame or trolley and
has weighted pendulem, which keeps
the wheels well pressed down on the
wires. This collector allows consider
able movement from the trolley wire
and extreme movement is taken care
of by means of cable and reel on the
car which allows rs to 80 feet radius
from the center of the trolley When
vehicles operating in opposite direc-
lions meet, the drivers exchange col
lectors and plugs, which are readily
detachable and within easy reach.
This system of collection of current
has proved successful, but has the dis
advantage of requiring special over
head Instruction. In case the car
riage leaves the trolley wire and falls
to the street it is considerably dam
aged.
There are eight different companies
in Germany which are making use of
the Filovia system with total of
forty miles of route. This system adj
) heres to a two-motor drive, each mo-
tor being mounted on the chassis and
geared to a back shaft on which a
sprocket wheel is mounted. Transmits
sion of power to the rear wheels is
by means of chain drive. Each car
is equipped with 12-horsepower motors
The collectors used are similar to
those described above, except that
they are carried on rigid pole mount
ed on the bus.
The Max Schiemann system has
! been employed extensively in Germany
for both passenger and freight service.
There are eight or more installations,
three of which are for passenger ser,
! vice only, four for freight traffic only
/ and one handles both, passenger and
i freight traffic. This system uses a
| two-motor drove, each motor being
; mounted on the truck chassis and
, geared to back shaft by means of
bevel gears. Power is transmitted to
the rear wheels by chain drive.
: Three methods of collecting cur
rent are used with this system, name
ly two trolley poles with double