The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-02

suss an = cleel 0CouUmAc GAIN, Il n
claimed. Fewer men would = ~
ing one branch Of the worlds ~ |,
Tho remainder would become ~
gagged in other productive labor.
The first stsp In the plan for a.
classification OF the nation h a.
changing over Of railroads ftn~
steam to electric power. Ths IN.
roads cross the country In every A.
rection and the cities aud indss.
tries which consume power ~
built uR along their tracks. pUv.
or cablse would parallel the tr,cka
but would carry 20 much mnrs
power than would b. required for
the railways that the surplus would
b ample for diversion Of the cities
snrouts. This would run the mills
and factories, light the cities anS
furnish power for municipal trac-
ton lines.
When William @. McAdoo was
director general Of railroads during
federal control in the war time, he
said that II government control
were to be permanent, or even long
extended. his first step would b
the Identification Of the railroads,
Some Of the roads have taken the
step already. Miles of the Balti-
more and Ohio, the Boston and
Maine. the Chicago. Milwaukee and
st. Paul, the Erie, the Great Nor.
thern, the Michigan Central, the
New York Central. the New York.
New Haven and Hartford, the Nor
folk and Western, the Pennsylvania
and the Southern Pacific systems
already operated by electricity and
the benefits found are reduction in
fuel cost, in maintenance cost, elm
ination Of coaling engines; increas-
ed tonnage per train, increased
speed on grades. increased RELIABLE
ity, reduced train crews, increased
safety, reduced damage and wear
on equipment, reduced deprecia-
ton on tracks and improved atmos-
pheric conditions. Noise also is
eliminated. The child of the fu-
ture may not identify a railroad
train as a "choo-choo."
Electric Operation Cheaper.
All operating costs considered,
the experts figure that there is q
net saving of rs per cent in cleo
trio operation of railroad trains as
compared with steam. An analysis
made by the Norfolk and, Western
railroad revealed that the fuel cost
of running an electric locomotive
100 miles was $44.s5 compared with
cost of $72.42 for a steam locomo-
tive.
1t is estimated that power can be
transmitted by cable for distance
of 200 miles before the leakage
makes the transmission wasteful.
In many sections Of the country, no
railroad is more than 200 miles dis
tant from = coal mine. But in the
non-coal producing regions, the
mine mouth electrical plants
would be supplemented, under the
plan, by hydro-electric power
plants. The nation is rich in vat
Empower, by far the greater part OF
which is undeveloped. The general
scheme of railroad and industrial
Identification would include great
or power development from tho
streams. Between these hydro
electric plants and the coal con-
Stunning power plants the country
could be covered with net work Of
power cables which would serve
every purpose.
Some coal movement would con-
tinue, such as that for domestic
heating, but the great bulk Of the
coal transported to run railroads
and factories would not leave the
mines. Its energy would be ship
ped by wire.
Such a stupendous development
could not be realized in a day. II
would be the work of many years
but with the force of the govern
ment, supplemented by the support
of the great industrial and railroad
corporations, it might be feasible
undertaking.