Evening star., 1922-02-19
MOTOR RAIL CAR
PASSES ALL TESTS
New Vehicle Declared to
Have Improved Suburban
Passenger Service.

Signals are open and the track
is clear for the 1922 run of the new
type Of gasoline rail car shown In
the picture above. The car has sue
ccssfully passed rigid tests conducted
by railroad experts and is now rapid
ly being adopted by many leading
railroads throughout the country Tor
branch line service.
Whenever it has been installed,
this gaSoline-propelled car mas
brought about many marked I'M
proyements in rail passenger service.
Particularly are these improvements
noticeable in the suburban lines oi
the New York, New Haven anu Mart
ford railroad, where three such cars
designed by the International Motor
Company, are now in regular service.
Good on Branch Lines.
According to w. L. Bean, mechani-
cal assistant to President Pearson OF
the New Haven road. the gasoline
rail car embodies many decided ad-
vantages when compared with steam
or electrified service on branch line
runs. For frequent and speedy serE-
ice at low comparative costs tn1s
new car has no equal. Its use also
makes possible the elimination of the
usual expensive terminal facll1tles
such as coal storage bins, water tanks
and ashpits.
Furthermore, it is said that the
running costs are no more than one
third of those for operating a two
car steam train, and railroa,. men are
enthusiastic in their BELIEF that the
gasoline engine will enable them to
profitably solve their shortline prob
lens.
Advantage Not One-Sided.
This saving in operating costs.
combined with the comparatively
small capital investment required, is
not at all one-sided, but will have a
far-reaching effect. For example,
records o. the Interstate Commerce
Commission show that during 192l
operation was suspended or discon-
tinued on over 1900 miles of railway,
principally because the revenues OBJ
tanned were unable to support the
costly steam-train service. obvious
ly the lack of adequate transporta-
ton facilities for sections OF the
country affected by such railroad re-
trenchment has greatly retarded COM
mercial and social progress. Ehclent
economic railroad service can now be
restored to these neglected areas by
means of gasoline rail cars with bene-
ficial results that cannot be measured.
At the same time frequent passen-
ger schedule is now made possible on
the many branch lines throughout
the country where up to the present
time but few trains d day have been
unsatisfactory attempting to fill the
public demand.
Comfort in Riding.
Those who have ridden in this new
rail car have pronounced it the
Limousine of the rails" because of
ri
ease in riding is made possible by a
new method of spring. suspension
constructed so that the ends of all
springs are carried in heavy mold
suspended by an ordinary spring
shackle. The absence of dirt. smoke
and cinders. So common with steam
trains, makes travel by rail car an
added pleasure. Moreover. the de-
sign of the car affords unlimited op-
portunity for the appreciation of
scenic beauties, for the vision is un-
obstructed not only to the sides but
also to the front.
Resembles Motor Bus.
In appearance the car resembles
the better type of stream-line motor
bus, yet 1t is much larger and is COM
pletely equipped with special safety
devices and necessary railroad ac-
cessorieS. For instance, a four-wheel
truck under the front assures sta
Olllty, wnlte the power IS dlrect TO the
rear wheels by means of the usual
motor truck drive shaft. The wheel
at the drivers seat is not used for
steering, but operates emergency
brakes in addition to the regular
braking system operated by COM
pressed air. With special trans
mission Of four speeds ahead and
four in reverse. the car can make
an average speed in either direction
of between thirty-fiye to forty miles
an hour. This speed. coupled with
the ability of the gasoline engine to
accelerate rapidly when starting from
a station. makes it easy to maintain
steam-train schedules even under un-
favorable operating conditions.
Railroad experts who have care
fully watched the performance Of this
new gasoline rail car have proclaimed
It q Revolutionary addition to rail-
road equipment that will benefit both
the railroads and the travelling pub
lie"