The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-06-30
FIRST UNIT CAR
ON c. Y. RAILROAD
Operated by BrattleborO
Crew Between Here
and Palmer
REPRESENTS GREAT
SAVING TO ROAD
Hoped One May BE Put into Service on
West River RailrOad-Runs by Steam.
Using 80 Gallons of Kerosene for Fuel
Each Trip

For the first time in the history of a
New England railway system a single
unit type car is being operated on regu-
lar runs, the experiment now being un-
der way on the system of the Central
Vermont railroad between Brattleboro
and Palmer. Mass
The car is a combination vehicle, op-
Grated by steam and has baggage COM
partment in addition to passenger accom-
modations. 1t is the product of the La
COMA Car Works in Laconia, n. H., is
40 feet long of steel frame construction
with plate glass windows and interior
finished in quartered oak.
1t is powered with a Stanley steamer
type boiler and engine of 800 pound
steam capacity and is capable of speed
on the level of 80 to 40 miles an hour.
1t is Illuminated by electricity and ON
the experimental runs on the Central
Vermont system is taking the place Of .
regular passenger train.
On its present schedule the combina-
tion locomotive. baggage and passenger
car is covering the 56 miles of track be-
tween Brattleboro and Palmer twice
daily. and the trip each way occupies
| two hours and 10 minutes, including
| time for stops at the IL stations between
| the two points. About so gallons of kero-
! sene are consumed in one round trip of
/ 112 miles.
| While the car viii operate at slow
/ speed on steam pressure of 400 pounds.
/ the efficiency point is gained at GOO
/ pounds. 1t viii generate 400 pounds
| pressure from cold boiler in 80 min
uteS. Less than one-half the car length
I 4 L
! room. Smoking Is prohibited except in
| the rear veStibule The car has coup
/ ling and hose connections for a second
| car, making il possible to increase the
| capacity of the train.
! Experienced railroad men are of the
opinion that this type of car can be ops
Grated to advantage where traffic Is not
iheayy. 1t represents a great saving to
! the railroad because the train crew con-
| SiStS Of a mOtorman and conductor. the
! two replacing a regular train and Its
minimum crew of five men. As against
the fuel economy of the new type of car.
! q locomotive would consume three tons
of coal in making the same journey and
| in addition would require larger sums for
upkccp and Oyerhauing.
/ If the experimental car proves success
fuI. it is planned to place two larger We
hicleS of the same type in operation.
These will have greater power and en-
| larged passenger accommodations.
i The interior signal system is SINH
lar to that used on trolley cars, the con-
ductOr using the bell rope TO signal the
operator. The exterior system consists
Of a standard locomotive whistle and
bell. The car is equipped with standard
locomotive cowcatcher.
j c. VI. Houston of Brattleboro has been
selected by the railroad officials to run
the new combination car. He is instruct
ing H. +. ellison of Brattleboro, who will
later be the regular motorman of this
one-car train. ]. T.. Pierce of Brattle-
boro is the conductor. The vehicle Is
leased to the Central Vermont railroad
Il by the Unit Railway Car Co.
Ii is the hope of many persons in the
West River valley that the railroad com
| pany viii make the experiment of run
ming such a car over the West River
branch between Brattleboro and South
Londonderry, as it is believed the serv.
ice afforded by it would be a great i'm
provement over that now in effect.