White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-01-14
Electrifying the Great Northern in
the Cascade Mountains

thern Railway has attracted great at
tention among railway officials and
electrical engineers because of the
new system adopted, and the retire
ment of one of the pioneer elctrifica-
lions in America a three-phase system,
to give place to the new work. The
present undertaking involves the re-
vision of the original Identification
between Tye, Washington, at the
western end of the Cascade tunnel
and the eastern portal of the same
tunnel, and the extension of the cleo
IRRIGATION westward to Skykomish,
Washington. The electrified mileage
will thus be increased from four miles
to "a miles of main line trackage, ex-
elusive of yards.
This identification project consti-
tutes what is reported to be the first
step in a program that will include
SO miles of main line via new tun-
mel, from Gold Bar to Wenatchee.
By eliminating the duplication of
helper service, the delays caused
thereby, and other losses of time in
cident to steam operation such as
watering, refueling, standby losses,
etc., the identification is calculated
to bring material savings in operating
costs. In addition, it will permit
faster train movement over the sec
ton involved and will virtually fulfill
in every respect the requirements of
present operating conditions. Consid-
GRAFTON has been given to future re-
quirements by an ample allowance for
expansion.
In order to secure the advantages
of acknowledgement transmission
and trolley and the direct-current
traction motors, the motor-generator
| type of locomotive was chosen. This
will draw power from an 11,00O-volt
single-phase. 25-cycle trolley. By using
this type of locomotive it is possible
| to take advantage of the inherent
merits of both the alternating-curren
mad the direct-current systems. This
means high-voltage transmission to
| the locomotives with minimum cop
per loss and power loss, static unat-
tended transformer stations along
the railway line, light overhead con-
| struction, plus the advantages of di-
rect-current traction motors and
practically unlimited fexibility of
control in operation and regenera-
ton.
The main line of the Great Nor
thern which extends from ST. Paul to
Puget Sound, has the lowest ruling
grade to the Pacific Coast of any of
our western railroads. The line is
laid with heavy rails and is double
tracked at most of the critical points.
The heaviest and most severe grades
against load movement are encoun-
tered in crossing the Cascade noun
tains where the line is single track.
Here the rise to the summit on both
sides is very precipitous and on the
west slope veYy circuitous route is
required to make the ascent. Many
snowsheds are required to shelter this
section of the be from the deep snow
and slides during the winter season.
There are seYeral tunnels along the
circuitous routa on the western
slope, the longest of which is the Cas-
mel, constructed on IL per cent
grade, is about 2.75 miles long. The
original identification which is now
undergoing modification, was installed
through this tunnel in 1909, mainly for
the purpose of eliminating gas and
| tn IN,
ment. 1t extended from Tye at the
west portal to Cascade Tunnel Sta
ton at the eastern portal, and com
prised four miles of main line track
and four miles of yard trackage. The
66O0-volt, &C, three-phase, Bicycle
head catenary trolley.
When the original installation was
made there was no electric power sup
ply within available distance from
which power could be obtained. This
necessitated the erection of hydro
electric generating station at Tum-
water on the Wenatchee River, dis
lance of thirty miles from the tunnel.
Power produced here by two 20OO-kw.
three-phase, Bicycle, 6600-volt units
was transmitted to the substation at
Cascade Tunnel at $4,000 volts. Water
was brought to the plant, which oper-
ated under head of 176 feet, in an
81 foot steel banded wood pipe, two
and one-half miles long.
The original identification itself un-
doubtedly has served the purpose for
which it was installed-the relief from
an intolerable condition under steam
operation. However, because of its
special requirements of organization
and operation, the electric service has
been tolerated under extremely high
operating costs.
Between Seattle and Skykomish
the profile shows that the grades are
not unduly heavy, nor are the curva
lures excessive, the heavy grades and
curves being confined to that section
on the west slope of the Cascade
mountains, between Skykomish anc
Cascade tunnel and on the east slope
between Cascade tunnel and Leaven
worth. With, conditions on the east
slope the railway is not especially
concerned at this time, as certain con
templated changes in line with other
reasons, have for the present delayed
the identification of that side. On