The Bismarck tribune., 1929-01-03
GREAT NORTHERN TO
STAGE Big PROGRAM
DED|CATINC Tunnel
New Railroad Tunnel Built
Through Cascades Cost the
Company $14,000,oo0
DEDICATION COMES JAN. IL
Coast -to-coast Radio Hookup
Will Form Big Part Of Open
ing Celebration
DEDICATION COMES JAN. IL

New York. Jan. 3.-(R-A coast to
coast radio hook-up governed BY the
progress Of q crack transcontinental
train will form part Of the pro-
gram dedicating the new $4,000, 900
railroad tunnel through the Cascade
mountains east Of Seattle Jan. II.
The broadcasting center Of the net
work Of 81 stations in the National
Broadcasting company chain will be
shifted back and forth across tho
country between five points. all
synchronixed with the running sched-
ule of the Oriental limited on the
Great Northern railroad.
Madame 9chumann- -Heink, singing
in San Francisco, an orchestra in New
York and speeches by prominent per-
sons In Washington, New York. and
at the tunnel portals will be broad.
cast.
When the limited comes to q stop
at the eastern portal of the tunnel
the broadcasting center will be shift
ed to that point to pick up q speech
by Ralph Budd. president Of the
Great Northern.
This giant bore through nearly
eight miles Of rock runs on a 90 per
cent down grade from the east side
of the Cascade range at Berne. WASH.
almost to Scenic on the west side and
81 miles from Seattle. It reduces the
running time for passenger trains one
hour and for freight trains three
hours, while the distance is cut down
by nearly eight miles.
Expect Big Savings
The entire cost Of this project
tunnel, electrification and all-is
81, ,000, 900. The tunnel itself was
bored 1t q cost of $4,000, 900. This
amount is expected to be made up by
the enormous savings expected from
the new cut, its electrification ana
the elimination Of the many long
stretches and turns that had to be
made heretofore in order to negotiate
the pass at this point.
More than six miles of massive
snowsheds, maintained at enormous
annual expenditure, and the almost
constant work at snow removal will
be practically eliminated by this
change. The new tunnel Is more
than 500 feet below the old one,
,, which was q little over two and q
half miles long.
With an easier climb to / lower
height than heretofore was neces:
sary, the journey is made more pleas
ant by the identification Of the line
For IS miles huge electric locomotives
take the passenger and freight trains
over the new route and through the
tunnel. These locomotives mark 9
new era in electrification Of railway
lines, for they incorporate two inno-
vations In their operation. !
First is their conversion into travel
Ing electric sub-stations, whore H..
600 volts Of alternating current picket
up from the overhead lines Is con
verted into low voltage direct current
for train operation.
New Brake System
Second is the regenerative system
Of electric braking by which q singl,
locomotive can hold back q lonl
freight train to two miles an hou
without the use Of the air brakes. Il
! addition this sregenerative braktnl
system acts Is : miniature power St.
ton returning power to the electri
lines from which 1t draws voltage TO
the upward journey.
| This is the second step in the elec
trification Of the Great Northern q
this point. The first was made Il
1908 when the General Electric Com
pany built power station at Leaven
worth. Wash, to supply four 115-tol
. locomotives with power to pull th
trains through the former tunnel.
Now the General Electric Compan