Electric Motor Cars.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 267, 12 November 1887, Page 12 (Supplement)

Electric Motor Cars.

The result of. the trial made in Philadelphia on Wednesday of a motor built by the Wharton Company, and driven by stored electricity, seems to have convinced some of the stockholders and directors of our Citizens' Passenger Railway Company that the time is approaching when electricity and the mechanical appliances used in connection with ifc will be found an efficient substitute for horses. The practicability of converting the cars in use into electric motors will' tend to facilitate this change. The terrible waste of horseflesh, apart from the cost of the service otherwise, is an additional reason why some mechanical system of traction is desirable. It is a knowledge of this fact that has led to the desire, on tho part of managers of horse railways themselves, to .find some other method of propulsion. Several methods have been devised to meet this want. Steam, compressed air, mechanical springs, cables and electricity have nil been tried. Of those different motors only cables and electricity have been tried with any measure of success. _ The cheapness of the cable system, which is said to be 30 per cent, less than that of horses, lias recommended its uso in some of our cities. But it has one defect which, being inherent in the system, it is impossible to overcome. All tho cars are put in motion by the same line of cable, and if any mishap or break occurs at any one point along the line of route all tho cars are brought to a stand-still until the obstruction is removed or the cable is repaired. There are other minor defects, such as the fraying of the cable and the failure at times of the grip, but these are more easily remedied. The same difficulty appertains to the direct employment of electricity. There, also, the; movement of the cars is dependent ou one source of power. * When that fails from any cause every car on the line is stopped until a duplicate power, if there should happen to be one, transmits a fresh relay of electricity to the third rail between the tracks or to the conduit beneath it. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, the moving of stroet cars by electricity derived directly from the dynamo at the central station has been gaining ground. '' Five years ago," according to an account we have before us, " there was not a practical working railway of this sort in the country." Now, weare told, "more than three million and a half of passengers are carried every year in this country on streetcars propelled by electricity." About a dozen roads aro said to bo in operation, and as many under contract. But after all, it is very generally admitted that traction by cable and direct olectricity are simply makeshifts. When onco constructed it is claimed that they are cheaper to operate than horse-powor by one-third. But they are defective as we.have shown, in this that thoy are both dependent on one source of power, and all tho cars must movo together at intervals along the line or they cannot move at all. In the Waton motor , the powor is derived from electricity stored in ' Secondary batteries placed beneath the cars. Each ear, therefore, has its motivo- ,. pouter,, within Qcmseopntly pendent of any other ear, and iff an accident should happen to it can be shifted from the track without affecting the movement of the other care on the line. It is claimed that the system and appliances have been nearly perfected. Wβ Know nothing of this beyond the fact that the trial on Wednesday is sai'J to have been satisfactory, and that the President of the Citizens' line contemplates tho adoption of the new motor if convinced that the cost of operating it will compare favourably with that of horse-power.— ,, Baltimore Sun."