ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1263, 14 May 1896, Page 35

ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION UP A NEW SYSTEM.

The system wo refer to is the underground trolly system, which after being used on two short lines at Dessau and Dresden in Germany, was somo little time ago established in New York. It is provided with a pit or conduit in the centre of the track, running parallel to tho rails on which the cars run. Two wires in this pit make the circuit to and from the motor, thoy are perfectly insulated, and the conduit is defended by a strong metal sheath. It is in fact a large heavy pipe in the centre of the trackcarrying two wires. On the upper side is a slot of three-quarters of an inch in thickness,which accommodates tho " plow," Tho plow consists of two thin plates of steel separated from each other by a layer of wood and fibre on which they are built ; one end being fixed to tho tram car, the other running in the slot of the conduit between the two wires. The current is received from one of tho wires by one of the plates of the " plow," conveyed by it; to tho machinery, and returned down the second plate of tho plow to tho second wire, which returns it. The objections to the system were founded on difficulty of keeping the conduit slot clear of obstructions, especially in snow storms, and blizzards and heavy frosts. Speaking of tho system established by the Metropolitan Traction Company of New York, and worked by them, the Scientific American of February 22nd last made tho following remarks: — At tho present writing the system cannot he called experimental in the usual sense, as it has operated with uniform success for nearly an entire winter as well as during the less trying summer weather, and tho line is in daily operation and gives tho greatest satisfaction. It has been found that tho conduits do not accumulate dirt, that tho loss of current is not worse than on an overhead trolly, and the conduit has proved to ho practically self-cleaning, requiring to be.'swept out perhaps two or three times in a year, the natural flushing of tho rain doing the greater portion of the cleaning. Tho conduit is made, of course, self-draining. There are man-holes 250 foot apart ; and over each insulator is a hand hole. Each oar is provided with two 2ij horse-powor motors, with electric heaters and oleotrio lamps. A feature is tho softness of working and smoothness, thoro being no jorks as in the cable system, This makes it a decided improvement on existing systems, The system is interesting also as not using a return ground ourront,fso that electrolysis of water and gas pipes will be avoided.