STORAGE BATTERY CARS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12657, 10 January 1912, Page 2

STORAGE BATTERY CARS.

I GISBORNE INSTALLATION. SHIPMENT FROM NEW YORK. Some lengthy correspondence from the ' Federal Storage Battery Car Company, New. York, accompanying the revised coiitract for the two cars ordered from Gisborne, consequent upon the alterations ,and extras to the original contract, was placed' before the Borough Council last night: ' . „''•.' Copies of ' the' v^i'i'o'us cables Were also forwarded for corifirmatiorty the price ar : > ranged upon for the cars,- a.* ordered m fulfilment of the requirements of tho Public Works Department and the Council's wishes, being 7175 dollars each. . -The' company asked to be advised by cable as 'soon as specifications were approved and contract executed. •"' From tHe , correspondence It' appears that the Council specified 105. ceils of A/8 battery, instead of 8(1" cells of A/6 battery. • Two extra' sand boxfis N were also ordered, intermittent supply type' } also an emergency brake. Tne company explained that they were supplying the cars with a nominal power emergency brake, which would provide the cars In conformity with the Government regulations, and. M'hich Mould be quite effective m case of failure of the ordinary, hand brake for stopping the car instantly. However, since the cars only* weigh about &jt toils with ;lull load, the. hand brakes' that apply" the breaking force to each wheel were mof'e than ample for any purpose. The .'motors... could also be instantly; reversed, and this iri reality was aii . additional emergency^ brake/ Two extra sigrtal bells, fare box, < head lights as .ordered^ had also beerT specified. - The company acknowledged receipt of rail section,- which. they-.stated.Vas novel m -{their..-, country, : and tne . wheels would' ha^e to be made with special flange and tread, as, stipulated.Referring to the storage battery guarantee, the letter ; added : . "It may b« of sorne further interest to you to krioW that now, after another year has passed^ the battery guarantee that you will receive, and wnich will be standard, hereafter with the Edison Company, will guarantee the capacity of the battery for four instead of 'three "years, and' without the allowance as heretofore of depreciation m capacity of 10 per cent. 'You': will, recall "that we told Mr Lysnar when here that as. -the battery, was maintained m regular service from year to year, Mr Edison '; Avould increase . the period •: of guaranteed life of the • battery*. >Therfif ore*, if vouf cars average, as ; they, probably will, 100 miles or more per day. and you', purchase a new battery at the. end of the guaranteed life (four years), which, however^ we know you will not do, or, m other word's, upon the actual guaranteed life of the battery, and considering that it may become useless at the end of the guaranteed life, and may have to be renewed entirely, it would only cost^ou about .008 dollars plr car mile, which includes all possible maintenance and depreciation of the battery under the term of the guarantee. Certainly you -would, if using this system instead \>f trolley, save very much more than .008 dollars m having eliminated operation and maintenance of the overhead line, sub-station, large power plant, The company also asked for directions m the matter of shipment, as to whether it should be shipped with. body assem-, bled, painted, and ready for mounting on the truck, or knocked down and boxed; and crated,, to be assembled and painted at destination ? If advised by cable, the company hoped to be able to ship by February 1. They also asked for the letter of credit, to ibe extended. The contract now provides for two storage battery cars (closed body) mounted on Beach single trucks, fitted, with two motors of 10 h.p. each and a battery of 100 cells A/8 (Edison storage battery) for power and five 1 cells A/8 for lighting. The ' length of car body over all is 26ft 6in, and width of body Bft 2in. Double folding doors are to he 'fitted at each side of platform on either end. ; The platforms are to be" arranged with pre-payment fare collection system and fare-box on platform. The seating comprises two longitudinal seats 18ft long and I74in wide, to be trimmed with woyen rattan. :. ,The cars ; are to be provided with one portable registering fare box and brackets on each platform, so. that passengers may pay fares into box on either platform'; side doOrs to be arranged with automatic latches, so that they may be easily opened or closed by motorman or conductor. Purchaser to be furnished with standard guarantee covering the battery specified by Edison Storage Battery Company. The company' also 'stated they were i'ri-j structin'g a man who was tb superintend the installation of the cars. .'-'-:••.- Cr Smith pointed out tliat the freight on a car assembled would be very expensive.—Cr Bright : Prohibitive. — Tlie Bor- ! QUgh Engineer: It would cost £120 on the car body alone. — The- Mayor stated that the Tyser Company had been approached respecting freights, and as-' to' whether they would act as agents for. I vie ■ Council, '■' but so far ; no • reply had I been received.. The Federal Storage Battery Company; recommended- a New York firm. - ■'•■■> "-'' ■'*'■'■> lleverting to the question of shipment,, it was agreed to cable! the" Federal Company to ship the cars' unassembled. . The matter of appointing a New York agent to superintend the snipping, as requested, was left for the Mayor to deal with, whilst the ' request for extended letter of credit was also agreed to. At the instance of the Borough Engines!*, it was decided- to communicate with the Wellington/ City Council to "secure the services of their. New York expert to act with the Council's agent irt respect of the passing of, the cars on shipment. The Mayor and. Gr-Bright were authorised to sign the ; contract. \ . ,