Motor Trams.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 5, 1 March 1906, Page 105

Motor Trams.

The number of municipal authorities who are considering the advisability of propelling their horse tramcars by petrol motors is steadily increasing, and there is likely in the near future to be a big demand for serviceable motors for this purpose. We do not advocate the construction of petrol motor or electric tramways, but we must admit that where a tramway is m existence the most economical means of furnishing the public with a fast and efficient passenger service is by fitting

the horse trams with petrol motors. The expenences of Perth, Scotland, on the whole, went to show that this can be successfully done. It is somewhat surprising that those municipalities who have electrified their old horse tramway routes did not first of all experiment with petrol motors.

To an engineer all things are possible. If a petrol motor will, and does, drive a 36-passenger 'bus easily and safely up and down gradients of 1 in 10, where it is admittedly dangerous to use electric tramcars, there is no reason to doubt its ability to successfully adapt itself to horse tramcars and thus save the enormous expense of reconstructing' and equipping electrical tram routes. Certainly a tramcar has not the mobility of movement that a motor 'bus has, but the latter may be used tocompensate for this disadvantage, and act as feeder to the tramway and render unnecessary any further tramway extensions. In England motor tramcars are constructed should existing horse trams not be deemed sufficiently strong for motor propulsion, but whether new motor trams are purchased or old trams are fitted with motors, the saving by using the existing tramway lines and the benefit to the public of increased and more rapid travelling facilities will be enormous. In a report on the International Tramways Exhibition, in London, which Councillors James Macfarlane, W. F. Russell, and John Dallas have submitted to the Glasgow Tramways Committee, they suggest that m any further extensions of the tramways, consideration should be given as to whether it might not be wise to apply motor power to the cars in these outlying districts, instead of equipping; an overhead system.

The directors and shareholders in the Daimler Motor Company are to be heartily congratulated on the splendid year's business they have had. A net profit of has been earned. The prosperity of the company may be ascribed to the 33-40 h.p. model which has had such a triumphal series of successes.