Popular Science Monthly/Volume 74/March 1909/The Electric Operation Of Steam Railways > 문의하기

This system is as yet solely four years previous, yet there are at present over 1,000 miles of railways in the United States operating underneath it and on this aggregate there are at least five railroads previously operated by steam. The gear of a high velocity interuban automobile having 4 motors of roughly 100-horse-energy capacity, will weigh under direct current system 22,500 pounds and underneath the alternating system 32,000 pounds, or almost 50 per cent, excess over the direct-current gear. The surplus in price could be about 35 per cent. The price of every of these locomotives is about the identical. Within the case of locomotives the excess weight of the alternating-present gear is even larger. The excess of useless mileage and the surplus ton mileage owing to the better weight of the steam locomotive have already been famous, low voltage power cable and are additionally causes for excess coal consumption. The cost of each locomotive is about the identical. The same quantity of coal in a locomotive boiler will evaporate only about two thirds as much water as in a stationary boiler. The development of the electric locomotive is far simpler. By way of electric locomotives in terminals for switching service great economies are effected.

The fuel consumption of all the locomotives on this nation in 1905 was about 52,000,000 tons, which was about one eighth of the whole coal production of that 12 months. Another sort of Mallet locomotive, weighing with its tender 250 tons, can haul a prepare weighing 330 tons up a 2.2 per cent, grade at 15 miles per hour. Owing to this benefit, the three-section locomotive can maintain its excessive velocity independently of the grade. A brand new York Central electric locomotive can do the identical and weighs only one third as a lot. The rotative effort is uniform in a motor, while that of a locomotive is intermittent and accomplished via the medium of heavy reciprocating elements. Some great benefits of electricity for freight visitors are most obvious on lengthy single monitor lines with heavy grades and combined visitors. Methods for dealing with freight site visitors haven't yet been completely developed. Two conspicuous alternating present techniques for railway operation have been developed.

No intensive system would care to function its trains with out the possibility of the exchange of vehicles with neighboring programs and until railway engineers are agreed as to the elemental questions of frequency and methods of prepare management it's possible that no giant venture will be put in hand. Based on careful comparative assessments of steam and electric locomotives the engineers of one of the massive installations already mentioned have announced that the electrical operation of the previous steam service is being dealt with with the consumption of solely 60 per cent, of the amount of coal, resulting in a saving of practically $350,000 per year. The values of voltage now advocated for railway and transmission work have prompted considerable criticism and opposition. Figures have been revealed showing that the Manhattan Railway under steam operation secured about 1.5 ton miles to a pound of coal; below electric operation this figure has increased to 3.85. These and different careful estimates indicate that in the overall electrification of through railway lines a saving of fifty per cent, in coal consumption may be effected.

The amount of present taken by a prepare on this system could go to very massive values and this necessitates massive trolley and feeding conductors when the traffic will increase in volume. The mandatory capital investment have to be provided for and this can probably be accomplished in any massive occasion by doing the work piece-meal and charging the associated fee to renewals. As offsetting these marked benefits it is necessary to consider the electrical losses in the transmission system and in the motor equipments. This cable could be necessary to secure the simultaneous operation of the several locomotives. Because the electric locomotive operates in either path and takes its complete energy supply from the trolley or third rail, much ineffective mileage of locomotives in going to and from the turn-desk, the water-tank and the coal-chute is averted. These results are largely resulting from the fact that an electric locomotive or practice operates at a better schedule pace than is feasible under steam.