MAGNETIC V. AIR BRAKES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 884, 2 August 1910, Page 9

MAGNETIC V. AIR BRAKES.

. 9 . A GLASGOW OPIS lON. From far-away Glasgow comes expert testimony in favour of the magnetic tramway track brake. The rrval claims of this brake and the air-brake were freely argued before the New Zealand BoyaY Commission, which sat recently to go into the whole question, and a quantity of ovidence was tendered in support of the theory that the air brake was the more reliable of the two. Among the witnesses were men who had had experience of both brakes. "We have men here," 'said 'Mr. Kbsser, secretary of the Auckland Tramway Employees' Union, "men who have driven in Glasgow for six or eight years, and the • magnetic brake is not in use for a service stop there; it is merely used tor emergencies, and for coasting dawn certain grades." ■Mr. Stuart Richardson, City Electrical EngineCT, subsequently forwarded a copy of the evidence given before the commission to the general mniinger of. the Glasgow corporation tramways-(Mr." J. W. Dalryniple), and has now received the following reply':—"Dear Sir,—l beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of April 29, with reference to magnetic track brake. As you are probably aware, we .have been using this brake, over sinco it was introduced into this country; , in fact, I think we were the first to, experiment-with it, and for a number of years our cars havb.been fitted with the magnetic track brake. I have'looked over the evidence of tlio various men, who have lieeu motormeu in this service, arid am-,.s6mewhaf surprised, at their remarks. I have, also gone carefully through the : records, of each of. those men, and in every caso where they had occasion to use the. magnetic brake in an emergency, they' have reported that the chr was brought Iji a rest in a very few vards, notwithstanding the fact that' on several occasions they report the rails as having beim .. greiisy." It is, of course, possible to -prevent the wheels revolving'by the siidden application of. tho magnetic track'brake, especially on'u down gradient, and where the rails /are greasy. Wo'hare, hoji-.evtr, been 'experimenting with a solenoid control attachment to entirely prevent sloiiding, and lam glad:to say thKt we have been successful. During; the whole Kmo that we have had the magnetic track brako in use wo have always considered it a most reliable brake, and when properly applied is, 1 think, to bo preferred to the air-brake. The air-brake, of course, has not been adopted to any ox-' tent in this "country, and on some systems they have not adopted, anything outside of the Rheostatic and ordinary" hand-brake. I may further add that 1 am shortly proceeding to build other fifty new cars, and the.sio.will, like the others, be fitted with'the magnetic track brake. Trusting this information will bo of service to you.—l am, yours truly, , J. W. Dalryniple, General Manager.".