The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17, 1914. RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 40, 17 February 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17, 1914. RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION.

Discussions, on railway electrification are apt 'to. turn upon a technical comparison of -t.-am and electric traction, with costs per tram mile based on certain assumed prices for fuel and electricity, and, remit ks a wellknown engineering authority, these comparisons are vital, but, at the same time, it is f/ell to be reminded considerations. Tcrmm I lariliT.es, comfort, and frequency of service are important, and are recognised as ueciding factors. Other factors less frequently dealt with were mentioned by Mr L. Calisch in a paper at the London School of Economics. It is impossible in a brief note to i"li"W the details of Mr Calisch" s figures but he sought to show vat eh'Ctnf'cation tends to increase "»iat electric d iugineers would 21111 tt.e load factors of railway plant—-that is, the percentage of the day's twonty-io'.u hours spent in usef iliv earning money. Taking the London District Railway as an example, tiie number of train miles run in I'J'2 was 176 per cent, greater than ,n IDG4 tin: ' the last year of steam working. This is partly accounted for'by the trains being shorter, the increase in passengers being 71 per cent. These increases show, however, that the line is being more fully and more uniformly loaded, so that the permanentway charges should be down. Jn fact, the total working expenses were only increased 2G per cent. With regard to the rolling stock itself, or at least the motor portion, Mr Calisch claims that with electricity the repairs and non-earning operations are so reduced that the annual mileage per locomotive or motor-car is about doubled.