ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 46, 16 August 1911, Page 7

ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS.

. SHI STORAGE BATTERY SYSTEM. \ The Edison electric storage battery I applied to street cars promises to t*rolutionise transportation services. The Beaumaris Tramway Co. contemplates employing this form of traction on the tram linn between Sandringham and Cheltenham (Victoria). By the use of these, batteries, for which a life of fifteen years is claimed, great, economies arc possible in the original installation, construction and equipment of electric services; while in operation, upkeep, interest and depreciation charges, 'there is a proportionate saving, the estimate in each being •!.') per cent, as compared with the. aerial trolley system. This is obtained by the elimination of all overhead work, feeder distribution, high tension lines, sub-stations, and all accessories, ineluding rail binding. Tim saving in power-house equipment is equal, it is alleged, to ,">0 per cent., because Edison-Bench ears use 100 per cent, of the capacity of the powerbouse. v.hereas trolley lines seldom obtain a power-house factor better than 50 per cent. Melbourne tram lines, which are too light for cars run by overhead power, would have ample stability for the new battery system. The cars show a great economy of power consumption; there are no line leakages—they are simply handled, and capable of a speed of from sixteen to thirty miles an hour.

Details of the operation of storage battery cars can show that they were installed recently on the York and Dauphin street line, nine miles long, :n Philadelphia. The maximum speed is eighteen miles an hour, and the car does ' 100 miles per day. Two months' operation has disclosed no dilliculties, and though built to hold only twenty-six passengers, the ear at holiday time has carried up to eighty without a breakdown. Another ear was purchased in Ma Mi last bv the Pennsylvania. Railroad Company, ono of the largest steam railway systems in the world. This ear was put into service on a branch .line., , it has a scheduled speed of twenty-two miles an hour, and a maximum capacity of thirty miles. When the.inaj] |eft-)Jew York the ear had been., i^-'workj..-for sixty day", and had given no tr0ub1e..,,.., The Erio Railroad Employees'. Magazine gives particulars of t-lw-operjition of an Edison-Beach car on lhe r,\V(iohtung branch of the Erie system. Tile ear was built for city duty,, and ■ .\\;,as only adopted by. the, Erie ,ni;vnagemejit to test the running possibilities. Its performance has attracteTTmnch attention, owing to its endurance and adaptability to short,, ihfe work, for th<> battery ear has alreadv shown its superiority to c\isi)]<'iie ntokHM-fttr-brnneli services. The ear. which runs on time ewu 'during blizzards', 'seats forty-six passengers, and gives in addilioy arnyje landing room. On a trial ruri, off its iHiial bertl. the ear did forty-eight njiles en an average power of 025 watt hours per car mile, or .43 ,>if(itt hours per ton mile. 'The power' used cost %d per car mile'; 'tVie 'inaxiiriitm speed obtained was 32~nrihw per hour; and the average between stops 25 miles per hour. It is estimate? that 7V 2 d per car mile would cover the entire operating expense, including renewal of battery, cost of current, depreciation, int-er-e.-f, and all fixed charges;;K. : X!.i

Another railroad company «fc Washington had a Beach oar' equipped Wit'ft tile Edison, battery .in. usei/for many months, I'lf] „Uie .secretary of .tlii" r reported. that .it had given tljqi ivtjnodt satisfaction-.on a road, all and illokvSi Sr;MU% -in soma places as .higii T aa !s!per. cent. This company has<ope«atitog trol;i" ! battery ears ..at. alternating periods, so that there had been an opportunity to test the relative cost of the two systems. T-he "-"Edison battery car. averaged in power consumption about' S.>r> watt hours per mile, costing tliccompany, at the high ■ rater it. paid for, powrv, ali'iut halfpenny per car mile; Careful records of consujajH-ioii.-nligiwHrf thai.-four storage battery phi;* vltr't with the same annum* oi..po\w'r.:if.M-<l.,t'o; pr.opel-one trolley veljiclii, ,-T-|ii*,- tof CjillVso, iiN'OTlt ;l VOl'y, sl)|Jlll Ration as compiim] with iliut the same number of trolli;y_t:ars.

The Salisbury and Spencer K«ilwuvj Company. Xoi t:li Carolina, testifies that; il in i uirpris"d at. the.operating cost, of ll:-' ear lii - ; 11 it low. n n,l \ft iloiny Jt,

v "• admirably . It 7ln7'""'! In- world of In','ivy grade runs on ,one ; /mjnj|, T t.hoj power consiit|i])tion rcijiured' l<) trolley/car on the sanuj iiu?(' si'd'ent of {he company ftd^s: glad we. did not, as, we ii/j,<!nij(|(V.,oriem 1 ally, in,s.lal the overiic^r.#}-sty*hi t 7 j ,..;.-jj I .. The.se fact's show thai, tl,ie f lattery method as applied t ram way working in America , .the/attention of tlie Tjmißcj Commission. Aeeojdipg.V) l;iid before' the commission.., of elect vie cab'es iy i;ow]jjjfs -jV ' Sjve both, in ivspeet of j-a)jit,,'i.( vos'Camll .maintenance.. Tli, ; overhead .-is yn'igjitlv, it may be -da nger^, narro\v streets is an «bst|'itfti|t>n itu, pJ'-i dinary trallie. The moderij bii't'lery. ,csuv if it accomplishes all that, its promoters! declare, is an idearsv~t~m: at any rate' for lines on which trafficJsJijsH find' infrequent. It could lie put-oii fife ,\fel-| ho'irne tram lines and rim joinl.lv with: :t lie cable MTyice on am line. U'l't'li no! fuiimir- expense for road bed. and no oililar beyond the ear. the crew ami po.wer, 1 i !". h eou'd 'lift obtained' i'Vorn file V'/ivi • i' oi' f'om the raihVavs. bourne! Age. " - !