THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY AT WEST END, NEAR BERLIN.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4555, 10 August 1883, Page 3

THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY AT WEST END, NEAR BERLIN.

Electricity v gradually but steadily replacing gas and petroleum for lighting . purposes, and is now beginning to replace . steam as a motive power. But few electric railways have been built as yet, but a number of them are projected; among them is one from the foot to the summit of the Wartburg. near Coburg. The enrrcnt is not conducted to the electric motor through the rails, as has been customsry heretofore, but separate cables are us<>d, which are supported by insulators sustained on poles about fifteen feet high. These cables run parallel with the tracts, and the motor is connected with the cablet by a double conductor attached to a small carriage running on the cables. This carriage is drawn along on. the cables by the car or engine, and takes the current from the cables, delnrering it to the conductor connected with the motor on the car. The West End Spandauer Bock Electric Road has some quite steep grades, the hills near Spandau being especially bad; but, oerertbeless, the car, which, when filled, , contains twenty-four persons, is moved at the same rate of speed as a freight train. The probability is that all electric raitway* constructed hereafter will be proTided with separate conducting cables and a carriage thereon for conducting tho electricity to the; engine. Mr Werner Siemens is the constructor of the abore- ; v mentioned railway. ■