Scientific American Supplement, No. 620, November 19,1887Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 620, November 19,1887
Various
Science -- Periodicals
The current remained constant at 28 amperes until
5 P.M., and it only dropped to 25 amperes at the completion of the
double voyage between England and France. Several electric launches
are now being constructed in London, and one in New York by the
Electrical Accumulator Company.
M. Trouve exhibited a small boat and a tricycle, both worked by Plante
accumulators, at Paris, in 1881.
The first locomotive actuated by storage batteries was used at a
bleaching works in France in 1882. During the same year I designed an
electric street car for the storage company, and this was tried on the
lines of the West Metropolitan Tramways in March, 1883. It had
accommodation for 46 passengers. This car had many defects, and I
reconstructed it entirely, and ran it afterward in its improved form
on the South London Tramways, and also on a private track at Millwall,
where it is now in good condition, and I have a similar car in Berlin.
M. Phillippart exhibited a car in Paris and M. Julien made successful
experiments in Brussels, Antwerp, and Hamburg. Mr. Elieson is running
storage battery locomotives in London. Mr. Julien has also been
experimenting with a car in New York, and I believe one is in course
of construction for a line in the city of Boston. Messrs. W. Wharton,
Jr. & Co. have a storage battery car running at Philadelphia on Spruce
and Pine streets, and this energetic firm is now fitting up another
car with two trucks, each carrying an independent motor, similar to my
European cars.
I have mentioned all these facts in order to show that there is a
considerable amount of activity displayed in the matter of storage
batteries for street cars, and that continued and substantial progress
is being made in each successive case. The prejudices against the
application of secondary batteries are being rapidly dispelled, and
there are indications everywhere that this method of propulsion will
soon take a recognized place among the great transit facilities in the
United States. I feel convinced that this country will also in this
respect be far ahead of Europe before another year has passed over our
heads.
There are several popular and I may say serious objections to the
employment of storage batteries for propelling street cars. These
objections I will now enumerate, and endeavor to show how far they are
true, and in what measure they interfere with the economical side of
the question.
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