Electrified Lines Research Articles

Operating Experience with High-Speed Oil Circuit Breakers

This paper outlines the experience of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad with three high-speed oil circuit breakers which were installed in 1925 to serve an electrified branch line carrying freight and passenger traffic, both local and through. Satisfactory operation of paralleling commercial communication circuits, as well as of its own, presented an immediate problem, which after study outlined in the paper, finally yielded, and the answer, in part, was high-speed circuit breakers. The electrical and mechanical characteristics of these are set forth in detail and illustrated. A number of tests of the circuit breakers and communication circuits made by short-circuiting the 11,000-volt lines on the branch showed currents up to 3000 amperes, and openings in from one-half to one and one-half cycles, with satisfactory operation of commercial and railroad communication plant. A detailed record of the service operations of the circuit breakers along with a statement of failures is given. It is proper to say that the latter were more numerous in the early days of their use than they have been in recent months, and that a number of the faults are chargeable to the railroad's urgent need for the equipment, thereby considerably limiting the development and testing time desired by the manufacturer. While it was not discussed in detail in the paper it goes without saying that in the design and installation of the circuit breakers safety was a paramount consideration.

Electrification of the French Midi Railway

After a brief description of the experiments made before the war on the Midi Railway in the way of electric traction, the author gives an account of the extensive electrification work now pursued by that Company in accordance with the new standard regulations of the French Government, and of the first results already obtained on the electrified lines.

Passenger Locomotives for Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway

DECEMBER 9th, 1915, may be considered the date of the initial electrical operation over the electrified lines of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. During the following winter the electrification was extended over 440 miles of route from Harlowton, Montana, to Avery, Idaho, a section which crossed the Belt Mts., the Rocky Mts., and the Bitter Roots. The locomotives for this initial electrification were of the geared type, designed and built especially with a view to the most economical operation of the freight service. The locomotives for passenger service differed from the freight locomotives only in the details where it was absolutely necessary to meet the operating requirements, such as changing the gear ratio to increase the speed and providing car heating and lighting equipment.

The Contact System of the Southern Pacific Company, Portland Division

The paper describes in detail the overhead contact system of the electrified lines of the Southern Pacific Company, Portland Division, which operates at a potential of 1550 volts. The design and materials of construction are given in considerable detail, and the costs per mile, of material and labor, are tabulated in very complete form.

The contact system of the Southern Pacific company Portland division

The paper describes in detail the overhead contact system of the electrified lines of the Southern Pacific Company, Portland Division, which operates at a potential of 1550 volts. The design and materials of construction are given in considerable detail, and the cost per mile, of material and labor, are tabulated in very complete form.