Electrification of Lake Erie and Northern Ry.
The L.E. and N.R., which is a C.P.R. subsidiary, is a single track, standard gauge line, with Galt, Ont., as its northern terminus, and Port Dover, Ont., as its southern terminus. It runs through the towns of Paris, Brantford, Waterford, and Simcoe, to Port Dover, on Lake Erie. It is expected that a coal ferry service will be put in operation from Port Dover in the near future, and that a heavy coal traffic will result. The line was completed from Galt to Brantford and put in operation on Feb. 7 of this year, to Simcoe on June 2, and to Port-Dover on July 22. Connection is made at Galt with the Galt, Preston and Hespeler Ry., another C.P.R. subsidiary, which has been in operation for some years. This connecting road is operated at 600 volts and runs from Galt to Kitchener, Ont., with a branch line from Preston to Hespeler, 20 miles in all. The L.E. & N.R. was built to steam road standards, 85 lb. T. rails were used, and bonded with 0000 copper, electrically welded bonds.
Portable substation, Lake Erie and Northern Railway.
In approaching the problem of electrification many very important considerations had to be kept in mind, in order to construct the line for electrical operation and to take advantage of the very latest practice in the type of system and overhead construction, bearing in mind minimum first cost, combined with durability, simplicity, and efficiency of operation. After a careful investigation of the various types of construction and kinds of material available, it was decided to operate the line at 1,500 volts. One of the reasons for adopting this voltage was the fact that the Galt, Preston and Hespeler Ry., with which the line connects, is operated on 600 volts, and there is a possibility that it will be changed over to 1,500 volts. At present, therefore, it is possible to run the L.E. & N.R. cars over the G., P. & H. Ry. at half speed, without changing the equipment. Later, when the connecting road is changed over to 1,500 volts, it will be possible to operate cars from Kitchener to Port Dover on one voltage. Another reason for the adoption of 1,500 volts as an operating voltage was the fact that substations with such a voltage could be arranged at long distances and would be few in number. The system now operates two permanent substations and an extra portable station for use where necessary. This portable substation was fully described in our June issue. Had 600 volts been decided upon, 6 substations would have been required, together with a large amount of overhead feeder, etc.
The traffic conditions require, for conductivity, the equipment of two 0000 B. & S. gauge copper wires throughout the length of the line, and in order to obtain the simplest possible construction, avoiding the necessity of additional feeder cables, insulators, etc., it was decided to use a messenger cable having the combined qualities of maximum strength with the necessary conductivity for this purpose. Aluminum cable steel reinforced was therefore decided upon as a messenger cable. This cable consists of an extra high strength, double galvanized, steel core, around which are stranded 54 pure aluminum wires, the cross section of which is 75,000 c.m., corresponding in conductivity to two 0000 copper wires. The sag of this messenger in the standard 150 ft. span is 2 ft. at 60° Fahrenheit. At intervals of a mile the messenger and the trolley wires are anchored in both directions, galvanized iron clamps and guy cables being utilized for this purpose.
The use of aluminum cable steel reinforced avoids the necessity of having additional feeder cables with the accompanying insulators. The contact wire is 0000 B. &. S. standard grooved, and is of double galvanized steel. It is supported by means of stamped steel hangers, having a stem designed in the form of a loop and is of stamped sheet steel galvanized. The loop fits over a stamped sheet steel clamp, so arranged that by tightening up the bolts it clamps the messenger cable. The arrangement affords a flexible suspension for the trolley wire at all points, and at the same time prevents any wear of the aluminum cable by reason of the constant sliding up and down of the flexible hanger. Electrical connections are provided for between the messenger cable and contact wire by means of a parallel groove clamp and 00 stranded, copper jumpers attached to feeder ears on the steel trolley.
The line is 51 miles long, with various sidings and passing tracks, 40 miles being tangent track. The grades are comparatively light, and the main line ones are all easy with the exception of a few short lengths near yards, which are 7° to 9°. Power for operation is obtained from the Hydro Electric Power Commission at Galt, Brantford, and Simcoe. The power is received at the substations at 26,000 volts, 3-phase, 25-cycles, and is stepped down through transformers and changed by means of rotary converters, to 1500 volts direct current. The substations at Brantford and Simcoe are now in operation, and it is planned to use temporarily a portable substation at Galt, until such time as the connecting road is changed to 1,500 volt operation, when a permanent station will be erected at Preston.
Electric locomotive, Lake Erie and Northern Railway.
Two 60-ton, Baldwin-Westinghouse electric locomotives, of the double truck type, mounted on 36 in. cast steel, steel tired wheels, are used for heavy traffic. The motors are of the Westinghouse 750 volt railway type, wound for and operated two in series permanently on 1,500 volts, and have a capacity of 94 kw. or 125 h.p. They are arranged for forced ventilation and are of the field control type. While air for cooling the motors is normally provided by a motor driven blower, each motor has a fan at one end of the armature which will furnish sufficient ventilation to operate the locomotive at three quarter capacity in case of accident to the blower. The control equipments used on the locomotives are of the electro pneumatic type. The various main circuit connections are made by individual or unit switches arranged compactly in a group and operated by compressed air. Master controllers are located at both ends of the locomotive cab. Each controller has two levers, one for notching up and one for reversing. The reverse lever is mechanically interlocked with the operating handle, so that it cannot be thrown unless the main drum is in the off position. The equipment also includes Westinghouse air brakes, which can also be operated by hand; air signal; foot gongs; two air whistles, and a locomotive bell with air ringer.
The locomotives are arranged for double end operation and have central cabs with sloping hoods at either end. The cab is of steel and is lined with wood. Steps and handholds are arranged to conform to the Board of Railway Commissioners' requirements. The two locomotives are very similar. One, however, is arranged for a speed of from 20 to 25 miles an hour, and the other for from 30 to 35 miles an hour, with normal load, on a straight, level track. The high speed locomotive, which is intended for passenger, excursion traffic, is equipped with regenerative braking, controlled by the same master controller that operates the unit switch control outfits. When used for regenerative braking the motor fields are separately excited by a motor generator set, which also drives the blower for ventilation. This system is so arranged by means of relays that as soon as the voltage of the motor is equivalent to the voltage on the line the switch group automatically comes in on the line and throws the motors directly on the line, generating back to the power system, or utilizes the power on the line should there be other equipments in operation at the time.
Motor car, Lake Erie and Northern Railway.
For passenger service 8 standard 60 ft., interurban cars are used; they consist of 6 motor cars and 2 trailers. Two of the motor cars are of the passenger and express type and are equipped with Westinghouse motors. The arrangement of equipment is such that 2 motors are permanently in series and the 2 pairs then operate in parallel, giving the cars a speed of 45 miles an hour. The control equipment is of the Westinghouse A.B. electro pneumatic type. The compressor and lighting systems are both operated direct from the 1,500 volt line, thus making the car a straight 1,500 volt one without any complications of dynamotor or other accessories. This equipment is more or less unique in this respect. All cars, both motor and trailer, are equipped on both platforms with master controllers, so that a train may be operated from any platform.