Self propelled cars on steam railways.

The Canadian National Rys. had 4 self propelled cars on exhibit at the Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 9, viz., 15,803, storage battery car; 15,805, steam car; 15,813, gasoline car; and 15,8l4, gasoline car. The showing of these brought home to the public the possibilities in connection with self propelled car operation in short line and branch line service, and great public interest in them was evident. Car 15,814 was the service gasoline car, which has been thoroughly described and illustrated in preceding numbers of Canadian Railway and Marine World. Gasoline car 15,813, built by Ledoux, Jennings, Ltd., Montréal, has not been described and illustrated, but car 15,812, a car very similar to 15,813, and built by the same builders, has been. No. 15,813 is illustrated' herewith and a floor plan is given. It is the same as 15,812 with the exception of the leading truck and the interior arrangement. No. 15,813 has a baggage compartment 11 ft. 9 1/2 in. long, fitted with removable seats, while 15,812 has no baggage compartment. The leading truck of 15,813 is the same as the rear truck, with the exception of the side rods on the latter, while on 15,812 the front truck wheels are much smaller than those of the rear truck. With these exceptions, the description given in preceding numbers of Canadian Railway and Marine World for 15,812 is applicable to this gasoline motor car 15,813.

Car 15,803, of the storage battery type, is one of two bought from the Cambria & Indiana Rd., in the U.S., and is illustrated herewith. It has a seating capacity of 36. The drive is by motors geared to axles, with current derived from storage batteries contained in the large battery holder seen below the carbody and between the trucks, the batteries being charged between trips. The car is equipped with ball bearing trucks of the arch bar type, and is fitted with a snow plough arrangement as shown at the front. At the time of writing (Sept. 13) some changes remain to be made in the car, viz., renewal of storage battery, equipping of car with lavatory, baggage racks, coat hooks, locomotive type bell, and a smoking seat in the baggage compartment. This work will be done at the Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto Ry. shops at St. Catharines. Onto The other battery car bought from the Cambria & Indiana Rd., No. 15,802, is larger than 15,803, the seating capacity being 50. This car will also undergo some changes' at the Niagara, St. Catharines & Toronto Ry. shops, among which will be the providing of a larger baggage compartment. It is probable that 8 seats will be taken out of the passenger compartment to provide for this. Renewal of the storage batteries will also be necessary before the car is placed in operation.

Car 15,805, the steam car furnished by the Unit Railway Car Co., Boston, Mass., a plan and illustration of which are given herewith, has the following dimensions:

• Length over bumpers50 ft. 7 in.
• Length of main passenger compartment24 ft.
• Length of operating compartment8 ft.
• Length of smoking and baggage compartment12 ft. 7/8 in.
• Width over side sills8 ft. 6 in.
• Width of aisle1 ft. 9 1/2 in.
• Height from rail to top of roof11 ft. 11 1/2 in.
• Truck centers28 ft.
• Truck wheel base, motor6 ft. 1 in.
• Truck wheel base, trailer5 ft. 6 in.
• Total seating capacity42
• Horsepower, normal90
• Weight, approximately60,000 lb.
• Steam pressure700 to 100 lb. per sq. in.

This car burns kerosene, or crude oil, as fuel, and as the name unit car implies, each car is a unit in itself, carrying its own fuel, water and other supplies. The car is propelled by a modified twin cylinder engine, mounted on, and forming a part of, the leading truck, power being transmitted direct to the axle by a spur gear, the engine and driving gear running in an oil bath in an oil tight case. The power developed is approximately 60 h.p., and when periods of emergency exist, such as when starting on heavy grades, or in deep snow, a maximum of 280 h.p. may be developed. An improved water tube boiler, mounted in the forward end of the car, supplies steam at a working pressure averaging 750 lb. In operation, oil is fed to the combustion chamber, under a constant pressure controlled by an automatic valve. The main burner and pilot are parts of the automatic control system used, and the water is also fed automatically to the boiler. The throttle valve is placed in the steam line where it leaves the boiler, and the throttle valve control lever, together with the reverse lever and air brake control equipment, are located in the operating compartment at the forward end of the car.

The water is fed from the auxiliary water tank to the boiler, by a double acting pump, and the automatic control feature is arranged so that if more water is being delivered than is required, the water is diverted back to the tank by an automatic movement of a valve. If the water supply to the boiler falls below a predetermined rate, resulting in the level getting dangerously low, the fuel oil supply to the burner is automatically cut off. The main water and oil tanks are below the car floor, but there are auxiliary tanks for both fuel and water, that for the fuel being in the baggage compartment, and that for the water at the front of the car. The oil is elevated to the auxiliary tank by air pressure, and then flows from the auxiliary tank to the burner, while the water is elevated to the auxiliary water tank by a lifting injector, and is forced from there to the boiler by a pump, as stated above. The steam is superheated in a 2 unit superheater. Simplicity is the outstanding feature of the control system.

The trucks are of the arch bar type, and are equipped with roller bearings. The engine and front, or driving truck being a unit, with the drive connecting to the leading axle of the truck, the bolster is placed near the driving axle, to secure a proper weight on the driving wheels. The steam car is said to be capable of a speed of from 45 to 50 m.p.h. on level track, and of 14 m.p.h. on a 3% grade. It is claimed that it will operate at an average car-mile cost of 10 cents, and that from 2 to 4 miles, depending on conditions, will be obtained from one gallon of kerosene. The car is of semi-steel construction, with M.C.B. standards throughout, and is equipped with air brakes and electric lighting, the current being obtained from a steam driven generator. The interior arrangement is shown in the accompanying plan.

The C.N.R. has self propelled cars in operation as follows:—Gasoline-electric car 15,800 between Winnipeg and Transcona, Man.; storage battery car 15,801 between Bathurst and Campbellton, N.B.; gasoline car 15,810 between Souris and Elmira, P.E.I.; gasoline car 15,811 between Ross Creek and Stanley N.B.; and gasoline car 15,812 between Picton, Trenton Jet., and Napanee, Onto It is probable that gasoline car 15,814 will be placed on the latter run also. A self propelled car service is to be established between Victoria and Sooke, B.C., on the Victoria-Alberni lines, 22 miles, and it is likely that gasoline car 15,813 will besent there. A self propelled car will also be placed in service between Brockville and Westport, Ont., 44.4 miles. A gasoline car was on that run for a short period some time ago, but was removed. A third additional self propelled car service is to be established between Toronto and Washago, Ont., 89 miles, and it is likely that a battery car will be sent there.

 .. [TO BE COMPLETED]

Railways: C.N.Rys.

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