Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1912 — PLAN NEW “ELECTRIC RAIL” [ARTICLE]

PLAN NEW “ELECTRIC RAIL”

Railroads and Bteei Men Trying Hard to Find a Solution of Baffling Problem. New York. —An open hearth steel rail finished by an electrical process being perfected by the United States Steel corporation is the chief present hope of the steel makers and railroad men, who are looking for a solution of the baffling rail problem. In the tnHin the new rail Is known as the "electric rail,” and a statement by one of the railroad presidents who attended the recent rail conference explains: “If this electrical process does not contain the secret, then we shall have to rely on a rail heavier than that we have been using. We shall have to put in a hundred-pound rail at a cost of more than S3O a ton. At the conference with the steel men last week we demanded that more be cut off the ends of rails after they had been rolled and more cut off the ends of the ingots before they were rolled. The idea of this is to prevent air holes and other defects. The steel men were averse to this unless we consented to pay more for the product. However, in the end they agreed to make a concession and to cat off a little more from the ends, although they declined to go aa far as- we asked at the present price, which we think ample. “Unless this electric rail solves the problem, my belief is we shall have to put in a heavier rail If we want It ab hard as those now in use. If not, we shall have to use a softer one. Which Win wear oat In half the time.”