Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 191, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1917 — ENGINE IS STRONG [ARTICLE]

ENGINE IS STRONG

Giant of Rails Constructed for Definite Purpose. ' \ HIGH VOLTAGE IS EMPLOYED Locomotive Is Capable of Exerting as Much Power as String of Trolley Cars Over Half a Mlle Long— How It Works. Onpe more has American genius demonstrated Its supremacy in the railroad field, this time In the production of the most powerful locomotive In the world; not a freak built for spectacular purposes but the first of a standard type of giants of the rails constructed for a definite purpose. It is capable of developing 7,000 horsepower, and was designed and built by the Pennsylvania Railroad company and the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing company. This monster, capable of exerting as much power as a string of trolley cars over half a mile long, draws its’ current fspm a wire no bigger than that used by a trolley car, or aboiit'*the size of a lead pencil. ' Field for Engine. The Important field for this engine will be for hauling the tremendously heavy freight traffic of the Pennsylvania railroad over the Alleghany mountains from Altoona to Johnstown, Pa., including the famous Horseshoe Curve, a distance of approximately 40 miles? The freight traffic ovdr this division runs as high as 300,000 tons a day. In capacity this locomotive exceeds by more than 50 per cent the power of the large electric locomotives In transcontinental service, popularly called the largest locomotives in the world. The locomotive has been sent to Philadelphia, where it Is being placed ifi initial service on the electrified portion of the Pennsylvania main line extending west from Philadelphia to Paoli. It is built in one unit. There are two trucks, each having six driving wheels six feet in diameter. On each truck are mounted two powerful electric motors taking current from the trolley wire add supplying mechanical power through a gear wheel to the drivers. The total weight Is 260 tons, length 76 feet. Although this' weight is compact, the engine Is said to be much easier on the track and roadbed than the steam locomotive because the weight is cushioned and the running gear Is perfectly balanced for all speeds. Perfect Control. . The control has been applied to such perfection that power can be exerted gradually so as to enable theengine to start a train without Jerk and acquire the speed of 20 miles per hour with a heavy train In about two minutes. This speed is fixed as desirable for the grades and curves which will be encountered .when crossing the mountains.. An interesting feature Is the fact that the engine will handle these enormous trainloads, owing to the design of the motors, at constant spped, whether operating up or down grades. When going down grade the motors automatically become generators and return power to the line, and at the same time obviate the use-of the airbrakes, which are simply held for emergency use and for bringing the train to full stop. •