Rupert-
Farnham was a CB&Q employee (the department escapes the top of my head at the
moment, but it wasn't motive power or mechanical IIRC).
At the time of the demonstrations there was some speculation that the Q was
going to electrify their commuter service (Smoke Abatement was a big issue in
Chicago around the turn of the century). But the CB&Q denied any interest in
doing so. I know there were some electfication studies done (again, somewheres
I have something on that) but it wasn't directly related to the Farnham system.
The car lettered up for Farnham in the photos I've seen may have been borrowed
from the Suburban Railway (West Towns), or if purchased may have ended up as
one of the Deadwood Central cars; I haven't tried to research its genealogy.
Charlie Vlk
----- Original Message -----
From: Rupert & Maureen
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 2:17 AM
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Gasoline motor car 1905
Charlie
From Railway & Locomotive Engineering August 1904
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy people are reported to have been
investigating the practicability of introducing electrical traction into their
suburban service, and that the scheme has been abandoned for the present
because they could not find a suitable motor. That will not long obstruct the
introduction of electrical power into the service of steam railroads.
Was this "scheme" a continuation of your project, perhaps?
Rupert
----- Original Message -----
From: "cvlk" <cvlk@comcast.net>
To: <CBQ@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 4:33 AM
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Gasoline motor car 1905
> Rupert, Gerald and all...
> I don't have the citation handy (got to label, index, and rearrange my
computer files better) but IRRC the 1905 Gas Motor was not the earliest
sucessful trials of alternative motive power on the CB&Q. With its scientific
testing lab program at Aurora the Q was constantly trying new technology.
> Not related to the CB&Q, but indicative of the work going on in the field,
about ten years earlier a new locomotive was tested in Chicago that was a
before-its-time Genset unit.... a prime mover running a generator that charged
batteries that in turn powered traction motors. It even had regenerative
circuits. No doubt the battery, prime mover, and control technology available
at the time conspired against the concept being a sucess, but it is interesting
to see that there is very new under the sun!
> On a more directly Q related subject; does anyone have any CB&Q
documentation on the trials of the Farnham Third Rail System that was
demonstrated at Clyde? Farnham worked for the CB&Q and patented an
under-running third rail system that was used by the NYC and the predecessor of
the South Shore Line.... it also had a sectional power activation feature that
only energized the electrical block that the train was drawing power from. I
cannot locate exactly where the track was that was used for the trials.... from
the few photos I've seen it might be on the north side of the mainline around
where Ryerson Steel was at 26th Street.
> Charlie Vlk
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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