TELPHERAGE IN PRACTICAL USE. 



389 



Fig. 7 shows how the ends of the steel rods are fastened and 

 insulated from each other. The end of one rod is turned down 

 and fastened to the cast-iron saddle with a nut, as shown at the 

 right of the figure. The end of the next rod, A, is bolted to the 

 cast-steel cap C, which is insulated from the saddle by an insu- 

 lator of vulcanite, V ; and, in order that the tension of the rods 

 may not break the vulcanite, melted lead is run in between the 



V--' . y//////////////^/////////////////y^/y////^/^ 



Fig. 7.— Ordinary Saddle. 



saddle and the insulator, and between the insulator and the cap. 

 To prevent the metallic wheels of the skeps from short-circuiting 

 the two sections as they cross the tops of the posts, there are insu- 

 lated gap-pieces, as shown in this figure, on the saddles between 

 each rod and the next. 



Each of the motors at Glynde receives a power of about fifteen 

 hundred watts, or about two horse-power, and as the potential is 

 about two hundred volts everywhere on the line, each motor re- 

 ceives about eight amperes when a train is running at about four 

 and a half miles an hour. The dynamo used on this line is a 

 Crompton six-unit " shunt- wound " machine of the Gramme type 

 driven by a steam-engine. It is evident that a telpher line could 

 be run with water-power, where this is available, even if the 

 source of power is several miles from the track. 



The line at Glynde is a little under a mile in length. On long 

 lines it is expected that a source of power would be needed every 

 ten miles, working the trains for five miles in each direction. 



The advantages claimed for telpher lines over surface rail- 

 roads using steam locomotives are, first, the much less cost of the 

 road and equipment. Thus, as the result of the experience gained 

 in constructing the Glynde line, it was estimated that a similar 

 line could be erected for a total cost equal to about six thousand 

 dollars, including engine, dynamo, track, and five trains, with 



