HIGH-SPEED ELECTRIC INTERURBAN RAILWAYS. 317 



carried in the bagg-ag-e compartments of the passenger cars. When 

 the line was first opened, more freight was offered than could be car- 

 ried, although the rates were two-thirds more than those asked by the 

 steam-railroad company. 



Extending north from Detroit 73 miles to Port Huron, Mich., and 

 comprising in all 110 miles of single track exclusive of sidings, are the 

 lines of the Rapid Railway Compan}^ another early pioneer in the elec- 

 tric interurban railway field. This road is an excellent illustration of 

 the great advances in the building of electric roads made possible by 

 high-tension power transmission. All power is generated at a main 

 station at New Baltimore and transmitted in either direction by alter- 

 nating currents at 16,. 500 volts. The power house is equipped with all 

 the latest improvements in the way of coal and ash handling machin- 

 ery, mechanical draft, economizei*S, etc., and contains three 1,000- 

 horsepower Westinghouse steam engines, all direct-connected to 

 3-phase generators. There are five rotary-converter substations — 

 two north of, two south of, and one at the power house. This rail- 

 way passes through a rich agricultural country and at its middle part 

 through a noted summer-resort district, which is rapidly being built 

 up in consequence of the transportation facilities furnished by the elec- 

 tric line. About the same fares are charged as upon the Detroit, Ypsi- 

 lanti and Ann Arbor road, and arrangements have been made for an 

 extensive freight traffic in fruit, fish, vegetables, groceries, and gen- 

 eral merchandise. It is said that 50 per cent of the lighter trade going 

 to Detroit is now carried by the electric road. The cars are run on 

 train dispatchers' orders, telephone stations being placed at all sidings. 

 After leaving the city limits of Detroit there are no grade crossings, 

 and the track is thoroughl}^ well laid and ballasted. One of the branches 

 of the road closely follows the shore of Lake St. Clair, and the north- 

 ern part of the road follows the St. Clair River, passing through 

 many fishing, hunting, and boating resorts. Hourly service is given 

 regularly over the whole line, and cars are operated at shorter intervals 

 between points where traffic is dense. The schedule time for the cars 

 is 27 miles per hour, including stops, and between stations the speed 

 reaches 15 miles per hour. * * * 



In the State of Michigan there arc 21 interurban lines actual!}" in 

 operation, and franchises have been asked for 17 more. The great 

 activity in bidlding electric roads in this territory is due, perhaps more 

 than to anything else, to the fact that it was here that a number of the 

 eai'liest and most successful roads in the country were constructed, thus 

 bringing the possibilities of electric traction before the eyes of ])usiness 

 men and capitalists. 



While the Middle West has l)een the scene of the most active electric 

 railway building in the United States, considerable progress has been 



