All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

io4 All About Inventions working of the Pennsylvania Railway in the same city. In the latter instance some huge locomotives were introduced, the total energy, working in tandem, being 4,000 horse-power. Each locomotive is equipped with a 2,000 horse-power motor, the power from which is transmitted to four coupled driving wheels 72 inches in diameter. The engine measures 65 feet in length, and weighs 157 tons ready for the road. Recently the New York Central has acquired six new electric locomotives of even greater power, having been de- signed to haul a train weighing 1,200 tons upon a level straight line at a sustained speed of sixty miles per hour. While America was forging ahead in this field, European electrical engineers were every whit as busy. The question of adopting electric working upon the great Alpine tunnels was discussed, and was first reduced to practice in the case of the Simplon railway. Two locomotives, each developing 1,000 horse-power, were run side by side with steam loco- motives of equal power. From a comparison of the results presented by steam and electric working the authorities were able to make their decision, which was given in favour of the new system of train hauling. One interesting feature of the locomotive was revealed in this instance. Although both types devel- oped approximately identical horse-power, the weight of the steam engine was more than twice that of its rival, the former scaling no tons, while the latter weighed only 62 tons, of which 42 tons was imposed upon the driving wheels. When the Loetschberg tunnel was completed electric working was adopted, and for