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Dawn of the Electric Traction Era 105 this line powerful engines developing 2,000 horse- power were built. Since then other European rail- ways have been won over to electric traction for their main lines, one of the most important enterprises of this character being the electrification of the great Swedish main line between Kiruna and Riksgransen. In all these instances, however, the length of road which has been converted to electric working is com- paratively short. But a decided impetus to elec- tricity was imparted in 1913 by the decision of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, a recent American transcontinental line, to electrify the whole of its mountain section. The negotiation of the Rockies has ever constituted a thorny problem to the railway builders, owing to the extreme difficulties which have been encountered in maintaining grades sufficiently easy for economical working ; while, moreover, the fuel for the locomotives, the consumption of which is somewhat heavy, has to be hauled over long dis- tances. But among the mountains there are water- falls innumerable which may be harnessed, and which may be induced to furnish an enormous volume of energy. Under these circumstances the railway directors decided to electrify the section, and the plans called for the conversion of 440 miles of line. The first stretch has been completed and is now in operation, the locomotives for the service being monsters weighing 260 tons and developing 3,000 horse-power. The feature of this undertaking is the regenerative system which is employed. In ascending the long gradient electric current is consumed, but after the summit has been gained there is an equally long