10
THE BATTALION
Something Happened in 1891
What
Engineering
Owes To
Sound
Principles
13ERHAPS no phase of elec-
A trical development is more
fascinating than the events
leading up to the practical use of elec
tricity as the motive power for street
railway transportation.
It is a story of “midnight oil”, hard thinking, ex
treme perseverance. No better example of the value
of sound principles to present day engineering could
• be cited than the Westinghouse No. 3 Motor, as in
troduced in 1891.
Its design was so fundamentally correct and the
details were so soundly worked out that subsequent
developments of railway motors all followed the prin
ciples embodied in it. Now let’s see what bearing this
has had on modern transportation.
In 1700 the first permanently fixed rails made their
appearance. In 1831, in New York, horse cars began
operation. In 1834, after fruitless attempts to apply
steam, compressed air, gas, etc., to these cars, a
Westingho^e Motor, No. 3, the Progenitor of the
Present Universally-Adopted D. C. Railway Motor.
gested that electricity be used as the motive power.
The very first practical commercial dynamo, built by
Gramme, in 1862, made this suggestion a possibility.
It was natural that George Westinghouse, with his
intense interest in transportation, should take up this
problem. From 1889 to 1891, he, with his organiz
ation, worked continuously to perfect a commercially
practicable railway motor, and the famous No. 3,
daddy of all street railway motors, was the result.
As mentioned before, the principles embodied in the
No. 3, thirty-two years ago, are still in use, and at least
ten prominent features of this remarkable motor are
to be found in present-day types. A number of these
early motors are still in operation—a tribute to sound
Vermont blacksmith, one Thomas Davenport, sug- engineering principles.
ANOTHER GREENVILLE
BOY MAKES GOOD
Wilson N. Reedy was elected as
chairman of the final ball committee.
With the help of his chosen assistants,
a well appointed dance is assured.
The Battalion staff of 1924-25 are
going- to get some practice in several
weeks. The Junior Edition of the
Battalion is to be published with
Jack Jinks as editor and Steve Noble
as business manager. Coming just
after the junior banquet, the Junior
Battalion always stirs up ire ainong
the sophomores. This year, we hope,
it will prove no exception.
Circus Leader—“If that leopard
gets out, shoot him on the spot.”
Guard — “Which spot?” — Ex
change.
He—And what sorority do you be
long to?
She—I’m a Delta Delta Delta.
He—I beared you the first time.
PLYING HIS TRADE.
Cop—What is your business?
Prisoner—I am a locksmith.
Cop—Well, what were you domg
in that gambling house we just raid
ed ?
Prisoner—When you came in, I
was making a bolt for the door.—
Punch Bowl.