Electric Railways

The electric railway was first proposed 1835, and a model built by Thomas Davenport. The first practical application of electricity to propulsion was in 1879 in Cleveland, O. In the four following years it was tried in San Francisco, Allegheny, Pa., Saratoga, N. Y., and Chicago. The trolley system, whereby the current from a wire operates a motor under the car, is the one in most common use. average cost of electric railways is ab. $11,000 per mile for track, $10,000 per mile for stations, shops and wires, and $4,000 per mile for rolling stock. The average operating expenses are ab. 12 cents per car per mile.