The electrification of the chicago, milwaukee and St. Paul Railway

The purpose of this paper (perhaps better described as a lecture) is to bring to the knowledge and consideration of the Institute the engineering features of electrified sections of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway in the United States. This electrification is remarkable in several respects. First, it is by far the largest and most important existing application of electricity to main line railway operation; second, it employs the highest direct current voltage thus far practically applied; and third, it employs for the first time successfully, and on a large scale, regenerative braking. Financial matters as regards first cost are only mentioned incidentally, because the costs of to-day and those of pre-war days are far apart, and little valuable and practical information could now be gathered from the actual costs of the system. Also, the financial results of the electrification are not stated, except with respect to power cost, because they are still unpublished history, locked in the archives of the railway company until time shall have winnowed all the facts. Suffice it to say that the ascertained economies are highly satisfactory to the owners, as evidenced by the recent decision to add greatly to the system as referred to later on. I might also add that the discussion of the engineering features is quite large enough for any one paper. But I hope to bring before you some of the considerations which lead to this great undertaking and to point to the causes of the economy which its owners confidently expect, and which experience has already indicated as amply assured.