Posted by albert brecken on September 18, 2000 at 08:45:03:In Reply to: Re: Historic Power Stations posted by George Yurick on November 28, 1999 at 22:46:28:
The New Haven Railroad pionerred a new technolgy when it electrified the main line with an overhead trolley energized with 11000 volts alternating current. This became the genesis for future railway electrification systems thruout the world. Recently the rail line between Boston and New Haven was electrified which resulted in an all-electric route between Boston and Washington. The 1st section of this route was electrified in 1907 and the power source was the Cos Cob Power Plant. The Cos Cob Plant is a Designated Engineering Landmark and is being demolished. At the turn-of -the-century the standard system for electric trains was 3rd. rail Direct-Current which was basicaly for short-distance passenger trains. The New Haven Railroad strove for a system that would propell fast inter-city passenger trains, numerous and frequent commutor trains, heavy freight trains,and absorb large increases in rail traffic far into the future. The essential fact ii that if the system was sucessful on the main line of the New Haven it would be sucessful ANYWHERE- and it was. Other steam railroads, most notably the Pennsylvania, utilized the New Haven system. During WW2 the largest concentration of rail taffic was in the electrified zones of the New Haven and the Pennsylvania and this enormous volume of trafic was propelled with un-surpassed effeciency. The Cos Cob Power Plant is now History but the technology- hi-tension trolley- endures. Will send photos and info. to those interested. My appreciation- Al B.