[Trade Journal]
Publication: Arnold Bulletin
Chicago, IL, United States
no. 6, p. 1-13, col. 1-2
The Grand Rapids, Holland & Lake Michigan Rapid Ry.
A paper read before the Chicago Electrical Association by George A. Damon, Managing Engineer, Arnold Electric Power Station Co., and William D. Ray, Consulting Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, Detroit, Mich.
The Grand Rapids, Holland & Lake Michigan Rapid Railway Co. was incorporated Feb. 24, 1900, to construct and operate an interurban electric railway from Grand Rapids, Mich., the second city of the state, to Holland, and there connect with the Holland & Lake Michigan Railway and the Saugatuck, Douglas & Lake Shore Railway.
Grand Rapids has long been known as the "Furniture City," the majority of its factories being engaged in furniture manufacturing. The city, including the suburbs, has a population of nearly 100,000, and the last census shows a growth in the past ten years of 45 per cent. Besides being the greatest furniture manufacturing city in the country, Grand Rapids has other industries of importance and its factories are busy the year round and employ thousands of people. An interurban road, nowadays, to promise success, must have a large city as a terminal, to which the people can be carried from many small towns, which it serves. Grand Rapids was wisely chosen. The Grand Rapids, Holland & Lake Michigan Rapid Railway was the first interurban line to be admitted to the city. From Grand Rapids, the eastern terminus, the road passes through the towns of Grandville, Jenison, Hanley, Jamestown, Vriesland and Zeeland; all these long-settled villages are thrifty and their merchants prosperous.
A good farming country, an old and thickly settled rural community, peopled by industrious Dutch and Germans and given over to cultivation of acreages and fruit culture almost entirely, lies between Grand Rapids and the lake. There are several small towns and trading places, located from one to three miles distant from the company's tracks, which are tributary to the road. Holland, which is practically the western terminus of this new double track interurban road, has trebled its population in ten years, as shown by the last census, and now has 10,000 inhabitants.
The Holland & Lake Michigan Railway and the Saugatuck, Douglas & Lake Shore Railway were lines constructed for summer excursion business. The eastern shore of Lake Michigan has for years been a favorite with residents of Chicago who have visited Macatawa, Ottawa Beach, South Haven and other points in such numbers that hotels could hardly be built fast enough to accommodate them. The boats of the Graham & Morton Transportation Co. come twice each day to Holland, with excursionists, who usually take the local Holland road for Macatawa Park. The new management has arranged for cars to meet the boats at the wharf. The lake trip is short from Chicago and quite attractive in many ways. The interurban railway company does not expect large profits from this transient population but depends upon Grand Rapids' patronage, that city heretofore having had no electric line running to nearby summer resorts. The Holland, Saugatuck & Douglas line passes through a rich fruit belt and terminates in Saugatuck, which has for the most part a summer population, with but few winter residents. The Saugatuck and Douglas resorts have not been frequented as much as Macatawa, but as their beauty becomes better known patronage will increase each year.
The fruit business on the west side of Michigan is also very large, and Grand Rapids is the acknowledged center of the fruit belt, from which immense shipments are made each summer.
Holland is the junction point of the Pere Marquette and the Chicago & West Michigan railroads. The Holland & Lake Michigan and the Saugatuck & Douglas electric lines operate over private rights of way for a distance of 16 miles, except for three miles through villages. The aggregate length of track of the combined roads is 71 miles. The total distance covered is 45 miles, 19 miles of this comprising the two roads running from Holland to the lake, acquired by the company. Twenty-six miles of double track road have been laid by the new company, to reach Grand Rapids from these lake resorts.
Cars are operated on a headway of one hour and require at the present time one hour and thirty minutes for the trip from Grand Rapids to Holland, or three hours for the round trip. This time is to be reduced as the roadbed is bettered, and later, during the summer months, a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour will be realized, with an average speed of 26 miles per hour, including stops.
The running time between Holland and Macatawa Park is about 30 minutes. The interurban cars, run on Grandville Ave. in Grand Rapids to the down town loop. While for some distance double track is used, single track with turn outs prevails. This spring a double track road from the terminal of the electric line to the loop down town is to be constructed.
The population served by this road is shown by the following table:
Grand Rapids.................................. 90,000
South Grand Rapids.................... 500
Grandville.................................... 1,200
Jenison......................................... 200
Jamestown................................... 150
Vreesland..................................... 200
Zeeland........................................ 2,000
Holland........................................ 10,000
Saugatuck.................................... 800
Douglas (opposite Saugatuck)..... 700
_______
Total population of villages................................. 15,750
Townships outside of villages, 3 miles on each side of
line, and all tributary to line, estimated from reported
population of entire townships ............................. 15,000
_______
Total estimated winter population outside of
Grand Rapids......................................................... 30,750
Summer population 3 to 4 months (from outside of
this district) at Macatawa Park and Ottawa Beach... 3,000
Ditto at Saugatuck and Douglas............................... 1,000
_______
Additional summer population................................. 4,000
_______
Total outside of Grand Rapids................................ 34,750
The general character of the territory between terminals is rolling, with some steep hills. Several wooden bridges for spanning creeks, were required, the longest being that over the Lake Shore railroad near Grand Rapids, which is 750 ft. in length, and 24 ft. in height at the apex, with grades 1:59 and 3 per cent.
The road was prohibited from crossing through tracks of steam railroads at grade, and bridges and subways were consequently built. Grade crossings, however, were permitted over switch tracks, spurs and sidings, when protected with derailing devices, inserted in the interurban tracks. The private right of way is four rods wide and fenced in; it is protected by cattle guards and danger boards at all laid over this hole on long timbers without spacing between, while highway crossings.
An unexpected expense in building the roadbed resulted from a sinkhole encountered just at the limits of Holland. After bringing the surface to grade with gravel the tracks were laid, but it was only a short time until track and fill dropped out of sight and only a pond remained in their place. It was then realized that a sink hole, nearly 700 ft. in length, had developed; an attempt was made to fill it with sand and gravel, but the bottom seemingly could not be reached and this method was abandoned. On the surface of the sink hole is a firm crust covering some 40 ft. of heavily saturated muck. By drilling test holes, an eight or ten-foot layer of gravel was penetrated, and below this was found another layer of muck. Shortly after the first drill was made, the top crust referred to gave way, precipitating the fill, track and ties. Temporarily, track was laid over this hole on long timbers without spacing between, while a permanent track was being constructed and laid on 50-ft. spliced piles, driven end on and to a depth of four feet into the gravel formation. This construction was very expensive, and the end is not in sight, for occasional work will be required.
The rake of all fills was 1 1/2 ft. in 1 ft. height and cuts were 1 ft. in 1 ft. height. On double track construction the typical section is 28 ft. at sub-grade on fills and 30 ft. in cuts.
Near Jenison is to be found the biggest fill; this is 500 ft. long, 154 ft. wide at the base and some 42 ft. in depth, requiring 35,000 cu. yd. of fill, and costing over $5,000.
It is exceptional to find double tracks provided for in the original construction plans of an electric interurban. In this case such provision was wise forethought, rather than compulsory afterthought. The company's single track steam railroad competitor, the Pere Marquette, parallels the double track interurban, from Grand Rapids to Holland. While trains on the former road may be seen waiting on a siding for a passing train, the cars of the interurban go whizzing past, giving an interrupted service by virtue of the double track feature.
The two subways in Holland, comprising three separate railroad crossings, are of steel and concrete construction. The trestles and bridges on the road are all of oak. The ties are spaced 2 ft. between centers and are of hewn cedar, 8 x 8 in. x 8 ft., except on switches, where oak ties, 8 x 6 in. x 8 ft. are used. The track is standard gage and laid with 30-ft. 67-lb. and 65-lb. A. S. C. Е. Cambria rails 4 7/16 in. in height, ballasted with gravel and well drained, where required, with vitrified tiling 12 in. to 36 in. in diameter. A steam shovel, a gravel plow, two steam locomotives and a number of ballast or side dump cars, greatly facilitated the work, and decreased construction expense. Ten inches of coarse gravel ballast was used, four inches of this amount being tamped under ties. All rails and fastenings received special test and inspection before leaving mills.
The sharpest curve is 6 degrees and the maximum virtual grade 3 per cent, except at the subway in Holland which is 5.56 per cent.
The bonding of the rail joints was done very thoroughly. Two types of bonds were installed, — a foot bond on relaying rail where angle bars did not permit the usual web bond, and on all new rail a web bond. These bonds were No. 0000, 6 in. long and crimped to 5 in. between centers, of the "Protected" type furnished by the J. M. Atkinson Co. The drilling of rails, for receiving bonds was done by a special machine which consists of a gasoline engine, tank and batteries, transmission and speed regulating devices, mounted on a special car equipped with drill stocks. This outfit paid for itself, many times over, in the saving effected. The engine gave but little trouble and the outfit worked otherwise satisfactorily, requiring only one mechanic for both engine and drills. A combination drill was used, which not only drilled the foot of the rail, but also countersunk the hole. A screw compressor, operated by two men, was used in compressing bonds. The rail circuit was cross connected every twelfth pole, by a No. 0 tinned copper wire, and connected with a good ground; all switches and frogs were well bonded and cross connected. Where the tracks crossed a creek, the rail circuit was grounded by sinking a metal plate into the flowing water below.
Loops are placed at all terminals and Y's are installed at the two car barns and at Zeeland sub-station. All switches are protected with indicating switch stands and signal lamps at night. All special work was supplied by the Paige Iron Works and the Cleveland Frog & Crossing Co.
Substantial depots for the small villages and shelters at highway crossings, have been placed where warranted and are greatly appreciated by the patrons.
The sub-station building at Zeeland is combined with a waiting room and freight office. The attendant for the electrical machinery looks after the selling of tickets, handling of freight, etc. The Zeeland sub-station is so constructed that at any future time living apartments for sub-station attendants can be built immediately over freight and waiting rooms. The sub-stations are of white brick and stone construction, with high elevation.
Power Plant Building
Two sites were in view for a power house, viz.: Zeeland and Jenison. The former was considered the ideal location, being a geographical center for the line, where water was abundant and steam tracks were available for coal, but Jenison was finally settled on, a free site being offered and other reasons prevailing.
In the power plant building itself, and, in fact, in the general design and selection of the entire equipment, an effort has been made to follow the best engineering practice and yet accomplish the result at minimum cost. The plant as completed, therefore, is thought to be a good example of a station thoroughly in keeping with the commercial character of the enterprise which it serves. There is in the plant no waste space, but at the same time crowding has been avoided. There is nothing about the equipment which may be termed a "frill," and yet everything which would pay an interest on the investment, either by reason of more convenient operation of of fuel economy, has been included in the plans. It will be interesting, therefore, to examine the plant with a view to learning the various considerations which entered into the selection and arrangement of its equipment.
The general arrangement is shown in section and plan. The plant at present contains but two generating units. To furnish power for the operation of the road up to its full capacity with frequent and heavily loaded cars will eventually require double the present equipment, so that the necessity of providing for extension, which is so often lost sight of in designing power stations, became in this case one of the first considerations. The engine and boiler rooms were, therefore, arranged in parallel and a temporary bulkhead takes the place of one of the end walls, so that the present plant may be considered as just one-half of a completed station.
The engine room is 32 ft. high from floor line to the lower chord of the roof truss. It is 47 ft. wide inside and at present 72 ft. long. The engine room floor is 9 ft. above the natural grade of the ground, while the boiler room floor is at grade. The engine room has a basement 12 ft. high for the accommodation of the condensers, and much of the steam piping; this basement is 4 ft. below the boiler room level. The boiler room is 54 ft. wide, 28 ft. high and the same length as the engine room. There are four openings in the fire wall which divides the two rooms, two for doors between the engine and boiler room and two to provide access to the condenser basement from the boiler room floor. These openings are closed by means of metal covered sliding dors [sic] doors. The condensers can be reached from the engine room floor directly by means of a stairway landing midway between the steam connections to the two condensers. These stairs, as well as all other stairways about the plant, are made of iron with diamond tops and convenient railings. The main entrance to the engine room from the exterior is gained by means of a double stairway leading to a large door in the middle of the permanent end wall of the engine room. The location of this stairway on the outside of the structure saves considerable valuable space inside the building without detracting from its external appearance.
The building itself is made of cream colored local brick, and has large windows giving plenty of light and ample ventilation. The roof trusses are designed to secure a comparatively flat roof having a dip of 5/8 in. to the foot. The trusses are tied together by channel iron purlins to which are bolted nailing strips for the matched roof boards which are covered with a four-ply gravel composition. The down-spouts are on the outside of the building. Neither the engine room nor the boiler room roofs have monitors, but instead 36 in. galvanized iron ventilators of the "Star" pattern are provided to allow the escape of heated air, and the results are satisfactory.
The floors of the boiler room and of the engine room basement are of concrete with a cement top. The engine room floor is supported by an iron structure and is independent of the main engine and generator foundations. This floor is made up of corrugated sheet steel plates, made by the Berger Manufacturing Co. The corrugations in the plate used are 2½ in, high, and the vertical sides are separated by three small half-circle arches. The upper portion of the manifolds are filled with concrete which extends above the plate a sufficient distance to hold the 2x4 in. nailing strips for the hard wood floor.
All of the foundations are made of concrete with Portland cement and gravel from a pit near the power plant site. The foundations are faced with a layer of gypsum and present a neat and finished appearance. The main engine and generator foundation is a monolith.
The building is divided into bents with trusses spaced on 18 ft. centers. At each division point a pilaster 3 ft. wide, extending 2 ft. into the engine room, is carried 23 ft. above the floor to support the beams for the crane runway. The distance between these rails is 45 ft., and the lifting capacity of the crane is 15 tons. This crane has been a great convenience in the erection of the engine room equipment. The crane is operated by pendant chains, the transverse motion being secured by means of a chain hanging directly in front of the gallery which extends the entire length of the plant. There are two hoisting speeds, a slow speed for heavy loads, and a fast speed for overhauling the empty hook and for light loads, and each speed has a separate chain.
Attention should be directed to the effort which has been made in this plant to secure the simplest and the most efficient arrangement of the equipment. A power plant is a large factory in which the raw material is fuel and the finished product is electrical energy, and the problem is to transform the raw material into the finished output with the minimum amount of loss, labor and investment consistent with reliability.
It will be noticed that the plant is built up of a series of units. The two boilers of capacity equal to the demands of one engine are of about the same width as one engine and its contiguous generator. The condenser outfit fits in nicely between the engines and boilers while the switchboard and high tension apparatus is located on the floor and gallery on that side of the engine room from which the distribution and transmission wires can conveniently leave the building. The travel of raw material and finished product is thus reduced to a minimum.
Coal Handling Apparatus.
The fuel is slack coal which is received from cars delivered upon a trestle alongside of the boiler room by the railroad company; so that the first movement of the coal is secured by gravity. The next operation is to transfer it from the coal pockets to the boiler furnaces. The plant was not large enough to justify an investment in an elaborate system of coal and ash handling apparatus and storage bins and yet the fact that the station was to operate nearly 20 hours each day for every day in the year made it desirable to adopt some method of doing away with hand firing. The coal handling device indicated on the cross section of the power house was selected as combining the advantage of small first investment with the ability to reduce the coal handling cost. This apparatus has not yet been installed but the fact that at present the coal and ashes are each handled at least twice only emphasizes the importance of an investment in this part of the plant.
The apparatus shown consists of a traveling bin carried upon an elevator leg which rests directly upon and travels along a track parallel to the boiler room wall. At frequent intervals along this wall cast iron pockets with sliding gates are placed ready to deliver the coal from the bunkers directly into the bottom of the elevator the bucket system of which is operated by an electric motor, allowing the bin to be filled from any point of the coal storage. The coal hopper can be moved along by this same motor until it is brought directly before the furnace to be supplied with coal which is delivered through an extended spout by gravity. The hopper of each furnace holds a supply sufficient for an hour's run, so that the operation of the boiler room becomes a "one man" job, and it would be hard to reduce the labor item below this point.
Stokers.
From the furnace hopper the coal drops on to a Green chain-grate made by the Green Engineering Co. of Chicago. The links forming the grate can be inspected as the grate makes each cycle and each link is removable in case repairs are necessary. Each boiler is fitted with a grate having an area of 53 sq. ft., which is at the ratio of five boiler horse power per square foot of grate area, and as the boilers are rated at ten square feet of heating surface per horse power the ratio of grate surface to boiler heating surface is one to fifty. The grates are guaranteed to handle successfully from 30 to 50 lb. of coal per sq. ft. per hour. The regulating devices include an adustable gate to fix the thickness of the fuel upon the furnace, — a speed adusting mechanism to determine the rate of the grate movement, and a system of dampers, both to vary the amount of air through the grate itself, and to shut off the upflow of air back of the grate in front of the bridge wall. The ashes are delivered by the moving grate to a pit beneath the boilers, which in this case is designed to hold the amount produced by a day's run at full load, and it is therefore necessary to take out the ashes only once in 24 hours.
Boilers and Draft.
The boilers are of the "Cahall" sectional water tube type made by the Aultman-Taylor Co.; one of the illustrations shows a section of the boiler and furnace. There are four boilers each having 2650 sq. ft. of heating surface, made up of two steam and water drums 36 in. in diameter and 20 ft. long, and 126 four-inch tubes, 18 ft. long. The tubes connect vertical iron headers, and are arranged in staggered sections fourteen tubes wide by nine tubes high.
These boilers and furnaces are guaranteed to transform at least 70 per cent of the heat units of the fuel into energy in the form of dry steam at 150 lb. gage pressure and under full load conditions will probably do even better.
The fact remains, however, that 20 per cent of the heat energy originally contained in the fuel escapes from the smoke connection at the rear of the boilers. The plant is planned to eventually intercept much of this latent heat energy and transform it back into the boiler system by means of an economizer, and this desirable adjunct will probably be installed at the time the station is completed. At present, however, the hot gases are conducted by means of a sheet steel breaching directly to the intake of a Sturtevant induced draft fan. This fan has a wheel 9 ft. in diameter by 4 ft. wide and is mounted on an iron platform located at one side and toward the rear of the boiler settings so that the breeching outlet discharges directly into the fan intake without making any turns or bends. The fan discharges into a stub stack 5 ft. in diameter, made of sheet steel, and mounted directly over the fan outlet. A by-pass is provided with suitable dampers so that the fan inlet and outlet can be closed and the gases passed directly to the stack. The top of this stack is only 40 ft. above the grates, but this height has proved sufficient to operate the plant upon light loads without the use of the fan.
The speed of the fan determines the force of the draft, and this speed can be adjusted either by hand or by an automatic valve connected to the main steam header in such a way that as soon as the steam pressure drops, the fan engine is speeded up. The draft, therefore, becomes a function of the demand upon the boilers. A draft gage is mounted in a location convenient for the fireman, and the behavior of this part of the plant is under constant supervision. Ordinarily the fan engine turns about 100 r. p. m., but it may be increased to 250 r. p. m. or more, and if occasion should arise to force the boilers to their limit for a period it is possible, by means of the fan and engine which has been installed, to get a draft equal to two inches of water.
The mechanical draft equipment cost much less than a steel stack, and up to date has given practically no trouble. It is designed with sufficient power to eventually draw the gases through an economizer. This economizer is to be placed back of the boilers and just sufficient distance above the floor to allow a by-pass flue to be located beneath. A runway between the back of the boiler and brick economizer flue allows a space for getting at the rear of the boiler tubes, at the blow-off valves, and at the economizer header.
Heater and Pumps.
The fan engine, it is true, requires a certain amount of steam, but at the same time this engine, in common with other auxiliaries about the plant, exhausts into an open heater, and a good share of the heat of the steam used is returned to the boilers through the feed water. This heater, which is of the Stilwell-Bierce open type, is fitted with an exhaust steam oil separator to remove the cylinder oil from the steam before it mixes with the cold feed water. Furthere [sic] Further precautions are taken to secure pure feed water by filtering the heated water before it is allowed to pass to the pumps. This heater, purifier and filter, are located upon the fan engine platform, and in this location it is not only in a favorable position to deliver hot feed water to the pumps below, but is also easy of access for cleaning and washing out without affecting the surrounding equipment. The platform in front of the heater is flashed, drained, and made water tight, while a hose connection is provided to make the washing-out process as convenient as possible.
The two boiler feed pumps are of the duplex, outside-packed, type, and each pump is of sufficient capacity to supply the present equiment [sic] equipment of boilers when working at full load. Each pump is bronze fitted throughout and is provided with a cast iron drip pan under the entire pump. This drip pan sets on the top of an elevated foundation which brings the pumps up to a convenient height. A relief valve on the pump discharge prevents any damage being done in case the boiler feed valves are all suddenly closed.
High Pressure Steam Piping.
The steam, on its way from the boilers, passes first through an automatic valve which is mounted directly on the boiler outlet. In order to open this valve the steam in the boiler must reach a certain pressure, and the valve will immediately close again if the steam pressure drops below this point. This valve is intended as a precaution in case of the failure of any one of the boilers through any cause as in such an event it automatically cuts itself out of service. From this automatic valve a full sweep half-circle bend delivers the steam to the top of the header through a gate valve. This header is 12 in. in diameter and parallels the dividing wall between the engine and boiler room at a short distance above the boilers. It is supported on roller brackets with two sets of rollers at right angles, which allow for movements in two directions. The header gallery, which is provided for convenient access to any of the valves, can be reached from both ends of the plant. The header is divided in the middle by a by-passed valve, so that in case of accident either half of the plant can be run independently of the other half. All valves in the plant are of Crane make and all high pressure piping 4 in. in diameter and over is flanged. All live steam and hot water piping is covered with heat insulation, made by the Manville Covering Co.
The steam for the engines is taken from the top of the header through a gate valve and a quarter turn steel pipe bend to a Cochrane live steam separator supported on the engine room side of the dividing wall. The header system is thoroughly drained, but this separator is provided to take care of any moisture entrained in the steam. so as to deliver practically dry steam to the engines. The steam reaches each engine through another bent pipe, — connected directly to the throttle.
An auxiliary header supplies the steam to the exciter engine to the condenser pumps, to the boiler feed pumps, to the air compressor, and to the fan engine. It is paralleled by the auxiliary exhaust pipe, and by the main exhaust, all of which are located underneath that part of the floor which forms a runway on the wall side of the condenser pit.
Engines and Connections.
The engines are rated at 750 h. p. each when running at 150 r. p. m. and taking steam at 150 lb. gage pressure. They are of the vertical Ball & Wood cross compound corliss type with cylinders 21 1/2 in. and 45 in. by 24 in. stroke. Each engine has a governor wheel 96 in. in diameter and weighing 16,000 lb., which is mounted between the main bearings. Both the admission and exhaust valves are of the corliss pattern, and are located in the heads of the cylinders, resulting in the smallest clearance and least length of ports. Each engine is provided with re-heating receiver between the high and the low pressure cylinders, which are both steam jacketed. Radiation is prevented by a thick coating of asbestos cement outside of which is fitted an ornamental nickel plated jacket.
The engines and generators are connected on the "Arnold System." The engine shaft extends beyond the main bearings a distance sufficient to receive the hub of a flanged coupling. The revolving fields of the generators are carried on an independent shaft resting in two adjustable bearings through which the generator shaft extends to receive the other half of the flanged coupling. The halves of the couplings on the engine and on the generator are thus in position to be connected by means of three taper bolts. In this way the generators are built and installed entirely independent of the engines without the usual delay resulting in an effort to secure co-operation between the engine and generator builders. The generators being independent of the engines it is possible to shift the generators from one engine to another in case of accident to either the engines or the generators. This arrangement gives a certain amount of reliability greater than is found with the ordinary independent unit plan, in which the breaking down of an engine or generator cripples the entire unit.
The connecting system described has proven to be a particularly fortunate one for this plant, as it developed in buying the electrical equipment that it would be impossible to secure shipment of the generators inside of eight months, whereas the road itself would be ready to operate inside of five months. To overcome this difficulty the engines were installed without waiting for the permanent generators, and a temporary belt pulley on an independent shaft was put in place in the bearings of one of the generators, a belt being run through a window to a belted double current generator installed in a lean-to shed. The consequence has been that the road has been independent of the serious delay in starting usually encountered with enterprises of this character.
Condensers.
The exhaust from each engine passes down through the floor directly into a Deane jet condenser. A by-pass connection is provided to an atmospheric exhaust through an automatic vacuum break valve and a spiral riveted pipe. The condenser pumps are of the single cylinder Deane type, and are bronze fitted throughout. Each condenser is supplied with injection water through an independent 10-in. pipe extending back to the intake well, so that no difficulty is experienced from the condensers robbing each other. The condensers are in full view from the engine room floor, and are easily and quickly reached by means of a steep iron stairway from the engine room floor to the basement. Extension handles are provided on the injection, discharge and steam valves, however, so that they can be conveniently controlled from the engine room floor.
The water for condensing and boiler feed is taken from Rush Creek, some 225 ft. from the power house. The water enters through a crib, constructed of 2 x 8-in. timber, properly cribbed and filled with cobble stones to prevent displacement, then passes through two 18-in. vitrified tile to an intake well, intercepted by settling basins.
The intake well is 12 ft. in diameter. From this supply two cast iron injection mains of 10 in. diameter, and one 6 in. boiler feed water main run directly to condenser pit of power house.
The discharged water mains from condensers are two 12 in. cast iron pipes until the intake well is reached, when from this point to creek vitrified pipe 24 in. in diameter were used. Should the creek ever "dry up" or the stream decrease in volume, a self-cooling tower can be placed over intake well with but little additional expense.
Electrical Equipment.
The alternators are of the three-phase, 25-cycle rotary field stationary armature type, of 500-kw. capacity, made by the Westinghouse Company, and are provided with armature sliding frame to permit access to all windings for repairs without requiring use of a crane. They have 20 poles and operate at a speed of 150 r. p. m. The rating is 722 amperes per terminal. The two exciter dynamos are 125 volt 30-kw. each and either is sufficient for supplying full field current for the two 500-kw. alternators. The separately excited fields require 120 amperes at 100 volts at full rated current output per terminal, at 380 volts, working on 100 per cent power factor. With an 80 per cent power factor, on full load, an increase of 20 per cent in field current is required. The alternator armatures are star connected and of the slotted drum type. The armature has large ventilating ducts and is substantially constructed.
The direct current exciter generators are direct connected to horizontal simple engines running at 300 r. p. m. These exciters are set on concrete foundations, built directly on the floor beams, with the result that no space is taken up in the basement by auxiliary foundations. The exciters and draft fan engine are located on a level and in the same part of the plant, thus reducing the work of the operator to a minimum. The steam reaches the exciter units through pipe bends connected to the auxiliary steam header.
The switchboard consists of 10 panels, all of blue Vermont marble, mounted on the usual framework of angle irons, distributed as follows:
One exciter panel (two exciters), 2 alternator panels, 2 transformer panels, 2 alternating current rotary panels, 2 direct current rotary panels, I direct current trolley double feeder panel.
This switchboard is of the Westinghouse standard pattern. The principal features of the boards are a totalizing, integrating watt-meter, placed on each alternator panel; a double, low tension bus bar arrangement for flexible manipulation of alternators with transformers and rotary converters, and separate ammeters for each phase reading to 1200 amperes.
Synchronizing lamps and shunt transformers are used, when machines are to be synchronized with bus bars.
The step-up static transformers, which are located in a gallery, are of the Westinghouse oil cooled type, and are seven in number (two active sets of three each and one spare), each being 200 kw. capacity. The ratio of conversion is one to fifty. Two fuse cut-outs are placed on the low tension, or machine side of each transformer, and the usual delta connections are made. These transformers on both primary and secondary windings are arranged for cutting in or out coils or sections for voltage adjustment.
Two 300-kw. rotary convertors are installed in the power house, for handling the sections of the line adjacent to the power house. The rotaries are started by an induction motor direct connected to the armature shaft, and synchronized by means of lamps connected on one side to bus bars and on the other to the alternating current side of the rotaries. The switch controlling the starting motor is of the double throw type, arranged for high and low voltage connections to transformers. Consequently, with one position of the switch the motor develops a speed slightly in excess of the synchronous speed and with the other position, a speed below it. This permits of the proper speed being reached as indicated by the synchronizing lamps.
Each governor arm of the 750 h. p. engine, driving the alternator, is equipped with a series wound 1/4-h. p. 125-volt, Sprague electric motor, for controlling the speed of the engine in synchronizing generators. The control of this motor is from special switches and rheostats on the switchboard.
Lead encased cables are used for connecting the alternator units with the switchboard and transformers and these are carried under the engine room floor on wooden brackets fastened to the I-beams. The two rheostats for the generator fields rest on suspended shelves in basement.
For some months past, a 1000-kw. rotary converter has been in operation, pending the delivery of permament [sic] permenent alternators. This machine is belted to special pulley fly-wheel on the engine shaft and runs at 300 r. p. m. A 5.62-kw. 500-volt exciter dynamo is belted to the shaft of the rotary and supplies the fields with current. A three-phase alternating current of 380 volts is delivered to static transformers and a direct current, approximating 600 volts, or such voltage as follows the departure of the generator from a true sine wave, is delivered to the trolley wire of the line sections adjacent to the power house.
This temporary arrangement has worked well, excepting for the regulation, which has been poor at times, occasioned by the reactive effects.
The station lights, consisting of some 65 lamps, are operated off of a special transformer of 125 volts secondary and 400 volts primary. After the shut down of the plant at night, should light be required, the exciter dynamo is started and switches transfer this duty to the exciter.
The six high-tension wires after leaving the stp-up [sic] step-up transformers are interrupted at the high tension board, by six single pole combination fuse switches or circuit breakers. The lightning arresters on the transmission line are of the Wurts type.
In the station low equivalent arresters are mounted on a marble panel 24 in. x 65 in. One single pole arrester is used on each end of each transmission line.
Static interrupters which resemble transformers in external appearance take the place of the choke coils commonly used, and are much more effective. On high tension circuits, switching, grounds and short circuits may produce static effects similar to those of lighting. The static interrupter protects the transformers against sudden static disturbances. The interrupter includes a choke coil in series with the line and the condenser connected between line and the ground, — nearer the transformer than the choke coils. The choke coil and condenser are placed in a self-cooling tank. The base dimensions are approximately 20 x 27 in. Three leads are brought through the top of the case through insulating bushings for connection to line, to transformer and to ground.
The interrupters are single-pole and three are used for each group of three transformers, the interrupters being placed in the leads of the delta. No switching of live high tension wires is permissable [sic] permissible within the interrupters, except that a transformer may be cut in or out when its high tension voltage is maintained interchangeable by potential on the low tension winding. In this case the high tension switching is not dangerous because it produces no change of potential.
It will be noted that the arresters which serve to prevent an abnormal rise of potential due to lightning are placed on the line wires where they enter the stations and that the interrupters whose function it is to prevent short circuits from static disturbances are placed between the transformers and the transmission line switchboard, so that no switching of high tension circuits will be done within the interrupters. These lightning arresters are of the most approved pattern, made by the Westinghouse company and known as the low-equivalent type.
Two single pole station arresters are installed on trolley feeders leaving power house and sub-stations. The original plans contemplated the installation of Wurts tank lightning arresters and suitable choke coils for these circuits, and eventually they will be used.
The wiring for this station consists of rubber covered wires placed on brown porcelain insulators, supported by standard oak pins. A well seasoned wooden frame work, carries the high tension switches and lightning arresters.
Transmission Line.
Six aluminum wires of 52,630 circular mils each leave the Jenison power house, carrying current at 20,000 volts, and follow along the railway tracks easterly to the Zeeland sub-station, 15 miles distant, and at this sub-station, these six wires pass through the building and continue on to Macatawa sub-station 102 miles, from Zeeland. The six high potential wires comprise two circuits. Although one circuit would suffice for the operation of the two sub-stations, it was deemed best to split or divide the three conductors of the 105,500 c. m. of aluminum required, into six wires of 52,630 c. m. each, allowing both circuits to be normally run in multiple. In the event of accident by grounding or the breaking of a single wire or wires of one circuit, the other is in readiness to carry the load. Although effecting a greater drop in voltage by this make-shift, the cars would be kept in continuous operation with speed slightly impaired. Other combinations of the three wire circuits are as follows:
Of the two alternators installed at the Jenison power house, one may deliver current over one circuit to the Zeeland sub-station, and the other alternator over the second circuit, may operate the Macatawa sub-station, or circuits and sub-stations may be put in multiple with the alternators. Again one of the circuits can be made inoperative or dead, between the power house and Zeeland, and the multiple combination continue between Zeeland and Macatawa, or vice versa. This arrangement permits of great flexibility, with but comparatively slight increased cost. The two, three-wire aluminum three-phase, alternating current circuits have the wires 24 in. apart at the corners of an equilateral triangle. All joints on these circuits are made with McIntyre connectors and the joint has been found very satisfactory. High tension wires are tied to number two Provo glass insulators, weighing six pounds each, with a diameter across the base of 7½ in.
The bottom of the insulator is fully 5 in. above the cross arm. Glass was preferred to porcelain and has worked effectively. The line received its first current of high voltage in a downpour of rain and no trouble was given by a single insulator, in fact no part of the equipment gave any trouble whatsoever. The glass insulators are believed to be much superior to porcelain, and the lower cost is not the least thing to be considered. They do not require a test before being placed in service and the life without deterioration is longer.
Insulators are placed on special oak pins, 14 in. long which have been boiled in paraffine oil. These pins are socketed in long leaf yellow pine cross arms, 6 ft. and 8 ft. long, and are held firmly in place by plugs, made of 4-in. round maple dowelling stuff, which is driven through holes in the cross arm and pin. This method is used in preference to nails. The usual braces, bolted to cross arms and lagged to pole, hold the cross arms in position. The illustration showing the pole with cross arm and bracket construction gives other measurements in detail. The poles are 40-ft. and 30-ft. lengths with 7-in. tops and 13 in. in diameter, 6 ft. from the base and were shipped from L'Anse, a northern Michigan timber point.
Following are the principal dimensions relative to track, pole and car clearance:
Track center to pole center, 7 ft. 6 in.
Track center to side of pole, 6 ft. 11/2 in.
Inside of rail to side of pole, 4 ft. 7/4 in.
Side of car to side of pole, 2 ft. 6½ in.
Considerable difficulty was experienced, in securing poles that would pass inspection and the writer's experience the last year with this part of overhead construction, indicates that Michigan will soon be barren of suitable timber for 30-ft., 35-ft. or 40-ft. poles. Already the telephone companies are using the Washington and Idaho cedar, and the increased freight charges make the poles from the latter states cost more than those that Michigan can furnish, though the latter are much superior in every way. Poles are spaced 100 ft. apart and are midway between tracks which are 15 ft. between centers, and are placed on an average of 7 ft. in the earth. All poles are tarred on the butts and painted from ground line to roof. Where poles were set in marsh or swampy ground, they were well barrelled. At the side of each sixth pole is driven a 12 ft. section of galvanized iron pipe to which is connected a No. 6 copper wire, leading directly to the top of pole and tapped into a barb wire carried on a top-groove glass cable insulator. These pipes form a good earth connection for lightning discharges that may strike the high tension circuits. The barb wire is of large size and composed of two No. 9 B. & S. wires; this was used in the belief that there would be less danger of breakage, than with a smaller size, which in falling would menace the high tension wires. The top-groove insulator, on which the barb wire rests, is not used for insulation, but after some investigation, it was found that this form of support for barb wire was the cheapest and most substantial, consequently it was used in preference to a more simple arrangement.
The first circuit runs continuously without transposition, from the power house to Macatawa, while the second circuit receives one complete turn or twist between the power house and the Zeeland sub-station and between the latter and Macatawa. Direct current feeders of aluminum are also used and these were supported on the trolley brackets, rather than upon an additional cross arm. This method is not only neat and substantial, but less expensive than additional cross-arms. The trolley bracket used was of a special pattern (Type D-Detroit) made by the Ohio Brass Co. of Mansfield, O., and is made up of a 9-ft. length of 2-in. steel tubing. being used with heavy re-enforced malleable iron castings. They are fitted with a 5/16-in. suspension strand and 12-in. supporting rods. These brackets were fastened to the pole by lag screws and machine bolts, the latter being used where extra strength was required. The brackets are very strong and are especially adapted to interurban high speed work. It will be noticed that this bracket is braced both from above and below the horizontal arm. Brackets are placed 20 ft. above the rails and 8 ft. 10 in. from the lower cross arm. On the 40-ft. high-tension poles, a distance of 5 ft. 5 in. is maintained below the telephone circuit and horizontal arm of brackets, with a separating distance of 20 in. between the two No. 10 copper telephone wires. Steel thimble, angle, drive-brackets are used for supporting the pony glass insulators. The transpositions of the telephone wires occur every four poles and a straight drive-bracket with a transportation glass insulator is used. The transpositions are made by soldering No. 12 weatherproof insulated copper wire across incoming wires. Thus far the telephone circuit has been very sensitive and worked well, but as soon as a ground occurs, the circuit is then too noisy to hear ordinary speech.
Stromberg-Carlson bridging telephones. protected by D. & W. lighting protectors and cut-outs, are in service. Within Grand Rapids a twin spiraled, rubber insulated and weatherproof covered conductor, tied with marlin to pony glass insulators, on oak side brackets, has been used, preferably for freedom from interference with the many lighting, power, telephone and telegraph wires that net work the streets. Telephones are installed at the power house, turn outs, sub-stations, offices, and car barns. A dispatcher is employed to direct the movements of the cars by the medium of the telephone line.
The General Electric M. D. type of lightning arrester is installed and four of these are placed to the mile, giving the most efficient lightning protection for the direct current circuits.
The trolley wire used is Roebling's No. 000 figure 8 section supported by the type W hangers made by the Ohio Brass Co. The hanger consists of a malleable iron casting encircling an iron casting and 34-in. stud, encased with Dirigo insulation, excepting the threaded portion of stud. The several parts are automatically locked together, when assembled with suspension clincher trolley ear, by a lock washer.
Taps, from direct current feeders to trolley wire, are made on every twelfth pole and consist of a special mechanical aluminum clamp joint soldered to No. o insulated stranded copper cable. This is supported along the horizontal arm of trolley bracket by special insulator clamps, and then passes into feed-in ears attached to the hangers. The direct current aluminum cables, furnished by the Pittsburg Reduction Co., are connected by mechanical joints, the receptacles being compressed on the cable and joined by a lock nut, with right and left hand threads. The usual strain guys are used where necessary, always broken by globe strain insulators.
The double track span construction was confined to village streets particularly with track centers of II ft. and 12 ft. where permitted
Section insulators in both trolley wires bridged by 800-ampere circuit breakers, are placed between power house and Zeeland and the latter sub-station and Macatawa. The normal position of these breakers is closed, causing all sub-station rotaries to be in multiple on their direct current side. Should a heavy short circuit come upon any section the circuit breakers immediately open, lighting a bank of signal lamps. As a car approaches, on the section not affected by the short circuit, the lighted lamps are observed by the motorman, who stops his car, opens the line switch, closes the circuit breaker, and then closes the line switch If the circuit breaker does not open again, it is understood that the trouble is removed and the car proceeds. Should a disablement or break down of machinery occur at any sub-station, it is possible to continue operation of cars at reduced speed as before mentioned. The overhead system of the local Holland line was not overhauled, though ultimately this will be done. A single trolley and a single track with turnouts prevails throughout the old road.
The old steam power plant at Macatawa, of 500-kw. capacity has not been dismantled, but will be used during the summer months, when excessive loads on the Holland terminal require its operation.
Zeeland Sub-Station.
The main sub-station room at Zeeland has interior dimensions of 39 ft. 8 in. x 27 ft. and contains two 300-kw. Westinghouse rotary converters, seven 120-kw. step-down oil-cooled transformers, (six active, one reserve), six static interrupters and lightning arresters and six combination fuse switches, also emergency switches, for putting the high tension circuits in multiple. At Zeeland switches for controlling the line to Macatawa sub-station are provided. A seven-panel switchboard is installed, and all wiring under the floor was done with lead encased cable.
In the gallery, some seven feet above the floor, are placed the static interrupters, combination fuse switches, and emergency switches. The switches controlling the Macatawa sub-station, are located on the opposite wall and are reached by ladder.
The switchboard consists of 2 transformer panels, 2 alternating current rotary panels, 2 direct current rotary panels and 1direct current double feeder panel. A swinging bracket holding 2 direct current voltmeters is attached to the latter panel.
All transformers are earthed and are piped up, with individual valves on each transformer, for draining oil from the cases.
Car Equipment.
Six closed passenger cars 47 ft. long and four closed passenger cars 41 ft. long, with bodies painted in carmine, and with motor-man's cab on one end only, are already in operation.
These cars with trucks, brakes and motors, weigh 23 tons and 25 tons respectively, and with the passenger load 4 tons more. The cars were furnished by the Jewett Car Co. and the G. C. Kuhlmann Car Co. They are finished in cherry and oak; a smoking compartment is provided in the front end of the cars. Where a baggage compartment is used, small folding seats are distributed about the enclosure, for smokers. The windows have very low sills and are of the Pullman type. Couplers of the Grand Rapids Ry. standard are on all cars.
Twenty 16 c. p. lamps comprise the lighting equipment of large cars. Tail lights or oil signal lamps are on rear end of all interurban coaches.
The trucks are of the Peckham 14 A. extra strong center bearing type, with outside hung brakes, and are equipped with four Lorain Steel Co's. No. 34 motors of 50 h. p. each, inside hung, rigid nose suspension. Griffin wheels of 33 in. in diameter, 23/4 in. tread and 3/4 in. flange are used with 5-in, axles. The weight of the wheels is 475 lbs. The current required to start the car is 175 amperes, and the normal running current is 135 amperes at 500 volts. These motors are protected by "A-P" circuit breakers. The trolley base installed is of the Bleasdale & Holland type. The cars are heated by the Peter Smith hot water heaters; some being placed with sheet iron partition, back of the rear seat, in the rear end of the car, and others are located in a separate enclosure, adjoining the toilet room. All cars are equipped with the storage air brake system furnished by the Magann Air Brake Co. The air reservoirs are charged from a large storage tank, set between the two tracks, at Jenison, 900 ft. from the power house. The air compressor is of the Hall Steam Pump Co's. manufacture, and a part of the power house equipment. An additional air compressor, of the belt driven type and of same make, is placed in the Macatawa sub-station and operated by a series electric motor. Ham sand boxes are on all cars and work effectively. The Beverly wheel hand brake is also provided. The car seats are from the Hale & Kilburn Manufacturing Co. and are of the well-known high back, "walkover" type. The short cars (41 ft.) are provided with rattan seats and the long cars (47 ft.) have a handsome plush covering. The shorter cars seat 46 people and have wide aisles. The company has recently ordered five 50-ft. passenger cars, which is proof that the long cars are considered best suited for its interurban business. It is confidently expected that trains of two cars will be necessary for handling the summer business. Ultimately, the shorter cars will run during that part of the day when travel is light. The road also has in addition to this car equipment, three 35-ft. closed passenger cars and seven 35-ft. 12-bench open passenger cars, equipped with two 35-h.p. motor Walker equipments. These cars are mounted on maximum traction trucks.
A terminal barn and shop are located at the Macatawa sub-station, and another will be built in the spring at Jenison. A feature of the latter barn is, that the main tracks pass through barn and are provided with inspection pits. Every car will receive an inspection of motors, wheels and trucks, every round trip. Adjoining these tracks are two car storage tracks, also one pit track for repairs.
The freight equipment consists of three 50-ft. closed cars, similar in exterior appearance to those used for passenger purposes. Oil headlights are used and cars are equipped with fenders. The company has six 26-ft. box cars and six 30-ft. gondolas, also one combination freight locomotive and nose snow plow and one Ruggles rotary snow plow. These snow plows have done excellent work during the past winter.
Freight and Passenger Rates.
The rates for freight are low, ranging from 2½ cents to 23 cents per 100 lb., dependent upon distance rate basis and classification. The express rates vary from 20 cents for a package weighing not more than 10 lb., to 45 cents for packages weighing from 50 to 100 lb. Over 100 lb. a rate of 45 cents per hundred is made. These rates, however, vary somewhat, dependent upon the distance, classification and risk. While on the Grand Rapids Railway Co's. tracks freight cars operate on a mileage basis.
Village franchises call for a rate not to exceed 1/2 cents per mile, for carrying passengers, with no fare accepted less than 5 cents, but the steam railroad competitor has recently reduced its rates, and as a result the interurban company is making special rates during certain hours of the day, when the steam road has trains moving between terminal points. For track privileges in Grand Rapids, the interurban company receives 2 cents on every fare in either direction on local or interchanged traffic, free transfers being given and the local Grand Rapids road provides train crew and power, furnishing and maintaining the track.
The Grand Rapids, Holland & Lake Michigan Ry. was financed and built by the Detroit Construction Co., of Detroit, of which John Winter is president and B. S. Hanchett, Jr., vice-president. The electrical and mechanical engineering work was under the direction of W. D. Ray, at that time electrical engineer for the Detroit Construction Co. The civil engineering was in charge of Mr. L.B. Wilson.
The contract for the complete power plant including the building was awarded to the Arnold Electric Power Station Co., of Chicago, and this part of the work was done in accordance with plans and specifications submitted by the Arnold company.
