Abstract
IN the Electrical Supervisory the journal of the Association of Supervising Electrical Engineers, of November, the presidential address of Mr. J. M. Kennedy to the Association is given. Mr. Kennedy makes useful suggestions on problems relating to the economic development and co-ordination of the electric supply industry. He points out that although railway electrification is a straight economic issue based on no increase of traffic, he considers it a much more productive line of capital development than road transport. As a comprehensive scheme for the whole of Great Britain, it is only a paying proposition at the expense of a reduction of personnel and of the total amount of coal used. He considers that both these disadvantages are certain to be outweighed by countervailing advantages. The electrification of railways will give traffic managers a new method of attracting traffic due to greater acceleration, speed, cleanliness and general comfort. In addition, the shorter trains run at more frequent intervals, the absence of smoke, and better time-keeping will help. Experience on the Southern Railway so far indicates that a very great increase in traffic is likely to result. A regular half-hourly service between London, Manchester and Birmingham would lead to a considerable increase in regular passenger traffic. Increased traffic will help to make good the apparent reduction in the number of employees, and the increase in electric production will also help. The electrification would not be completed for 15-20 years and would therefore be assisting employment continuously during this period. The increase in the efficiency of transport will also add its share to reducing unemployment to its normal level.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Railway Electrification. Nature 132, 999 (1933). https://doi.org/10.1038/132999b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/132999b0