IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 97
short trains since the elevated superstructure couldn't handle the weight of
the locomotive required to pull more
than three or four passenger cars. What
was required was distributed electric
power throughout the train, with each
car a complete motorized independent
system and all the cars being controllable from a single location or locations
throughout the train. This would provide
complete flexibility, more rapid acceleration and deceleration, eliminate the rail
yards, should be less expensive overall,
and would be a beautiful clean method
of transportation (as when New York's
ugly Fourth avenue was transformed
into Park avenue after the electrification
of Grand Central Terminal).
But at first even Sprague wasn't sure it
could be done. When questioned about his
position in a June 1888 IEE paper that such
distributed power wasn't feasible, he replied that the motors would interfere with
each other, the art had not been developed
far enough, and all those motors would
make it too expensive. He then went about
to prove just how wrong he was.
apparently without realizing it at
the time, his first break came during the
early 1890s Postal Telegraph elevator
installation when he temporarily wired
up the individual pilot motors and controlled them from a single location. Pilot motors weren't new (as an analogy,
consider automotive power steering,
once all hydraulic and now mostly electric), but simultaneously controlling
them in multiple from a single location
was new. Even in his temporary circuit,
with time the individual elevators began to get out of synchronization.
Then in mid-1895, while considering how to solve the elevated locomotive weight problem, he flashed back
to the elevator control, realizing that, if
refined, it would be the ideal solution
to not just this problem but all types of
urban horizontal transportation. Thus,
although there was a huge amount of
work ahead, the MU control system
had truly been born.
to the Manhattan Elevated went nowhere.
Then, while inspecting one of his elevator
installations in the Waldorf-astoria Hotel,
he fell backward off a scaffold in the basement and broke both legs. Now on crutches,
but still planning a previously scheduled
april trip to London to bid on the Central
Railway elevator installation, he received
a letter from Leslie Carter, president of
the Chicago South Side Elevated Railway
("alley L"), asking him to consult on the
planned electrification of the line. Believing
that GE already had the inside track with a
locomotive approach, he tried to decline.
However, Frank Shepard, an old friend now
working for GE, and his assistant, William
Chicago Alley L
The year 1897 started very badly for
Sprague. First, a February MU proposal
november/december 2015
ieee power & energy magazine
97
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - Cover1
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - Cover2
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 1
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 2
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 3
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 4
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 5
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 6
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 7
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 8
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 9
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 10
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 11
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 12
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 13
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 14
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 15
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 16
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 17
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 18
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 19
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 20
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 21
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 22
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 23
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 24
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 25
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 26
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 27
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 28
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 29
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 30
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 31
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 32
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 33
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 34
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 35
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 36
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 37
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 38
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 39
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 40
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 41
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 42
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 43
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 44
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 45
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 46
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 47
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 48
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 49
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 50
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 51
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 52
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 53
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 54
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 55
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 56
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 57
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 58
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 59
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 60
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 61
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 62
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 63
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 64
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 65
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 66
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 67
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 68
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 69
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 70
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 71
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 72
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 73
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 74
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 75
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 76
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 77
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 78
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 79
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 80
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 81
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 82
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 83
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 84
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 85
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 86
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 87
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 88
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 89
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 90
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 91
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 92
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 93
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 94
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 95
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 96
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 97
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 98
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 99
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 100
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 101
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 102
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 103
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 104
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 105
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 106
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 107
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 108
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 109
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 110
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 111
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - 112
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - Cover3
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050620
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030420
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070819
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050619
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030419
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070818
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030418
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/powerenergy_010216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010214
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com