Henry Ford's Railroad

Not satisfied with converting the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad from an obscure failure into a well advertised and moderately successful line, Henry Ford is now planning to electrify it to obtain cheaper operation. Contracts totaling $1,000,000 have been let to the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company for new electrical equipment, including locomotives, and active preparations are already in progress for the electrification of the road's first unit.

Power will be furnished to drive the wheels over the road from Mr. Ford's Rouge powerhouse, whose capacity will be doubled by substituting eight turbine generators, each rated at 30,000 kilovolt amperes, for the original equipment of two 12,500 kilowatt turbine generators. The new turbine generators, one of which is nearly completed, will be among the largest in the world.

The new electric freight locomotives will weigh 360 tons, and their sixteen driving axles will develop a normal capacity of 4,000 horsepower, and a maximum of 5,000 for an hour. Their maximum speed will be 45 miles an hour.

Reports of the recent net earnings made to the I. C. C. by the road indicate that in 1923 alone the road should earn more than Henry Ford paid for it.