From our Berlin Correspondent.
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f Austria's First Motorpost Line.
Further particulars, together with a photograph taken at Neumarkt on the day of inauguration, of the first motorbus line worked by the Austrian Post Office will probably be of interest. In a recent issue (18th June, page 544), I made a brief reference to the line, which connects up the railway station of Neumarkt with Predazzo, in the heart of the Dolomites, This Neumarkt—several towns in Austria bear this name—lies on the main line between Trient and Bozen, hence not far from the Italian frontier. The whole distance measures some 24 miles,. with stiffish gradients (some as great as 12 per cent.) over the first to miles or so; yet, notwithstanding the hills, no more than 31 hours are absorbed by the whole journey, or 21 hours less than the time required by the horse-drawn vehicles. The automobiles intended for passenger traffic run thrice daily, whilst those built for luggage perform but one double journey a day. In the former we have a roomy, comfortable vehicle, painted a light grey and relieved with orange, upholstered in leather, and fitted with canvas screens which can be lowered at the sides. There is plenty of accommodation for hand-bags, alpenstocks and knapsacks, Both types of vehicle can attain a speed of 14 m.p.h. on the level, although the passenger cars have 4cylinder engines of 28h.p. ag-ainSt the 2--cylinder ones Of 14h.p. of the freight vehicles. All the chassis were supplied by the Austrian branch of the Daimler Company ; they are identical with the make so widely used for commercial vehicles in England. The interested districts hailed the materialisation of the project with undisguised satisfaction. On the eve of the inaugural trip the inhabitants of Neumarkt welcomed
the visitors (mostly Government officials) who had travelled over to participate in it, with a torchlight procession and a lavish expenditure of gun powder. For the opening run two omnibuses had been specially decorated : our illustration depicts these two cars and their distinguished passengers.
Flader Electric Fire Tenders.
E. C. Flader, of Johstadt, whose front-wheel drive was illustrated in "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR" a few months back, makes electric-driven as well as steam-driven fire-brigade vehicles. Two tenders here illustrated belong to the former class. Each superstructure rests upon four semi-elliptical springs, and the front and back axles are connected by a jointed rod. Solid rubber tires encircle the wheels. In addition to a couple of powerful electric brakes, there is also a double-acting
band-brake, whereby it is possible to bring a tender going at full speed to a standstill within 13 feet. One lever regulates the speed and switches on thereverse. From gauges, fixed on the inner side of the dashboard, the driver can read off both amperes and volts. The transmission gear consists simply of two pairs of bevel wheels : differential and change-speed gears are not required. The two motors, which give a direct drive on the front wheels, are well sprung; they are also fitted with dust and oil-caps, and their armatures run on ball-bearings. These vehicles are steered by the means usually
adopted for automobiles—wheel and rods to axle-ends. Worm-gear is not employed, but a patent, self-locking device prevents the vehicle from sideslipping in the event of the motor failing. The accumulators are suspended on springs underneath the body and stowed away in three pitch-pine boxes. As the floor of the vehicle lifts up, the batteries can be kept under observa
tion during the process of charging up. The efficiency of the accumulators works out at 30 watt-hours per kilogramme on a 5-hour discharge. A patent lid on the cell-boxes prevents the acid from being shaken out on the road when running at speed.
Motor Road Trains for Prussian Maneeuvres in Posen. Nearly a score of motor trains, as well as a number of single freight automobiles, were recently inspected by General Inspector General von Lyncker before their departure to Posen for the siege manceuvres there. Several trains were already in Posen, so that over a score are taking part in this year's operations. The light column consists of 4 petrol tractors with 3 trailers each, 3 petrol tractors with 2 trailers each, a petrol tractor and trailer, and 2 steam tractors with x trailer each. At the head of this column is the Daimler, constructed specially for the Experimental Section of the Transport Service (Versuchabteilung der Verkehrsttuppu.m) in the works at Unterturkhelm ; it possesses front and rear drive and is equipped with a 6-cylinder engine.* A Bfissing omnibus also belongs to this column ; it es intended for the staff. The heavy column consists of an N.A.G. with 2 trailers, a Siemens and Schuckert with no fewer than 5 trailers, 3 steam tractors with .2 trailers each, and a steam tractor with a single trailer. Motorcycles and passenger vehicles are, of course, attached to the column. Oberlieutenant Jurisch, assisted by Lieutenants Mischke and Cramer, have charge of the columns.
Benzol Brewer's Lorries in Berlin. A few months back, before the Verein Deutscher Motorfahrzeug-In
dustrieller, Director Spranger, of the Daimler Works at Marienfelde, lectured on Substitutes for Benzine, and told his hearers that he had been conducting a series of experiments with benzol. Precisely what stage these experiments had reached, or whether the experimental stage was passed, were points kept in the dark ; but it was evident that the director had something up his sleeve, all the more as he subsequently appealed to the Deutsche Benzol-Vereinigung to adopt a reasonable price policy and lower the charge for benzol. Now, the large Berlin brewery known as the " Patzenhofer " has acquired two, Daimler, benzoldriven lorries, and I made it my busyness to go down and enquire how they were working. As I neared the brewery-yard, one of these two huge vehicles, laden with a big load of empty bottles—for the brewery also does an extensive business in bottled beer— emerged from it. For a vehicle of its bulk it moved with surprisingly little noise and with remarkable buoyancy. The engine was still going when I reached the cellar, but its " purr " could scarcely be heard a few yards away. I ascertained from the driver that his lorry, which is fitted with a four-cylinder engine developing 22h.p., and built for a useful load of nearly 69 cwt., had been running since the 6:h July. He said the motor had not given the slightest trouble, and very little soot deposit was found. The company's second lorry, which was delivered a couple of weeks later, has worked quite as satistactorily. Director Spranger prefers that constructional details of the Daimler benzol carburetter should not yet be published, but I may say that it is somewhat larger than that used for petrol and belongs to the surface type. Generally speaking, the prices ot too litres of petrol and benzol are 30 and 22.30 marks respectively, but the latter could be sold very much more cheaply at a handsome profit to the Benzol-Vereinigung. At the present moment some 4,000 tons only are available for automobile purposes, whereas Director Spranger estimates that the German motor industry might consume 30,000 tons per annum.