The rapid extension of this department well illustrates the progress of electrical arts. Fifteen years ago when the central station comprised a few primitive switches arranged with measuring instruments on a wooden framework, twenty or thirty men in one small shop were able to keep pace with the demand. The factory now employs about 800 hands and occupies a floor space of more than 100,000 square feet.
[Photo: Men assembling switchboards: original size (11K) | 9x enlarged (66K)]
As an illustration of the large sizes and capacities of some modern switchboards, the one recently supplied to the Elevated Division of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company may be mentioned. The current from nine 5000 Kw., 10,000 volt, three-phase generators is connected to the various panels of this board, and is there measured and distributed through forty connecting lines to as many 1500 Kw. rotary converters in seven separate sub-stations. A switchboard of similar capacity is now in course of construction for the Subway Division of this road.
The modern practicability of high voltage transmission is due largely to the General Electric Company's splendid development of oil switches, which are manufactured in this department. The plan of setting up and testing completed apparatus before shipment is rigidly followed.