Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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1900
Jul 23, 2004 4:26:39 GMT 1
Post by Lee on Jul 23, 2004 4:26:39 GMT 1
In 1900, 1/3 of all automobiles in New York City were powered by electricity. I wonder how long it will take New York City to reach that percentage again?
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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1900
Jul 26, 2004 3:47:01 GMT 1
Post by stanhas87 on Jul 26, 2004 3:47:01 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
In 1900.the automobile was at its infancy and was still considered as a fad. It is interesting to notice that from the many makes which exists today,only Oldsmobile was in existence by then.Buick,Cadillac and Ford would be in business by 1903 and Chevrolet as late as 1914.On the other hand,makes that disappeared some time ago such as Packard and Studebaker were active by then. For this matter of fact,Studebaker stater business as a carriage manufacturer; Packard offered buggies by now until it became one the most luxurious makes known in the US.From this period until the 1930's, several makes would set up shop and disappear;others such as Nash,Hudson and Willys-Overland would last until the 1950's..In between,makes such as Pierce-Arrpw,Auburn,Franklin,Duesenberg,Cord and Graham had their carrers cut by the big depression.
But by 1900,all of this was begginnig.The automobile would prove itself as a reliable means of transportation thanks to races and improved manufacturing methods,and by the end of the decade,it would be lose its 'carriage' shape.
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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1900
Jul 26, 2004 9:30:40 GMT 1
Post by BillC on Jul 26, 2004 9:30:40 GMT 1
You're speaking of the USA, of course. There are a few European marques that have already passed their centennials, like Peugeot and Opel. Rolls-Royce turned 100 in May.
You could add Mercedes-Benz, which dates its origins back to Karl Benz's Patent Motor Car of 1886. However, the first Daimler-built Mercedes didn't appear until 1901 (Emil Jellinek's order was given to Wilhelm Maybach in 1900, about a month after Gottlieb Daimler died, along with the instructions to use the name "Mercedes"). In addition, Daimler and Benz didn't merge until 1924. One of the first new cars to carry the Mercedes-Benz name was the 1926 Stuttgart, formerly modeled in 1/87 scale by Roskopf.
Incidentally, Ransom Olds didn't actually begin producing cars for sale until 1901. In reality, none of the major American auto brands produced in 1900 are still around.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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1900
Jul 26, 2004 12:28:52 GMT 1
Post by stanhas87 on Jul 26, 2004 12:28:52 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
Oldsmobile commemorated its centenary in 1997 and it was around since 1897 and it was the first car maker to offer on line assembly,not Ford as many believe.
Another European make that was around in the Period was Panhard )Panhard-et'-Levassor) and that dissapeared in the 1960's.Incidentally,their last ones were nice vehicles.Likewise,many european makes also disappeared over the years.
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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1900
Jul 27, 2004 11:21:41 GMT 1
Post by BillC on Jul 27, 2004 11:21:41 GMT 1
The Olds Motor Company was formed in 1897, but did not produce a car for sale until late 1900. In fact, the "Oldsmobile" brand did not exist until 1900, when it was selected from other entries in a contest. From 1897 to 1900, Ransom Olds created eleven evaluation cars. All but one burned in the 1901 factory fire. The surviving prototype was the basis was the first real Oldsmobile, the 2-seat 1901 Runabout.
Henry Ford built his first car in 1896 and formed his first car company in 1900. Ford Motor Company was Ford's third attempt at commercial auto manufacturing.
David Dunbar Buick formed his first engine company in 1899 and his first car company in 1902. The company celebrating its 100th birthday was a second company, set up in 1904 by Benajmin Briscoe with Bill Durant as its general manager. D.D. Buick was forced out a year later.
Karl Benz used an assembly line to produce cars before Ransom Olds. Benz was producing a lower-priced car, called the Velo, using assembly line methods before the turn of the century.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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1900
Jul 28, 2004 0:18:16 GMT 1
Post by stanhas87 on Jul 28, 2004 0:18:16 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
A list of american cars that were around 1900:
Auburn (1900-1936) Locomobile (1899-1929) National Motor Car (1900-1924) Oldsmobile (1897-2004) est 1897;as stated,first car sold around 1901 (thanks,Bill) Packard (1899-1958) Peerless (1900-1932) Stanley Steam Car (1897-1927) Winton (1897-1924)
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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1900
Jul 28, 2004 0:22:05 GMT 1
Post by stanhas87 on Jul 28, 2004 0:22:05 GMT 1
Dear Bill:
Thanks for the additions and corrections,specially on the Olds matter.
The other known american makes such as Willys,Hudson,Nash,Franklin,Pierce Arrow,Graham Paige, would appear later on.
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1900
Jul 28, 2004 23:01:07 GMT 1
Post by Christian on Jul 28, 2004 23:01:07 GMT 1
Back to the original question: I don't think that percentage will be reached ever again, because I don't believe electricity is the future of the automobile (if you exclude the fuel cell).
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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1900
Jul 31, 2004 7:31:13 GMT 1
Post by BillC on Jul 31, 2004 7:31:13 GMT 1
Depending on how you define an electric powered vehicle, it's quite possible that that percentage could again be reached or surpassed.
For one thing, the limiting factor for purely electric vehicles is the current state of storage battery technology. The pun in the previous sentence is intentional as storing enough amperes is the problem.
Other drawbacks of today's storage batteries include the high replacement cost of battery packs and the problem of disposal.
So what is needed is a system whereby the electricity is generated in the vehicle, such as fuel cells. Lovely as they sound, fuel cells have their own problems, such as cost and the lack of infrastructure to produce, transport, store and deliver hydrogen.
Of course, the true era of the electric car may be only a scientific or engineering breakthrough away. It's likely an electric motor powered in some fashion is going to become a major component in the drivetrain of the future, we just don't yet know where the electricity will come from.
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Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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1900
Aug 15, 2004 23:14:50 GMT 1
Post by Lee on Aug 15, 2004 23:14:50 GMT 1
We could power them like they do the bumper cars ;D You know, metal streets and a trolley pole.
Another thought would be powering by AC induction. An AC coil in the street and a coil in the vehicle. No actual connection between the street and the vehicle.
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1900
Dec 14, 2004 20:06:33 GMT 1
Post by Cor_DutchArt on Dec 14, 2004 20:06:33 GMT 1
Dear Sirs: A list of american cars that were around 1900: Auburn (1900-1936) Locomobile (1899-1929) National Motor Car (1900-1924) Oldsmobile (1897-2004) est 1897;as stated,first car sold around 1901 (thanks,Bill) Packard (1899-1958) Peerless (1900-1932) Stanley Steam Car (1897-1927) Winton (1897-1924) Nick, Talking about electric cars.... I am missing the Detroit Electric. Wouldn't there be someone who want to release this in 1:87?? Cor van der Meijde
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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1900
Dec 15, 2004 1:47:16 GMT 1
Post by stanhas87 on Dec 15, 2004 1:47:16 GMT 1
Dear Cor:
I feel that very unlikely. Again,if my memory serves, the Detroit Electric kept building their electric vehicles for a long while while anyone else was switching to gas-powered vehicles. The same can be said of Stanley: built Steam-powered cars for a long while when anyone else..............
Interest in this type of vehicles seems to be vanishing; I met dealers at swap meets who have big problems, at the late 1990's, to sell this kind of vehicles and in order to get rid of them they would discount these drastically or give them away,literally.The focus was on Muscle Cars and these still ride high on consumer tastes.
Otherwise, the Detroit Electric was a nice - and elegant - vehicle.
Nick K
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