The adoption of electric storage battery locomotives for underground haulage in Australia can now be regarded as an established practice, and although the number of installations may be few compared with other countries, there is to-day considerable evidence that the battery locomotive is here to stay and is becoming the most favoured type of equipment for mine haulage. It is, of course, generally recognised that electricity provides the ideal form of tractive power, but whereas for railway work the overhead trolley wire or third rail conductor system is quite satisfactory, in mine workings, tunnelling operation, or even for surface workings, the use of either of these systems has very serious drawbacks.
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