New Ideas

GOODS & SERVICES

Streamliners. The Pennsylvania Railroad this week put four new diesel and electric streamliners, costing nearly $11 million, on the New York-Washington and New York-Boston runs. With some reason, Pennsy calls its new Congressional and Senator trains the "finest ever developed for daytime travel." The cars are decorated in red, white and blue, highlighted with American colonial scenes, and have drawing rooms with folding partitions that can be expanded into big (16 1/2-ft.-long) conference rooms. The coffee-shop cars serve counter meals from electronic Radaranges, which cook food in less than a minute. Other features: cocktail bars and yellow toilet bowls.

Battery Watch. An electronic wrist watch that eliminates 30 parts found in ordinary watches and keeps "perfect" time was exhibited last week by the Elgin National Watch Co. of Elgin, Ill. The watch motor is the smallest ever built, runs for a year on a peanut-sized battery. Elgin plans to market the watch in about 18 months for $200-$500, expects it will be "some years" before the watch can be brought down to the $50 class.

Plastic Foam. A new sponge-like plastic foam was shown at the National Plastics Exposition in Philadelphia. The makers, Bakelite Division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corp., call it more resistant to flame and chemicals than foam rubber. Almost odorless, the foam does not deteriorate with age or from moisture or acids. Among the uses: seat cushions and a backing for furniture upholstery.

Kents. P. Lorillard Co. (Old Gold) put on the market a new cigarette, Kent, the first filter-tip cigarette made by one of the Big Five.

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