The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-29
QUICK TRANSIT.
Novel Road-Cars Without Wheels Gliding
Over n Revolving Track.


Novel Road-Cars Without Wheels Gliding
Over n Revolving Track.
The problem of rapid anu safe transportation OF
people from one end OF this island to the other mas
not yet been soved and IL attended with many dlf.
hculties. plan tnat would the present streets
without obstruction danger has at least the adj
vantage OF economy over many schemes tnat have
been proposed General ImDoden, Of Richmond,
Va, claims to have invented and mas taken steps to
patent
SUSPENDED CITY PASSENGER ROAD,
which In several important features Ia certainly
novel. model of his invention Is now In the office
OF De Leon Imboden 90 Broadway, where the Gu
rious In such matters can It's mode Of construc
tion and operation. without the aid OF illustrations
II Is dlfhcu TO describe accurately the mechanism
Of this street road The structure or carryingway
Is to be wire suspension bridge running the whole
length OF the city, supported by iron columns 100
feet apart, twenty-five feet high resting upon
granite pedestals the line OF the curbstones ON
both sides OF the street. A light ornamental iron
arch springs from the top Of these columns and,
spanning the street. supports the iron piers over
which the wire cables are stretched One OF these
cables is over the axis OF the street, the other two
are half way between this and the supporting
columns. Immediately under these cables and at
tached TO them are the girders to which the
and the other for those gong up town.
The track or roadway Is the most striking
novelty Of the invention. II Is composed Of
pairs Of rollers similar TO Carwheels, secured
upon suitable axle, which revolves upon ordinary
friction rollers This rotary track has Its wheels ten
feet apart and under II the cars are suspended by
rails thlrtytwo feet long that glide over the rollers
with perfect freedom and safety Six strong elliptic
springs connect these rails with the cars and VIII
boat. The motive power Is supplied by
lfr
mile apart and .propel an endless WIRE
cable or chain around light horizontal drums, six
SO simple that boy ten years old can work IT, and
the cable so constructed as not to be liable TO get
should occur, a new cable being ready, can be put
IN IN lew minutes
are intended to be thirty feet long and ten feet WIDE
divided into three compartments, and seating CON-
iortably forty-two passengers each. They may
the rate o o thirty niles an anu hoa s'es The
stations it is proposed TO locate at about equal dis
Of an aa mile apart ma cross
bottom Of the cars will swing sixteen feet above the
surface OF the street. thus clearing all the stages and
wagons passing under them. General Imboden
claims that the operation OF the road will be almost
noiseless and not likely TO brighten horses. The
and does obstruct the street any than tele
graph poles. which, by the way, as well as lamp
this structure be used instead The Invention Claims
advantages over other plans proposed III these I'M
pOrtant PARTICULARS
First
THE ABSOLUTE SAFETY
OF the passengersthec carrying capacity Of the track
being calculated to bear twelve times the weight OF
the passengers that can be placed into the cars.
SeCOnd-That his cars, hanging under the road,
are brought several feet nearer the ground than
possible where the car IL run upon It's own wheels
ana over It's track; sixteen feet being as high AS
people need 60 up stairs TO get on the train
2hf1d-That by the use OF a revolving track and
friction rollers he has reduced friction to It's mini
mum. and requires no more power TO operate the
of the atmosphere and the Uis te,ttG OF the or
train.
FOurtt-That speed OF enc mile In two minute
will require moderate power and be perfectly safe.
opposite directions at the same time no more power
is required to operate road up hill and down than
on dead level.
St1t-That the structure occupying the middle
OF street,
CAN NEVER BE A NUISANCE
to foot passengers to the occupants Of houses
along Its line.
Sepenth-That its working capacity Is greater
than any road yet suggested, and may be increased
or diminished at pleasure as readily as horse rail-
road can increase reduce the number OF its
Efghth-That Its cost Will not be One-ffth OF that OF
an underground way aud 1t can be constructed from
one end OF the city to the other in single year.
Mayor Hall, John Foley and William X. Martin and
others have been invited TO investigate the merits
OF this scheme, and their conclusions either way
win have great weight with the people of this city
The engineering problems involved In 1t are OF easy
and simple solution. The questions OF It's utility
cost and location most interest the public, and as
these bring 1t In competltion with all other planes
to add that with the single exception that it Is above
ground IL has not the slightest resem blance to the
Greenwich street, and Ninth Avenue Elevated Rail-
way in construction or operation.