New-York tribune., 1871-01-11
THE QUICK TRANSIT PROBLEM

ELEVATED RoADs-UsE OF DUMMIEs-ADvANI-
AGES OF HORSEPOWER - UNDERGROUND
ROADS NECESSARY.
OF the many pending questions Whlch III
vOve the comfort and convenience or the ctzens vi
York. of the most important is that OF quick anu
ready transit the lower to the upper part OF the CITY,
at such cheap rates "a render available TO the work
ing classes who desire to live in the pure air OF WeS
chester County The elevated railway erected In dreeh
wcb cannot be said by its best friends to be succesS
the Arcade Railway under Broadway Is strehuousy up
osod nv holders along the route and on theo
retal and pecuniary grounds by many practical meD
and il bids fair to remain paper In the mean time
the necessity OF doing something becomes daily moro
pressing Some inquiries have therefore been maze
among experienced street railroad men to ascertain their
opinions on the feasibility OF working tho line already
constructed in Greenwch-st., or any oher khu oi oic
waited railroad also to the running OF dummies on
surface roads and whether the disadvantages commonly
attributed to them, such frightening horses and run
ming over children, cannot be obviated.
III the first place, the public have long been under
wrong impression The horse railroad companies, so far
from opposing elevated underground lines for through
passengers apparently entirely in favor OF tem as
such lines would work materially to their interest. Mr.
Dickinson the superintendent OF the Third-aye Railway
declares that his company loses one cent on every
through passenger 10 Harlem; and that they would be
glad to see ali elevated railway along Thirdave to take
such traffic of their hands, leaving them the way trahc
There a general opinion that the elevated rai
way present form is impraccabe whether WORKED
with stationary power by means OF an endless chaln OF
by dummy engines The structure is far from being suf
fcieny solid even for very low rate OF speed and at
l2 miles an hour the socalled sidelng motion" of the
engine would destroy the track 1t is not thought
that single OF pillars is strong enough to sustain
the track and il IL deemed that skeleton track IL
very dangerous to persons passing underneath. The
principal requisite Of elevated railway to be both
servceable and safe is continuous bridge re-ns upon
double of pillars, the whole hunt OF IRON III the
srongest manner with ample strei n for the severest
service to which il may be subjected by steamdrven
trains at high speed the sides OF the bridge to be pro-
tected by Screen that the in transit Will not he
seen by passing horses high guard rail Of heavy tim
Der to firmly secured on the outside OF each rail TO pre-
vent the wheels from leaving the track and above ALL
the bridge TO be built the middle Of the avenue, the
horsecars 70 pass Immediately underneath it, between
the two OF pillars. The roadway being entirely
closed and waertght nothing could possibly fall upon
persons passing beneath.
With regard to the running OF dummies on the existing
lines OF street railway, thero seems to be many in
superable objections. The Secondave. Company ran
dummies for three four years, but compelled TO
go back TO horsepower again about year ago. one OF
the principal objections to using dummies any motive
power except horse power street railroads is snow.
During snow storms, dummy running
road, ordinary street rails, must stand STILL be-
the road cannot DC
il. II the Company allowed however, to lay down
what IL known as rail, this objection would be
Obviated But such a rail wOuld seriously interfere,
il high enough for the purpose Of dummies with
the ordinary street traffic OF vehicles and IL would be
almost impossible to keep the structure OF street rail-
road sufficiently level and in good enough order, when
and constantly crossed by other vehicles to operate
steam other mechanical power economically, the wear
and tear being 50 great Again, dummies can gain no
time horsepower in ordinary city streets
count of frequent stoppages TO take put down pass
engers and by carts and wagons When obliged to stop
at every corner, and often two three times in
block dummy engine could equal the speed OF horses
II the stOppages regulated 10 every quarter OF
slant the bell rings says Mr. Wilson, the superintendent
OF the Eighthave Railroad, for have TO accommO
date passengersnot they u.s." To pay the increased
of working dummies, larger would be necessary
number Of stOppages trip would consequently be
largely increased 1t Is much cheaper and more cOnve
nicnt," Mr.. Wilson, " To small ears with a
pair OF horses EACH than large with four horses
Another important objection to dummies 10 the difficulty
Of removing TO the machineryshOp In Of acc
dent. II horse breaks down, the team Is Immediately
removed that Of the noXt taking its place. till another
team be sent down from the stables But IL adummy
broke down. the road must he blocked till appliances
could be brought for removing 1t from the rails This OBJ
lection great one, and apparently insuperdblc lt
applies still also strongly elevated railroads where
sidDgs almost mpOssibty, except at rare inter-
val and where accident would compel Passengers to
descend from the track by means 0f ladders, O wait
patiently for assistance.
As TO accidents from frightened horses none seem TO
consider that objection at ALL They think that the
horses would soon get accustomed to the dummies and
pOint to the general use Of dummies the street rail
rOa OF Pittsburgh and other large Western cities where
accidents of this description almost unkyun' NNiS
regard 10 over children the cnse T. different An
aer cann0t aS6 that control over his engine that
driver has his hOrseswhch can be turned aside
to avoid treading fallen Child. Many accidents are