The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-23
The Gilbert Elevated Railroad
Described and Explained
THg PLATFORMS, STATION HOUSES AND CARS
How 100000 Passengers Can
Be Daily Moved

eide upon the style OF structure few ventured 10
hope that would be successful In face OF the
b.ned influence OF the various horse car ineA Tho
Rapid rrarsn Commission created under this act
Ns.ing OF Messrs Sogman, Mott, Brown, Canda ard
Delama,cr, however, proved 70 be men who took
broad and comprehensive WOW Of the wants OF the
travelling public After nearly three months con-
s,aul labor, aided by IN, professional skin OF Messrs
shrcvo aud Newton. heir engineers, they made their
report Then for the first time the public began 10
feel sangune OF the final defeat OF the horse inter-
aud tho ultimate realization Of sheir rapid transit
dream.
The report Of these gentlemen was very generally
commended by the masses and the press but still
here yet remained other work be done before cap
Iasts who stood ready with their money could 60
with the construction Upon the consent Of the prop
rty along tho line OF certain streets much de-
pended and the requisite number failed to sign their
consent another commission was provided for under
ihe ball, whose duty was specified TO be the conirma
lion Of tho routes Of the Seligman Commission The
readers OF the HERALD familiar with The opposition
sncrcd before this supplementary commission BY
property owners in the interest OF the Third Avenue
Railroad Company and the vigor with which the horse
interests opposed the selected every step
IN the work.
Tux GILBERT ELEVATED RAILROAD
Tho early commencement OF work the Gilbert
Elevated Railway is looked forward 10 with much In
lerest, especially Il Is to be double track road
along the linoof West Broadway South Fifth avenue
and Sixth avenue, where the travel Is always very
large From time TO time the HERALD has recorded
the progress made by this company In arranging de-
talis OF construction and operation. How tho COM
pany proposes the safely and expo
iitiousy is tho subject Of this article. When It Is
remembered that l50 0oo 900 passengers arc yearly
carried by street In this CITY, and 600 by
omnbuscs and other vehicles it viii DO obvious that
rapid transit railway. to accommodate sixth
Of this travel possess facilities for transporting
not far from 100000 passengers per day, or $4,000 pas
sengers each way, large percentage Of whom viii
be concentrated within tho morning and evening
hours. from six to ten A. N. and three
h. seven p ~, although there Will be
largo and lucrative travel at other hours when acili
tes offered for running trains with sufficient fire.
qusncy II with view of meeting this hoavy
travel morning and evening that Dr.. Gilbert chief
sngiueer of the road, designed the plan Of new loco
motive which was fully described In tho HERALD Of
April L. Assuming that 100 COO passengers demand
transportation every day. and that 90 OF these
must be carried in four hours Of the morning
and four hours OF tho evening, u win require
2a0 trains OF $50 passenger capacity each prevent
distractions and delay. Tho balance Of the 100 900
DO distributed through the other hours OF tho
day To meet this emergency tho chief engineer per-
could DO increased sufficiently to move these heavy
morning and evening trains at q rate OF speed that
would guarantee perfect safety The better 10 secure
both speed and safety the company have adopted
system Of block signals, which win prevent she do
parture OF . train from station until the preceding
rain has LETT the station beyond Az these stations
~ be about half milo apart tho length OF time re-
suired to run that distance will mainly depend upon
the weight and power of tho engine, its speed aud the
-.
points will largely depend tho carrying capacity Of
Ihe road
While the material used in the structure and the
power Of tho locomotives OF vital moment the ar
sangemcnt and plan of tho stations and IN such
manner as TO prevent obstruction, delay and confusion
very important In order TO meet these necessary
requirements fully possible both as regards tho
general cars ana the .'commission trans DR. Gilbert
or months has been engaged perfccting plans for
stations, approaches thereto and other details OF
the work We give below illustrations and descriptions
Of the stations, platforms cars, &C. which the CON-
pany propose employ IN tho work Of transporting
passengers
DESCRIPTION STATION sUIiDIEos
fho stations Will generally located near the
Of broad streets and at such points will best
accommodate crosstown travel and about half mile
apar, The building will be Of light corrugated iroa
In ornamental style II will be about 40 feet By Ii.
after tho style shown In rgure A. either end
ofth station placed ticket Office. 80 arranged that
tickets be sold FROM three windows Al tho same
time Seats will be arranged along the sides in the
waiting room for the accommodation OF passengers,
and also on the landings. o, IL fact on either end
Of the station The Of the station viii be continued
put and over tho platform lns with the cars as
VII be ngure Iil to protect tae passengers
hom exposure TO the rain The structure WILL when
completed, present very pleasing effect 70 tho eye
Ind will be SO located win but slightly Interrupt
lhe view OF tho street which IL Is situated
DESCRIPTION OF PLATFORMS, ArrRoAcnxs AID TicKzr
Tho stations are reached by two stairways about
feet WIDE leading nom the edge Of the Sidewalk
10 the platforms with easy incline They 10 be
Of iron, bulls in substantial manner. In order 70
prevent confusion, which would result rom passen-
gers meeting. the stairway for entrance win bs she
isn and Tor exit the right BY this passen.
gers will not be moving IN contrary directions, and
they viii not como into collision with each other AZ
ths passenger enters the landing he purchases hts
ticket a. one OF windows and passes through the
surnsule TO Tho platform, from which point he
enter the the waiting room OF the station To
expedite che movement Of passengers during the
morning and evening 'rush," ~hss "eom-
mission" or bali fare trains rrn Two
Of these .surps,ies" provided for entrance and
swo for exit the passenger only being required 10 show
his ticket, which admits him 10 tho platform and the
tram The ticket 10 mot taken up BY the conductor.
whose duty simply give hts entir attention 10 the
safety and movement Of the train; but on the exit OF
the passenger from The which no Is rcksted
The ticket Is taken up In the passenger desires
10 proceed further than Tho station 70 which he has
purchased = ticket he may do so BY paying shc addi
uoral iarc The stations will all be numbered and The
tckess for these viii be numbered and printed
viii enable the
oanv V dc,scs any discrepancy between the number Of
tickets colo and the amouns received. each station
beng charged with certain numbsr sold Tho plat
form vii b Of sucsns length for passengers 70 enter
and leave the train In the shortest possible time.
zach muss NOT exceed thirty any sos sss